Mining the Reefs and Cays

Coral, Guano and Rock Phosphate Extraction in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, 1844-1940

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12304530
AutoresBen Daley (Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences Manchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK, autor de correspondencia), Peter Griggs (School of Tropical Environment Studies and Geography James Cook University – Cairns Campus PO Box 6811 Cairns Queensland, Australia 4870), Peter Darryl Griggs (0000-0003-0138-8716, James Cook University)
Año2006
Volumen12
Número4
Páginas395-433
Fecha de publicación2006-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEnvironment and History (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0967-3407 • E-ISSN: 1752-7023
EditorialLiverpool University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.3197/096734006779093686
OpenAlexW2002537768
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas1

Scholarly attention has recently focused on the extent of the deterioration of the Great Barrier Reef and several authors have attempted to place that decline into historical context. We present documentary and oral history evidence that the extent and severity of mining in the Great Barrier Reef has been hitherto neglected in environmental histories of the ecosystem. Extraction of phosphatic sandstone, guano, rock phosphate and coral from many islands, cays and coral reefs have resulted in extensive transformations of some habitats. In particular, Raine, Lady Elliot, Lady Musgrave, North West and Holbourne Islands experienced intensive mining for guano and rock phosphate, while more sustained guano mining took place at Upolu, Oyster and Michaelmas Cays prior to 1940. Coral mining - which has not previously been documented for the Great Barrier Reef - also occurred in at least twelve locations between 1900 and 1940 with the result that thousands of tons of coral were removed from some reefs and pulverised to produce agricultural and industrial lime. This account suggests that historical mining in the Great Barrier Reef has left impacts in the landscape of several islands and cays. Further scientific research and monitoring is required to elucidate the impacts of coral mining, although comparisons with coral mining sites elsewhere in the world suggest that it is reasonable to presume that the impacts of that activity were severe for parts of several reefs, including Snapper Island, Kings and Alexandra Reefs

Aquaculture of coral · Archaeology · Atoll · Biology · Context (archaeology · Coral · Coral reef · Coral reef organizations · Coral reef protection · Environmental issues with coral reefs · Fishery · Geography · Great barrier reef · Guano · Habitat · Reef · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Ecology · Geology · Oceanography

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