Endeavour Reef is a coral reef within the

Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...

. It is within the

Shire of Cook The Shire of Cook (The Shire) is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia. The Shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland. It covers an area ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. The reef is about long and runs in an east–west direction. The center of the reef is located at . It is about south-east of the Hope Islands in the Hope Islands National Park and off the mainland. It was encountered by Lieutenant James Cook when HM Bark ''Endeavour'' ran aground there on 11 June 1770. In his journals, Cook described striking the south-eastern end of the reef at 11pm after having passed just north of Pickersgill Reef about one hour before.

Philip Parker King Rear Admiral Phillip Parker King, FRS, RN (13 December 1791 – 26 February 1856) was an early explorer of the Australian and Patagonian coasts. Early life and education King was born on Norfolk Island, to Philip Gidley King and Anna Jos ...

described the region in his ''Voyages for the Survey of the Intertropical coasts of Australia'' Volume 2 following his expeditions between 1818 and 1820. King described the reef as being "... nine miles long; it lies in a North-West direction; the north end, in 15 degrees 39 minutes South, bears due from the North-east Hope." and stated that there was a dry rock on the western edge "... in latitude 15 degrees 39 minutes 55 seconds." It is probable that he was referring to Cairns Reef which is further to the north.

Hans Hass Hans Hass (23 January 1919 – 16 June 2013) was an Austrian biologist and underwater diving pioneer. He was known mainly for being among the first scientists to popularise coral reefs, stingrays, octopuses and sharks. He pioneered the making o ...

searched unsuccessfully for the cannons during several dives in December 1952. In 1969 an underwater search discovered the six abandoned cannons, ballast and an anchor which had been discarded by the ''Endeavour'' crew in 1770 whilst attempting to refloat the ship.The Vernon Anchors and HMB Endeavour Cannon
at the Australian National Maritime Museum A replica cannon is on display at the

Australian National Maritime Museum The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) is a federally operated maritime museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney. After considering the idea of establishing a maritime museum, the federal government announced that a national maritime museum wou ...

in Darling Harbour, Sydney, while the six original cannons are on display at Botany Bay, Cooktown, Canberra, Philadelphia (US), Wellington (NZ), and London (UK).

References

External links

Gazetteer of Australia
Great Barrier Reef Reefs of Australia {{queensland-geo-stub