Chesterfield Islands - General

General

The Chesterfield Reefs or Islands, and sometimes Group, are the most important of a number of uninhabited coral sand cays, some still awash and liable to shift with the wind and others stabilized by the growth of grass, creepers and low trees, lying on a series of reefs comprising the Chesterfield Reefs and extending from 19˚ to 22˚S between 158–160˚E in the southern Coral Sea halfway between Australia and New Caledonia. The Chesterfield Reefs are now part of the territory of New Caledonia while the islands farther west are now part of the Australian Coral Sea Islands Territory.

Chesterfield lagoon which is located between 19˚00' and 20˚30' latitude south and 158˚10' and 159˚ longitude east covers an area of about approximately 3500 km2. This lagoon is surrounded by a barrier reef interrupted by wide passes except on its eastern side where it is open for over 20 nautical miles (37 km). The major part of the lagoon is exposed to trade winds and to the south eastern oceanic swell. The lagoon is relatively deep with a mean depth of 51 m. The depth increases from south to north where maximum soundings are reached

Chesterfield Reefs complex consists of The Bellona reef complex to the south (South, Middle and N.W Bellona reef) and the Brampton Reef complex. They include the following main islet generally from the south to the north:

Bellona Reefs

• West Point 21°52′S 159°25′E / 21.867°S 159.417°E / -21.867; 159.417 (Bellona Reefs - West Point),
• Olry Reef 21°26′S 159°34′E / 21.433°S 159.567°E / -21.433; 159.567 (Bellona Reefs - Olry Reef),
• Middle Bellona Reefs 21°25′S 158°25′E / 21.417°S 158.417°E / -21.417; 158.417 (Middle Bellona Reefs),
• Observatory Cay 21°24′S 158°51′E / 21.4°S 158.85°E / -21.4; 158.85 (Bellona Reefs - Observatory Cay),
• Booby Reef 21°01′S 158°34′E / 21.017°S 158.567°E / -21.017; 158.567 (Bellona Reefs - Booby Reef),
• Northwest Bellona Reef 20°52′S 158°28′E / 20.867°S 158.467°E / -20.867; 158.467 (Northwest Bellona Reef),
• Noel Bank 20°32′S 158°34′E / 20.533°S 158.567°E / -20.533; 158.567 (Bellona Reefs - Noel Bank),

Minerva Shoal

• Minerva Shoal20°55′S 159°22′E / 20.917°S 159.367°E / -20.917; 159.367 (Minerva Shoal),

Chesterfield Reefs

• South Elbow or Loop Islet19°59′S 158°28′E / 19.983°S 158.467°E / -19.983; 158.467 (Chesterfield Reefs - Loop Islet),
• Anchorage Islets 19°54′S 158°28′E / 19.9°S 158.467°E / -19.9; 158.467 (Chesterfield Reefs - Anchorage Islets),
• Passage Islet (Bennett Islet)19°55′S 158°22′E / 19.917°S 158.367°E / -19.917; 158.367 (Chesterfield Reefs - Passage Islet (Bennett Islet)),
• Long Island 19°53′S 158°19′E / 19.883°S 158.317°E / -19.883; 158.317 (Chesterfield Reefs - Long Island),

The Avon Isles

• Avon Isles (Northwest Point) 19°32′S 158°15′E / 19.533°S 158.25°E / -19.533; 158.25 (Avon Isles),
• Avon Isles (south)

Bampton Reefs

• Bampton Reefs
• Bampton Island 19°07′S 158°36′E / 19.117°S 158.6°E / -19.117; 158.6 (Bampton Island),
• North Bampton Reef 19°03′S 158°43′E / 19.05°S 158.717°E / -19.05; 158.717 (North Bampton Reef),
• Northeast Bampton Reef 19°06′S 159°03′E / 19.1°S 159.05°E / -19.1; 159.05 (Northeast Bampton Reef),
• Renard Island 19°14′S 158°58′E / 19.233°S 158.967°E / -19.233; 158.967 (Bampton Reefs - Renard Island),
• Skeleton Cay 19°27′S 158°57′E / 19.45°S 158.95°E / -19.45; 158.95 (Bampton Reefs - Skeleton Cay)