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

Gridded multi-beam echosounder bathymetry data for the Hunter Marine Park, acquired by the NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment aboard RV Bombora. The dataset results from fieldwork funded by NSW DPIE and the National Environmental Science Program in 2015 and 2018, focusing on mapping the continental shelf reef Key Ecological Feature. Associated reports by Davies et al (2016) and Williams et al (2020) detail these surveys alongside towed underwater video and BRUVs to characterise seabed habitats and fish assemblages.

Use Cases

• Model seafloor topography and habitat complexity based on gridded bathymetry data.
• Analyze the distribution of the 'Continental Shelf Reef' Key Ecological Feature based on focused 2018-19 survey sites.
• Characterize seabed habitats for marine park management, as referenced in the associated towed video and BRUVs reports.
• Integrate bathymetric layers with biological survey data to study fish and invertebrate assemblages.

Strengths

• Data collected over multiple years (2015 and 2018) for temporal comparison.
• Focused 100% coverage mapping in 2018 over previously identified key ecological areas.
• Associated with detailed published reports (Davies et al 2016, Williams et al 2020) documenting methodology.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and data size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is explicitly marked 'Not to be used for navigational purposes'.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, originating from NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment and the National Environmental Science Program (NESP Biodiversity Hub).

Collection Method

Acquired using a multi-beam echosounder system aboard the RV Bombora, with later surveys aiming for 100% coverage.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 16:42:32.290605; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Hunter Marine Park, Australia, specifically areas east/south-east of Seal Rocks, Outer Gibber north-east of Broughton Islands, and east/north-east of Broughton Island.