Australia's Seabed Map 2023: 250m Resolution Bathymetry Grid

Australia's Seabed Map 2023 provides a three-dimensional picture of the seafloor across a vast area from 92°E to 172°E and 8°S to 60°S, including areas adjacent to the Australian continent, Tasmania, and surrounding islands. The map is based on the AusBathyTopo 250m grid, compiled from 1582 individual surveys using multibeam echosounders, LiDAR, and other sources, and incorporates satellite data for coastline definition. This digital dataset, produced by the Australian Ocean Data Network, represents a significant improvement since its last revision in 2009.

Use Cases

• Support offshore industry planning based on detailed seabed topography.
• Inform area-based environmental management based on the continental-scale bathymetry compilation.
• Enable scientific research on marine geology and habitats based on the 3D seafloor picture.
• Facilitate public education about Australia's marine geography based on the national map.

Strengths

• Compiled from 1582 individual surveys using multiple technologies like multibeam echosounders and LiDAR.
• Covers a vast geographic extent from 92°E to 172°E and 8°S to 60°S.
• Represents a significant improvement over the previous 2009 revision, incorporating satellite data for coastline definition.

Limitations

• The 250m resolution is only supported where direct bathymetric observations are sufficiently dense.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Compiled from 1582 individual surveys using multibeam echosounders, single-beam echosounders, LiDAR, 3D seismic first returns, regional compilations, Electronic Navigation Charts, and satellite-derived bathymetry.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-16 22:20:13.366437; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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