Location of Middleton Reef east of New South Wales
1934 map of Middleton Reef
It is among the southernmost platform reefs in the world. Despite its relatively high latitude, there is a wide variety of flora and fauna on the reef and in the surrounding waters, due to converging tropical and temperate ocean currents.
It is about 8.9 km long by 6.3 km wide. At low tide most of the reef flat is exposed, at high tide only one cay is visible, The Sound, 100 m by 70 m and one metre above sea level.
Surveys by the Australian Institute of Marine Science have highlighted healthy numbers of black cod Epinephelus daemelii, a threatened species[2] in NSW waters.[3] The survey in 2003 highlighted 111 species of coral and identified 181 species of fish. The number of recorded fish species is 311 across several surveys. High numbers of Galapagos sharksCarcharhinus galapagensis were observed at Elizabeth Reef, and may indicate that the reef is a nursery. Sea cucumber (black teatfish), Holothuria whitmaei,[4] were also found in high numbers at Elizabeth Reef. While the 2003 survey found only small numbers of crown-of-thorns starfish, a survey in 2005 indicated that that species is now active.[5]
Shipwrecksedit
Along with Elizabeth Reef, the reef has been the site of numerous shipwrecks. According to the the ships stranded include: Middleton Reef: Agnes Napier, Annasona, Blue Jacket, Britannia, Defender, Maelgwyn, Mallsgate, Mary Lawson, Queen of the East, Stuart Russel, Runic, Fuku Maru no 7. Britannia is listed for both Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs. The yacht Sospan Fach was wrecked on Middleton Reef in 1974, and its crew of four was rescued after being stranded for six weeks, during which they lived on the wreck of the Fuku Maru.[6]
Middleton Reef:Agnes Napier, Annasona, Blue Jacket, Britannia, Defender, Maelgwyn, Mallsgate, Mary Lawson, Queen of the East, Stuart Russel
Britannia is listed for both Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs.
^Prescott, Victor (1998). "The Uncertainties of Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs" (PDF). Maritime Studies. 1998 (100): 8–14. doi:10.1080/07266472.1998.10878528.
The Uncertainties of Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs (Geopolitical Study)
January 01, 1970
middleton, reef, coral, reef, coral, separated, deep, oceanic, pass, some, wide, from, nearby, elizabeth, reef, forming, part, lord, howe, rise, underwater, plateau, around, from, lord, howe, island, from, coast, south, wales, 1997, environment, sport, territo. Middleton Reef is a coral reef in the Coral Sea It is separated by a deep oceanic pass some 47 km wide from nearby Elizabeth Reef forming part of the Lord Howe Rise underwater plateau It is around 230 km from Lord Howe Island and 555 km from the coast of New South Wales In 1997 the Environment Sport and Territories Legislation Amendment Bill 1996 included the reef in Australia s Coral Sea Islands Territory 1 Middleton Reefclass notpageimage Location of Middleton Reef east of New South Wales 1934 map of Middleton Reef It is among the southernmost platform reefs in the world Despite its relatively high latitude there is a wide variety of flora and fauna on the reef and in the surrounding waters due to converging tropical and temperate ocean currents It is about 8 9 km long by 6 3 km wide At low tide most of the reef flat is exposed at high tide only one cay is visible The Sound 100 m by 70 m and one metre above sea level The reefs form the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Park Reserve managed by the Government of Australia under the Natural Heritage Trust Middleton Reef image from NASA Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project Contents 1 Flora and fauna 2 Shipwrecks 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksFlora and fauna editSurveys by the Australian Institute of Marine Science have highlighted healthy numbers of black cod Epinephelus daemelii a threatened species 2 in NSW waters 3 The survey in 2003 highlighted 111 species of coral and identified 181 species of fish The number of recorded fish species is 311 across several surveys High numbers of Galapagos sharks Carcharhinus galapagensis were observed at Elizabeth Reef and may indicate that the reef is a nursery Sea cucumber black teatfish Holothuria whitmaei 4 were also found in high numbers at Elizabeth Reef While the 2003 survey found only small numbers of crown of thorns starfish a survey in 2005 indicated that that species is now active 5 Shipwrecks editAlong with Elizabeth Reef the reef has been the site of numerous shipwrecks According to the National Shipwrecks Database the ships stranded include Middleton Reef Agnes Napier Annasona Blue Jacket Britannia Defender Maelgwyn Mallsgate Mary Lawson Queen of the East Stuart Russel Runic Fuku Maru no 7 Britannia is listed for both Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs The yacht Sospan Fach was wrecked on Middleton Reef in 1974 and its crew of four was rescued after being stranded for six weeks during which they lived on the wreck of the Fuku Maru 6 Middleton Reef Agnes Napier Annasona Blue Jacket Britannia Defender Maelgwyn Mallsgate Mary Lawson Queen of the East Stuart RusselBritannia is listed for both Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs See also editLord Howe Marine Park Elizabeth Reef Lord Howe Seamount ChainReferences edit Prescott Victor 1998 The Uncertainties of Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs PDF Maritime Studies 1998 100 8 14 doi 10 1080 07266472 1998 10878528 Black Cod net Marine Surveys undertaken in the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve December 2003 Archived 2008 08 02 at the Wayback Machine Reefbase Online Library AIMS Reef Monitoring Elizabeth Reef Brown Jamie 6 January 2015 Salvation of the reef s castaways The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 14 April 2023 29 27 19 S 159 07 07 E 29 455142 S 159 118539 E 29 455142 159 118539External links editThe Uncertainties of Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs Geopolitical Study Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Middleton Reef amp oldid 1155635788, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
