“On the south side of the entrance, which is
the deepest, there is ten feet at low water; and within
side the depth is from two to four fathoms, in a channel
near the south shore: the rest of the bar is mostly
occupied by shoals, over which boats can scarcely
pass when the tide is out. High water appeared
to take place about seven hours after the moon’s
passage; at which time a ship not drawing more than
fourteen feet might venture in, if severely pressed.
Shoal Bay is difficult to be found except by its latitude,
which is 29 degrees 26 1/2 minutes, but there is on
the low land about four leagues to the southward,
a small hill somewhat peaked, which may serve as a
mark to vessels coming from that direction.”
CAPE BYRON, in latitude 28 degrees 38 minutes 10 seconds,
longitude 153 degrees 37 minutes 20 seconds.
MOUNT WARNING is in latitude 28 degrees 24 minutes,
longitude 153 degrees 12 minutes.
THE TWEED is a river communicating with the sea by
a bar, on which there is twelve feet water, it is
situated about a mile and a half to the north of a
small island off Point Danger, which lies in latitude
28 degrees 8 minutes.
In latitude 28 degrees there is a communication with
the inlet at the south side of Moreton Bay, insulating
the land whose north extremity is Point Lookout.
The entrance of this inlet is shoal and only passable
for boats.
MORETON BAY.* In addition to the account of this bay
by Captain Flinders,** Lieutenant Oxley has lately
discovered the Brisbane, a very fine fresh water river
that falls into it in 27 degrees 25 minutes latitude,
abreast of the strait between Moreton Island and Point
Lookout.
(Footnote. This bay was originally called
Glass House Bay, in allusion to the name given by
Captain Cook to three remarkable glass house-looking
hills near Pumice-stone River; but as Captain Cook
bestowed the name of Moreton Bay upon the strait to
the south of Moreton Island, that name has a prior
claim, and is now generally adopted. A penal settlement
has lately been formed at Red Cliff Point, which is
situated a little to the north of the embouchure of
the Brisbane River.)
(Footnote. Flinders Introduction cxcvi.)
WIDE BAY, the entrance of which is in latitude 25
degrees 49 minutes, was examined by Mr. Edwardson,
the master of one of the government colonial vessels;
he found it to be a good port, having in its entrance
a channel of not less than three fathoms deep; and
to communicate with Hervey’s Bay, thus making
an island of the Great Sandy Peninsula.
INDIAN HEAD is in latitude 25 degrees 1 minute, and
longitude 153 degrees 23 minutes.
...
DESCRIPTION OF THE WINDS AND WEATHER, AND OF THE PORTS,
ISLANDS, AND COAST BETWEEN BREAKSEA SPIT AND CAPE
YORK.
NORTH-EAST COAST.
The south-east trade is occasionally suspended near
the shore by north-easterly winds during the months
of June, July, and August, the only season that I
have any experience of the winds and weather upon the
north-east coast; the weather is generally thick and
cloudy, and often accompanied with showers of rain,
particularly during the two first months.
