Great Australian Bight Bathymetry Survey for Subsea Cable Route

April 2024 bathymetric survey data collected within the Great Australian Bight Marine Park. The survey was conducted by EGS onboard the RV Bold Explorer for the SSCN Subsea Cable Network project, investigating seabed features and shallow geology along a proposed cable route. The dataset includes results from multibeam echosounder systems and is not intended for navigational use.

Use Cases

• Model seafloor terrain and slope from bathymetry data to assess cable laying feasibility.
• Identify potential seabed hazards like rock outcrops or steep gradients from seabed feature data.
• Correlate shallow geology layers with bathymetric profiles for geotechnical analysis.
• Map the bathymetry of the marine park to support benthic habitat modeling.

Strengths

• Data collected in April 2024, providing recent measurements.
• Surveys conducted with calibrated multibeam echosounder (MBES) and USBL systems.
• Focus on a specific marine park and cable route segment ensures targeted coverage.

Limitations

• Specific row count, spatial resolution, and data volume are unknown.
• Dataset is confined to a single segment (2-B) of a larger cable route survey.
• Lack of accessible sample data or column descriptions hinders initial assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, collected by EGS (surveyor).

Collection Method

Marine survey using hull-mounted and towed sensors, including multibeam echosounders, from the RV Bold Explorer.

Time Range

Primary data acquisition occurred in April 2024.

Freshness

Last platform update was April 2026, but primary data collection occurred in April 2024.

Geography

Great Australian Bight Marine Park, along the SSCN Segment 2-B proposed cable route.