Forster Pacific Palms Cape Hawke Seabed Backscatter and Bathymetry, 2019-2022

New South Wales, Australia, seabed data collected by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment from March 2019 to August 2022. The dataset contains 32-bit floating point geotiff files of bathymetry and backscatter in 5-meter resolution, derived from multibeam sonar surveys. It was created to provide a baseline and map seabed type distribution as part of the SeabedNSW program.

Use Cases

• Map seabed type spatial distribution based on backscatter data mentioned in the description.
• Establish baseline bathymetry for coastal monitoring based on the 5m resolution geotiffs.
• Analyze seafloor morphology for habitat mapping based on the multibeam survey data.
• Support coastal management and reform initiatives based on the stated program funding sources.

Strengths

• Data collection spanned over three years, from 01/MAR/2019 to 12/AUG/2022.
• Provides both bathymetry and backscatter layers at a 5-meter spatial resolution.
• Processing details and standard operating procedures are documented in a linked public report.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and total file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description explicitly states 'Not to be used for navigational purposes', limiting its application.

Provenance

Source

NSW government (Department of Planning and Environment – DPE)

Collection Method

Acquired using a R2Sonic 2022 multibeam sonar onboard the Research Vessel Bombora, processed with Hypack, Qimera, FMGT, and other software.

Time Range

01/MAR/2019 – 12/AUG/2022

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 02:06:37.924262; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Forster Pacific Palms Cape Hawke, New South Wales, Australia