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Admiralty charts drawn after the earliest surveys of the Whitsunday area showed only very crude representation of the various islands, one such being today's Hook Island. From the 1820's until 1866 its shape was that of a very distinct hook and the name Hook Island became common usage, made official on chart BA347 1863. The correct shape appeared following extensive surveys by Commander G.S. Nares, RN in HMS Salamander in 1865/6.