Australian Continental Shelf Palaeoshorelines For Sea-Level Analysis

Palaeoshoreline features on the Australian continental shelf are mapped and analyzed in relation to Late Quaternary sea-level changes. The dataset, compiled by researchers including Brendan P. Brooke and published in 2017, identifies persistent modal sea-level positions at depths of 30-40 meters and 70-90 meters below present. It originates from the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Model benthic habitat distribution by correlating biodiversity data with mapped palaeoshoreline morphology and composition.
• Target sand resource exploration by identifying relict coastal areas formed during specific sea-level modal positions like 70-90 meters depth.
• Investigate potential submerged archaeological sites by focusing on palaeoshorelines formed during periods of lower sea level, such as 97-116 ka.
• Compare shelf morphology by analyzing shoreline features shaped by differing oceanographic settings (wave, tide, wind energy) and composition (carbonate vs siliciclastic).
• Calibrate global shelf studies using the depth zones (e.g., 30-40 m) of well-preserved Australian features as a guide for similar searches elsewhere.

Strengths

• Analysis is grounded in the well-dated Late Quaternary sea-level record covering 0-128 thousand years.
• Identifies specific, persistent modal sea-level depth ranges (30-40 m, 70-90 m) tied to dated periods.
• Provides a geospatial framework applicable to environmental monitoring and biodiversity studies across the shelf.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, column details, and spatial resolution of the underlying mapping data are not provided.
• The primary analysis and publication date from 2017, though the record was updated in 2026.
• Focus is exclusively on the tectonically stable Australian continental shelf, limiting direct global applicability.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, based on research published in Continental Shelf Research (2017).

Collection Method

Analysis of sea-level records and presumably geophysical mapping data to identify and characterize submerged shoreline features.

Time Range

Late Quaternary, covering 0-128 thousand years before present.

Freshness

Record metadata was updated in April 2026, though the core research was published in 2017.

Geography

Australian continental shelf.