Environmental research, maps and data for tropical Australia
Recent articles
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The Sensitive Data Access Control Plan is an eAtlas form for documenting how restricted research datasets should be managed, discovered and accessed over time.
Use this form when a dataset cannot be published openly, but still needs to be described, governed and made discoverable through public metadata. The form helps project teams record why the data is sensitive, what kinds of use may be acceptable, who should be consulted about access, and how the dataset should be managed after the original project team has moved on.
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This article outlines the new NESP MaC 3.17 Sentinel-2 composite imagery for tropical Australia. It explains how thousands of Sentinel 2 images were combined to create satellite imagery optimised for studying the shallow marine environments. It covers how the composites were built, how deep they reach, and how to view or download the imagery for research or management.
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Ocean Infinity completed drone photogrammetry at seven sites representing various areas of the Norfolk Island coastline. High-resolution digital elevation models and 3D imagery were produced to analyse the geomorphology of the coastline.
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Ever wondered what the weird and wonderful inhabitants of Australia’s Marine National Parks look like?
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A second survey of the fish, lobster and non-mobile seafloor organisms in shelf waters within the Tasman Fracture Marine Park (TFMP) was conducted in 2021, following initial surveys in 2014/15. The broad aim was to look at changes in the no-take National Park Zone (NPZ) following protection, relative to adjacent fished locations both within the park and in nearby areas. The 2021 surveys reinforced the status of the TFMP as a biodiverse Marine Park within the SE Marine Park Network.
Recent datasets
Subtidal habitat of North-West Marra Sea Country, Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, Australia - 2023 (JCU, Mabunji, CDU)
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24 July 2026
This dataset summarises subtidal benthic surveys in North-West Marra Sea Country into 1 GIS shapefile: (1) A point (site) shapefile describes seagrass presence/absence at 63 subtidal sites surveyed by vessel. Methods: The sampling methods used to study, describe and monitor seagrass meadows were developed by TropWATER and tailored to the location and habitat surveyed; these are described in detail in the relevant publications (https://research.jcu.edu.au/tropwater).
Fish communities and benthic monitoring of Marra Sea Country in the Gulf of Carpentaria - 2023 (JCU, Mabunji, CDU)
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23 July 2026
This dataset summarises benthic and fish surveys in Marra Sea Country, including the Limmen Marine Park (Commonwealth), Limmen Bight Marine Park (Northern Territory) and adjacent coastal waters into 3 GIS shapefiles. (1) A point (site) shapefile describes (a) seagrass presence/absence, (b) seagrass species composition, (c) algae cover and (d) benthic macro-invertebrate cover at 194 sites surveyed by vessel. (2) A point (site) shapefile describes (a) fish species richness and (b) fish species abundance recorded from BRUVS footage at 96 sites surveyed by vessel.
Dungeness Reef Seagrass Survey, Torres Strait, September 2024 (TropWATER, James Cook University)
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21 July 2026
This dataset summarises intertidal benthic surveys of Dungeness Reef, Torres Strait, in September 2024 into 3 GIS shapefiles. (1) The point (site) shapefile describes (a) seagrass presence/absence and (b) species composition across 109 sites. (2) The meadow (polygon) shapefile describes the seagrass community for the intertidal meadow. (3) The interpolation shapefile describes variation in seagrass biomass across sites for the intertidal meadows. The full report is: Carter A, Proctor M, Forsman S, Scott A, Rasheed M, David M and Torres Strait Regional Authority Land and Sea Rangers (2025).
Orman Reefs Seagrass Survey, Torres Strait, August 2024 (TropWATER, James Cook University)
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21 July 2026
This dataset summarises intertidal benthic surveys of Orman Reefs, Torres Strait, in August 2024 into 3 GIS shapefiles. (1) The point (site) shapefile describes (a) seagrass presence/absence and (b) seagrass species composition and composition across 144 sites. (2) The meadow (polygon) shapefile describes seagrass communities for the intertidal meadows. (3) The interpolation shapefile describes variation in seagrass biomass across sites for the intertidal meadows.
Masig Island Seagrass Survey, Torres Strait, September 2024 (TropWATER, James Cook University)
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21 July 2026
This dataset summarises intertidal benthic surveys of Masig Island Island, Torres Strait, in September 2024 into 3 GIS shapefiles. (1) The point (site) shapefile describes (a) seagrass presence/absence and (b) seagrass species composition across 139 sites. (2) The meadow (polygon) shapefile describes seagrass communities for the intertidal meadow. (3) The interpolation shapefile describes variation in seagrass biomass across sites for the intertidal meadow.
eAtlas Partners
This project is jointly funded through Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program.