GREAT BARRIER REEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18760, 14 July 1924, Page 7

GREAT BARRIER REEF.

HUGE CHARTING SCHEME. SEAPLANES TO BE USED. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONMJS&J SYDNEY. July 3. Ever since ships have traded along that portion of the eastern coast of Australia within the tropics the ;aoed has been fait for the thorough charting of the Great Barrier Reef, one of the most entrancingly beautiful, and at the same time one of the most treacherous of the ocean's tracts. But the task is immense. The prodigious number of islets and submerged corals and the tortuous character of the passages have always made Governments shy of authorising anything in the way of a complete survey. For important areas in the north wo still rely upon the earliest data obtained in the primary era of settlement. Much of this, as was proved in a cursory manner by Flight-Commander Gobel, in his recent flight around Australia in his seaplane,'is inaccurate, and in any case a very much more detailed survey of the Great Barner Reef is necessary before it can be successfully submitted to the exploitation of its vast economic resources, for the promotion of which a committee of influential business and scientific men has been in existence for the past year or two in Queensland. The fact is one of the main factors that have actuated the Federal Government in commissioning its surveying ship Geranium to carry out a survey. The ship left Brisbane on its mission on Saturday, thus taking the first step in the gigantic task of charting the 40,000 square miles of the reef. It is estimated that the work will take 20 years to complete.

The testing of the value of aircraft in connection with the charting of the reef is one of the chief aims of the Geranium's first trip to the Great Barrier Reef, which will last until December next. For this purpose the vessel has been fitted with an aeroplane deck, and a derrick for hoisting the machines on board. Two extra cabins for two officers of the Royal Australian Air Force and accommodation for nine airmen have been built on the ship. A laboratory for photographic work has been constructed on. the top deck. The Geranium also has a 15-knot 32ft. motor-boat, fitted with a 6-cylinder 60 h.p. engine, which will attend on the seaplanes during flying operations. At Townsville, Lieut. Mclntyre, who accompanied Flight Commander Gobel on his flight around Australia, will hand over to Flight-Lieut. Mustard a Fairey 3D airplane, after making a flight up the Queensland coast in it.