ush ▁affect ing ▁that ▁region . ▁▁ 1 8 7 0 : ▁W reck ▁on ▁Elizabeth ▁Re ef ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁the ▁Col on ist ▁had ▁settled ▁into ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁regular ▁vis its ▁between ▁Sydney ▁and ▁New ▁C aled onia ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Alfred ▁Douglas ▁Mill ar ▁Ge ach . ▁During ▁one ▁of ▁these ▁regular ▁runs ▁the ▁vessel ▁hit ▁Elizabeth ▁Re ef . ▁After ▁having ▁left ▁Sydney ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁May ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁with ▁a ▁full ▁cargo ▁of ▁general ▁mer ch and ise ▁and ▁sail ing ▁for ▁a ▁day ▁and ▁a ▁half , ▁when ▁it ▁encountered ▁a ▁storm ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁it ▁was ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁off ▁Lord ▁How e ▁when ▁ ▁At ▁mid night , ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 2 nd , ▁Captain ▁Ge ach ▁went ▁below ▁to ▁mark ▁off ▁the ▁sch oon er ' s ▁track , ▁ ▁when ▁the ▁chief ▁officer ▁called ▁out , ▁" hard ▁up ," ▁and ▁within ▁a ▁few ▁seconds ▁she ▁struck ▁the ▁re ef ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁side . ▁The ▁sch oon er ▁was ▁under ▁double - ree f ed ▁canvas ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁and ▁a ▁fear ful ▁sea ▁running . ▁All ▁sail ▁was ▁kept ▁on ▁her ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁hard ening ▁her ▁on ▁the ▁re ef . ▁The ▁first ▁sea ▁swe pt . ▁over ▁her , ▁and ▁burst ▁through ▁the ▁main s ail ; ▁the ▁second ▁st ove ▁in ▁the ▁boat