Maritime History
The Coral Sea was first identified during Captain Cook’s epic voyages to the region between 1768 and 1771. The area was surveyed more than once by explorer Matthew Flinders at the start of the 19th Century; and it was Flinders who first coined the name “Coral Sea”.
Wreck at Bougainville Reef Courtesy of Undersea ExplorerBecause of its often stormy weather and shallow reefs, shipwrecks were not uncommon and in 1803, Flinders himself became shipwrecked when his and a sister ship hit a reef, that he named “Wreck Reef”. All but three of the sailors survived....but they were marooned on a small sandy cay.
To save the crew, Flinders and 13 others rowed more than 1,000 kilometres to Sydney to enlist help. After six weeks, Flinders returned with three vessels and rescued the 80 surviving sailors.
Shipping routes through this dangerous area were soon charted enabling commercial users to gain a foothold in the region.
The mining of bird guano for phosphate began as early as 1840, with pearl and sea cucumber fisheries established soon after.
The growth of the sugar industry in North Queensland saw many ships using the Coral Sea, some coming to grief navigating its treacherous reefs. Despite many wrecks and casualties, there were stories of brave survivors and dramatic Coral Sea rescues.
Today, recreational diving is a growing industry in the Coral Sea. With its diverse, remote and largely untouched coral reefs, Australia’s Coral Sea is a marine environment worth fully protecting now and for future generations.
