Australian Seabed and Land Elevation Grid

Australia's seabed and land elevation data covers the Australian continent and its Exclusive Economic Zone. Geoscience Australia compiled the 2009 bathymetry from multibeam, single beam, and satellite-derived sources, integrating it with onshore topographic grids. The service provides a 0.0025-degree resolution grid where direct observations are sufficiently dense.

Use Cases

• Modeling seafloor terrain for habitat mapping using the 0.0025-degree bathymetry grid.
• Integrating onshore topography with offshore bathymetry for coastal inundation studies.
• Analyzing regional geomorphology by comparing multibeam survey data with satellite-derived bathymetry in sparse areas.
• Creating 3D visualizations of the Australian continental shelf using the compiled elevation data.

Strengths

• High-resolution 0.0025-degree grid in areas with dense direct observations like swath bathymetry.
• Integrates data from multiple authoritative sources including Geoscience Australia's grids and SRTM DEM.
• Covers a defined geographic scope of Australia's landmass and adjoining Exclusive Economic Zone.

Limitations

• Resolution is variable, dropping to 1 or 2 arc-minute satellite data in areas lacking direct soundings.
• Excludes data from Australia's marine jurisdiction near Heard and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory.
• Core bathymetric observations are from 2009, which may not reflect recent seafloor changes.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, with contributions from Geographx and others.

Collection Method

Compiled from multibeam and single beam surveys, digitized charts, and satellite-derived bathymetry (ETOPO, SRTM).

Time Range

Bathymetry data primarily from a 2009 compilation, integrating source data from various years.

Freshness

The underlying bathymetry compilation is from 2009, though the web service was updated in 2026.

Geography

Australian landmass and the adjoining Australian Exclusive Economic Zone.