untains.

In latitude 31 degrees 47 minutes 50 seconds, and at the distance of two
miles and a quarter from the shore, is a dangerous reef, on which the sea
constantly breaks; it was named by Lieutenant Oxley, who discovered it,
the MERMAID'S REEF; it is about a quarter of a mile in extent, and bears
South 85 degrees East from the South Brother; a small detached portion of
the reef is separated from the principal rock, within which there
appeared to be a narrow navigable channel. A quarter of a mile without
the latter we found sixteen fathoms water. Round the point under the
North Brother Hill, is CAMDEN HAVEN, the particulars respecting its
entrance (in latitude 31 degrees 41 minutes, longitude 152 degrees) are
not yet known, but it is supposed to be very shoal.

PORT MACQUARIE is the embouchure or the River Hastings; its entrance is
about two miles and two-thirds to the North-North-West of Tacking Point.
It is a bar harbour, and, like Port Hunter, is of dangerous access, on
account of the banks of sand that project from the low north sandy point
of entrance, on which the sea breaks and forms sand rollers; these
however serve to indicate the edge of the channel, which is about ninety
yards wide. The south shore extends in a North-North-West direction from
Tacking Point to Green Mound (a remarkable conical shaped hillock) whence
the south shore of the entrance trends in nearly a west direction to the
narrow entrance opposite Pelican Point.

Between Green Mound and the next projection the bar stretches across
towards the sand rollers, and is about one hundred and twenty yards in
extent.

The deepest channel over it is within thirty yards of two sunken rocks,
the outermost of which bears from Green Mound North 45 degrees West
(true) or North 55 degrees West, nine hundred yards. When Green Mound
Point and the next point to the southward of it are in a line, you are
within a few yards of the shoalest part of the bar. After passing the
bar, there are from two to four fathoms water. Since the examination of
this harbour, a penal settlement has been formed, and a pilot appointed
to conduct vessels in and out. Off the entrance is a high rocky islet,
the Nobby, within which the channel is shoal and dangerous to pass. There
is good anchorage in four, five, or six fathoms, about half a mile
outside of the bar, on a bank of sand, which gradually deepens for three
miles to fourteen fathoms, upon any part of which a vessel may anc