Seabed Morphology and Geomorphology Maps for the Coral Sea Marine Park

Geoscience Australia produced geospatial maps classifying seabed features in the Coral Sea Marine Park. A two-step national classification system was applied to bathymetry data, supplemented by backscatter and seabed imagery. The maps cover Flinders Reefs and the upper mesophotic zone of Cairns Seamount.

Use Cases

• Marine habitat mapping based on the two-part seabed geomorphology classification system.
• Bathymetric analysis using the 8-meter and 1-meter resolution digital elevation models.
• Geomorphic interpretation of seabed features informed by backscatter intensity and seabed imagery.
• Conservation planning for the Coral Sea Marine Park based on classified morphology features.

Strengths

• Uses a nationally consistent two-part seabed geomorphology classification system.
• Derived from multibeam surveys, LADS, LiDAR, and Australian Hydrographic Office data.
• Includes high-resolution (1-meter) mapping for the upper mesophotic zone of Cairns Seamount.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Freshness should be verified despite a last updated date of 2026-06-16.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-16 20:05:32.625891

Geography

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