Sir,
Your excellency's most obedient and humble servant,
(Signed), JOHN OXLEY, Surveyor General.
To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc.
No. VI.
GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS.
Government House, Sydney,
Thursday, June 17, 1819.
CIVIL DEPARTMENT.
It is with feelings of much gratification that his excellency The
Governor is at length enabled to announce, thus publicly, that a safe
capacious harbour has been discovered, and now accurately described,
situated to the north-east of Newcastle; from whence it is distant about
one hundred and forty miles, and consequently about two hundred and
twenty miles in the same direction from Port Jackson.
This harbour, which was discovered by John Oxley, Esq., surveyor general,
on his reaching the coast last year from his tour of discovery in the
interior, then obtained from him the name of Port Macquarie; and
although, owing to his not having any boat or vessel at that time, he
could not then ascertain the soundings, and practicability of the
entrance into this harbour, yet the general appearances were sufficiently
favourable to induce him to form the opinion that it would prove safe;
and from the circumstances of the surrounding country being well watered,
and fertile, and the large River Hastings discharging itself into the sea
there, he concluded that a port so happily situated would be a valuable
acquisition to this colony. Impressed with this idea. he did not fail to
report his opinion in regard to it to his excellency, who was happy to
provide Mr. Oxley with a suitable vessel, to enable him to make the
necessary survey of the entrance and harbour of Port Macquarie.
The result of this survey having been as satisfactory as could have been
expected, his excellency is pleased to give publicity to Mr. Oxley's own
clear and circumstantial report on this valuable acquisition; and his
excellency desires to express his full and entire approbation of Mr.
Oxley's intelligent, zealous, and indefatigable exertions on this arduous
occasion, which evince an earnest and well directed desire to promote the
public service, and to advance the interests of the colony.
His excellency is also happy to add the expression of his approbation of
the liberal and judicious assistance rendered to Mr. Oxley, by
Lieutenant King, commander of His Majesty's colonial cutter, Mermaid,
whose exertions are so justly appreciated by Mr. Oxley, in the following
report; and his excellency desires both those gentlemen to accept his
thanks for the service thus rendered by their joint efforts to the
colony.
By his excellency's command,
J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary.
* * *
Sydney, June 12, 1819.
Sir,
In obedience to your excellency's commands to proceed in the Lady Nelson,
for the purpose of examining the entrance into Port Macquarie, and how
far it would be practicable and safe for vessels of a certain description
to enter it, I beg leave to report to your excellency, that I arrived off
the entrance of the harbour, on the 11th of May, in company with His
Majesty's cutter, Mermaid, commanded by Lieutenant King, who expressed
his intention to forward, by the superior means possessed by his vessel,
the view of your excellency, relative to the harbour.
Both vessels anchored off the bar, and the day was spent in sounding the
bar and channel; when we had the pleasure to find that we could enter
with safety. Accordingly the next morning they were warped into the
harbour, and moored alongside a natural wharf, on the south side of the
port.
The examination of the harbour, and river falling therein, occupied us
until the 21st, when having completed the service directed by your
excellency, both vessels quitted the port with perfect ease; the Mermaid
pursuing her course to the northward on her ulterior destination.
Port Macquarie is situated in latitude 31. 25. 45. S., and in longitude
152. 53. 54. E. It is a bar harbour, on which however there is at low
water spring tides, at least nine feet; the tide rising from three to
four feet. The true channel is perfectly straight, and the tides set so,
that no danger is to be apprehended from their operation. The chief
danger to be avoided on entering is a sunken rock on the south side,
having about three feet on it at low water; and it will he necessary,
should the port he settled, that this danger should he buoyed. The bar
extends about two hundred yards; the bottom a soft sand when the water
deepens to two fathoms and a half, and alternately to three fathoms,
when secure anchorage will be found inside the Beacon Rock.
When vessels arrive off the bar, should the wind or tide be adverse to
entering the port, good anchorage will he found in from five to eight
fathoms outside the bar; Tacking Point being shut in by Peaked Hill
Point. When the winds are from the south, round by the west to north, the
bottom a clear sand.
The winds from north-east and south-east, if blowing strong, cause the
water to break across: but as those winds are fair for entering, no
danger is to be apprehended to vessels whose draft of water does not
exceed nine or ten feet. Should however circumstances render it imprudent
or impracticable to enter, the coast may be cleared on either tack, the
indenture of the coast line not being such as to cause it ever to be a
dangerous lee shore.
The port should be entered at or near high water, when, unless it blows
very hard, it seldom breaks on the bar. The tide of ebb runs with great
rapidity, sometimes nearly four miles per hour, owing to the great
quantity of fresh water in the Hastings River, and the narrowness of the
channel.
