Seabed Morphology and Geomorphology Maps of the Coral Sea Marine Park

Flinders Reefs and Cairns Seamount in the Coral Sea Marine Park, north-eastern Australia, are mapped for seabed morphology and geomorphology. The maps were produced using a two-step classification system applied to bathymetry DEMs compiled from multibeam, LADS, LiDAR, and hydrographic surveys. The data product is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in May 2026.

Use Cases

• Marine habitat management based on classified seabed morphology features.
• Geomorphic interpretation for scientific research using supplemental backscatter and sediment data.
• GIS-based environmental planning leveraging the 8m and 1m resolution bathymetry models.

Strengths

• Maps derived from high-resolution data sources, including an 8m DEM for Flinders Reefs and a 1m DEM subset for Cairns Seamount.
• Used a nationally consistent two-part classification system (Dove et al., 2020; Nanson et al., 2023).
• Supplemented with additional datasets like backscatter intensity, seabed imagery, and sediment samples.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific survey areas.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Semi-automated GIS mapping tools applied to bathymetry DEMs, supplemented by domain knowledge and additional datasets.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 02:20:20.607017; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Coral Sea Marine Park, north-eastern Australia, specifically Flinders Reefs and Cairns Seamount.