AusBathyTopo: 30m Depth Model for the Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef

A 30-meter resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) integrates depth and elevation data for the Torres Strait, which lies at the northern end of the Earth's largest coral reef ecosystem. The dataset was compiled by Geoscience Australia from multiple sources, including multibeam surveys, LiDAR, and satellite data, and was last updated in April 2026. It is a fundamental dataset for marine habitat mapping and hydrodynamic modeling but is not to be used for navigational purposes.

Use Cases

• Map marine habitats based on the integrated bathymetry and topography data.
• Simulate water mixing for hydrodynamic models based on the detailed depth model.
• Analyze the structure of continental slope canyons based on deep-water multibeam survey data.
• Study sediment deposits from the Fly River delta based on shallow-water multibeam survey data.

Strengths

• 30-meter resolution provides a detailed regional-scale model.
• Integrates data from multiple advanced sources, including multibeam surveys, airborne LiDAR, and satellite-derived bathymetry.
• Covers a vital ecological area at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The dataset is explicitly not to be used for navigational purposes, limiting its application scope.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, Geoscience Australia

Collection Method

Compiled from edited point clouds of multibeam surveys, LiDAR, satellite data, and the National Intertidal Digital Elevation Model (NIDEM).

Time Range

Data compilation reflects surveys over the past ten years, with a 2023 model identifier.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 16:36:27.498945; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Torres Strait, bounded by Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, including the northern Great Barrier Reef, Arafura Sea, and Coral Sea.