Parks Australia Natural Values Ecosystems Map for Australian Waters, 2025

Parks Australia's 2025 National Values Ecosystems dataset delineates marine ecosystems by habitat and depth across the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone. This interim version uses a 250-meter resolution grid from Geoscience Australia's AusBathyTopo 2024 and incorporates improved input data, including the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Layer. The dataset provides a broad-scale, nationally consistent classification of marine ecosystems but is not a validated habitat map.

Use Cases

• Analyze broad-scale marine ecosystem distribution based on habitat and depth classifications.
• Support marine spatial planning and conservation assessments based on nationally consistent ecosystem surrogates.
• Model anthropogenic pressures on marine environments based on the defined ecosystem complexes.
• Compare ecosystem classifications between the 2022 and upcoming 2026 dataset revisions.

Strengths

• National coverage across the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone.
• Uses a 250-meter resolution base grid from Geoscience Australia's AusBathyTopo 2024.
• Incorporates revised input datasets, including the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Layer for seagrass and coral reefs.

Limitations

• Dataset is described as an interim product and not a substitute for a validated habitat map.
• Row count and column-level documentation are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• Data gaps are filled via interpolation, which may introduce uncertainty.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Combination of input data sources with interpolation for gaps, using a functional geo-physical perspective.

Time Range

2025 version (interim between 2022 and upcoming 2026 revision).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04.

Geography

Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).