Elizabeth and Middleton Reef Multibeam Sonar Backscatter Survey, 2020

Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs within the Lord Howe Marine Park were surveyed from January 31 to February 6, 2020. The dataset comprises two bathymetry grids derived from multibeam sonar data at 4-meter spatial resolution, collected to establish baseline information for benthic habitats. This collaborative project was funded by the National Environmental Science Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and involved Geoscience Australia, the University of Tasmania, NSW Department of Primary Industries, the University of Sydney, and Parks Australia.

Use Cases

• Map benthic habitat zones based on multibeam sonar backscatter data.
• Establish baseline seabed topography for environmental monitoring as part of a 10-year management plan.
• Support marine park management decisions for the National Park Zone and Recreational Use Zone.
• Integrate bathymetry data with concurrent seabed imagery and sediment samples for holistic habitat studies.

Strengths

• Data collected by Geoscience Australia using a Kongsberg EM 2040C HD multibeam sonar system.
• Bathymetry grids are provided at a 4-meter spatial resolution.
• Survey was part of a multi-institutional collaboration funded by a national science program.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, collected via the Australian Maritime College vessel TV Bluefin.

Collection Method

Seabed mapping using multibeam sonar, supplemented by AUV imagery, sediment grabs, and baited remote underwater videos.

Time Range

January 31 to February 6, 2020.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-17 01:38:47.839372; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Middleton Reef and Elizabeth Reef within the Lord Howe Marine Park, Australia.