John Korff, in his ship Brothers, was heading to the Bellinger River when bad weather came. He chose to take refuge to the North among a small group of islands.

Korff was sufficiently impressed by the safety of the islands and the depth of the waters, that he submitted a report when he returned to Sydney. He is therefore recognised as the discoverer of Korff's Harbour. The name was presumably changed by accident when printed in a Gazettal notice in 1861 as Coff's Harbour.

John never set foot on land here although his two sons Frederick and Gordon were reported to have come ashore.