The subtidal flora and fauna at Shiprock, Port Hacking, New South Wales during 1965 – 1970

Abstract

Generally, bays and inlets in NSW river estuaries have a rather restricted attached flora and fauna. However, this is not the case with one tiny area in Port Hacking, were some unusual features have combined to support an extremely rich and varied biota surrounded by comparatively sterile sand flats. This area is at Little Turriel Point, or Shiprock, where the combination of a deep submarine cliff, strong currents and unpolluted water have resulted in an extremely rich growth of sedentary marine invertebrates with a resulting large population of fishes. During the early months of 1965 the author and other members of the Underwater Research Group of NSW began diving in this area and were astonished as the profusion of marine fauna that we found in this seemingly ordinary estuarine situation. Never before had we encountered anything like this concentration and variety of animals, in which almost every phylum was represented. Species hitherto regarded as rare or uncommon were found in great numbers and all available living space was crowded with masses of invertebrates. We could see, by the great numbers and variety of fishes, why the area had a reputation as an excellent fishing spot.