Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve facts for kids
The Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve was a special ocean area in the Coral Sea Islands Territory of Australia. It was like a huge underwater park, covering about 8,440 square kilometers. In December 2012, this reserve became part of an even bigger protected area called the Coral Sea Marine Park.
Lihou Reef is also part of the Coral Sea Reserves Ramsar Site. This means it's recognized internationally as a very important wetland. It was listed under the Ramsar Convention in 2002. This convention is an agreement between countries to protect wetlands because they are vital for nature and wildlife.
History of Lihou Reef
Lihou Reef and its small islands, called cays, were found by a British Navy officer named Lieutenant John Lihou. He discovered them on February 23, 1823. Lieutenant Lihou was sailing from Manila to South America on his ship, HMS Zenobia, when he came across the reefs.
About Lihou Reef
 Lihou Reef Lighthouse
Location in Australia
|
|
| Location | Lihou Reef Coral Sea Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 17°08′28″S 152°08′21.2″E / 17.14111°S 152.139222°E |
| Foundation | four concrete piles |
| Construction | metal skeletal tower lower part, fiberglass tower upper part |
| Tower shape | two-stage tower: quadrangular skeletal tower with balcony lower part, quadrangular tower with balcony upper part |
| Markings / pattern | white skeletal lower tower, red upper tower |
| Height | 34 metres (112 ft) |
| Focal height | 33 metres (108 ft) |
| Range | 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 10s. |
| Admiralty number | K3206.6 |
| NGA number | 9886.5 |
Lihou Reef is the second largest atoll in the Coral Sea. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef that often has a lagoon in the middle. Lihou Reef is shaped like a "U" and has an opening in its southwest side.
The lagoon inside the atoll is very large, about 100 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide. It covers an area of about 2,529 square kilometers. The lagoon can be as deep as 60 meters in some places.
Even though the atoll is huge, the total land area of all its small islands and cays is just over one square kilometer. The reserve has 18 islets and cays in total. Nine of these are on the Northern Rim, and nine are on the Southern Rim.
Northern Rim Islets
The islets on the Northern Rim are:
- Juliette Cay
- Kathy Cay
- Lorna Cay
- Little Margaret Cay
- Margaret Cay
- Turtle Islet
- Middle Cay
- Observatory Cay
- Licklick Cay
Only Lorna Cay and Turtle Islet have plants growing on them. Turtle Islet is the tallest, reaching about 6 meters high.
Southern Rim Islets
The islets on the Southern Rim are:
- Anne Cay ("No 1 Cay")
- Betty Cay ("No 2 Cay")
- Carol Cay ("No 3 Cay")
- Dianna Cay ("No 4 Cay")
- Fanny Cay ("No 5 Cay")
- Edna Cay ("No 6 Cay")
- Helen Cay ("No 7 Cay")
- Georgina Cay ("No 8 Cay")
- Nellie Cay ("No 9 Cay")
Out of these, only the three largest ones—Anne Cay, Georgina Cay, and Nellie Cay—have plants growing on them. Near Anne Cay, there is a way into the lagoon called the Herald Passage.
See also
In Spanish: Reserva natural nacional Arrecife de Lihou para niños
