NESP D3 Hunter Marine Park Bathymetry: Multi-Beam Sonar Surveys 2015-2019

Gridded multi-beam echosounder data maps the seafloor of the Hunter Marine Park, funded by the NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment and the National Environmental Science Program. Surveys in 2015 and 2018 targeted the continental shelf reef Key Ecological Feature, with detailed reports available from the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub. The data covers specific sites east of Seal Rocks and the Broughton Islands, supporting habitat and biodiversity assessments.

Use Cases

• Characterizing seabed habitats based on gridded bathymetry data.
• Mapping the distribution of the 'Continental Shelf Reef' Key Ecological Feature.
• Analyzing seafloor structure for marine park monitoring and management.
• Correlating bathymetric features with fish and invertebrate assemblage data from associated video surveys.

Strengths

• Data collection was funded and conducted by government and national research programs (NSW DPIE and NESP).
• Surveys progressed from exploratory lines to 100% coverage over key ecological areas.
• Associated detailed reports by Davies et al. (2016) and Williams et al. (2020) provide context and methodology.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and specific data scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description notes the data is not to be used for navigational purposes, indicating potential accuracy limitations for certain applications.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, collected via the NSW DPIE MBES system aboard RV Bombora.

Collection Method

Multi-beam echosounder (MBES) surveys, supplemented by towed underwater video and BRUVs.

Time Range

Surveys conducted in 2015 and 2018, with data published for 2019.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 06:13:43.551465; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Hunter Marine Park, Australia, specifically sites east of Seal Rocks and the Broughton Islands.