AusBathyTopo 250m 2024: National-Scale Depth Model for Australia

AusBathyTopo 250m 2024 is a national-scale depth model for Australia, replacing the 2023 version. It was compiled from 1456 unique data sources, including multibeam echosounders, LiDAR, and satellite-derived bathymetry, by a partnership of Geoscience Australia, the Australian Hydrographic Office, James Cook University, and the University of Sydney. The grid covers a vast area from 92°E to 172°E and 8°S to 60°S, including the Australian continent, Tasmania, and several external territories.

Use Cases

• Coastal erosion and habitat modelling based on seamless land-sea transition data.
• Marine navigation planning and safety analysis using the compiled bathymetric grid.
• Climate change impact studies on sea-level rise using the continental-scale depth model.
• Geological and geophysical research leveraging decades of collected seabed mapping data.

Strengths

• Compiled from 1456 unique data sources, including multibeam echosounders, LiDAR, and satellite-derived bathymetry.
• Represents decades of data collection and collaboration, noted as a significant improvement over the 2009 and 2023 compilations.
• Incorporates innovations like satellite data from Digital Earth Australia to improve shallow coastal depth modelling.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect geographic bias, as Australia's marine jurisdiction offshore from Heard and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory are not included.
• The dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes, limiting its application scope.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, Australian Hydrographic Office, James Cook University, University of Sydney

Collection Method

Compiled from 1456 unique data sources including multibeam echosounders, single-beam echosounders, LiDAR, 3D seismic first returns, Electronic Navigation Charts, and satellite-derived bathymetry.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-26 19:30:49.437052; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Area from 92°E to 172°E and 8°S to 60°S, including Australian continent, Tasmania, Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands.