Hydrogeological Inventory Of The Arafura Basin

Over 250 million years of geological history are documented in this hydrogeological inventory of the Arafura Basin. It compiles descriptive attributes across themes like geology, hydrogeology, land use, and groundwater management. The dataset was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Map groundwater management zones using the 'Groundwater management and use' theme attributes.
• Analyze aquifer rock composition by correlating 'Geology' theme data (e.g., sandstone, shale) with 'Hydrogeology' features.
• Study surface water and groundwater interaction using linked attributes from the 'Surface water' and 'Groundwater' themes.
• Assess environmental and land use impacts by cross-referencing 'Land use and industry types' with 'Environment' theme data.
• Identify potential groundwater sources for remote communities using 'Location and administration' data and documented aquifer formations like the Marchinbar Sandstone.

Strengths

• Covers a sedimentary record spanning more than 250 million years.
• Groups data into 11 distinct thematic categories including geology, hydrogeology, and land use.
• Includes specific geological unit references such as the Wessel Group and Marchinbar Sandstone.

Limitations

• No detailed basin-scale hydrogeological studies are incorporated, as stated in the description.
• The dataset format is PDF, limiting direct computational analysis without extraction.
• Groundwater data is primarily based on investigations from the 1980s and 1990s, which may be outdated.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Compilation of descriptive attribute information grouped into thematic categories.

Time Range

Late Neoproterozoic to early Permian (over 250 million years), with modern administrative data.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Arafura Basin, northern Australia, spanning onshore Arnhem Land and offshore Arafura Sea.