Recent datasets

The purpose of this study was to characterise spatial and temporal patterns in sea surface temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef. Annual mean sea surface temperatures (1 degrees latitude-longitude grid size) were derived from the monthly sea surface temperatures from the Global Sea surface Temperature database 'HadISST 1.1', from the Hadley Centre for Climate Research, United Kingdom Meteorological Office.

This study characterises spatial patterns in water clarity. Water clarity is a key indicator for water quality and is an essential environmental factor for phototrophic organisms that dominate coral reefs, seagrass meadows and the seafloor microphytobenthos. Secchi disk depthis a commonly used standardised way to quantify water clarity.

The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to identify water quality guideline values based on existing ecological data; (2) to identify areas where guidelines are met or exceeded, and (3) to quantify the likely ecological changes associated with improving water quality to meet the guidelines. Water quality guideline values were derived based on two separate approaches. Firstly, long-term average water quality conditions were characterized for the six NRM regions within the GBR.

Depth and Elevation Model of the Great Barrier Reef (GBRDEM), a regional-scale terrain model covering the Great Barrier Reef, catchments which flow into the Great Barrier Reef and, where data are available, depths beyond the edge of the continental shelf. Data are presented as Mean Sea Level (MSL, unit: m), a measure indistinguishable from the Australian Height Datum (AHD) in accuracy at the regional scale.

The aim of this component of the study was to determine how photosynthetic rates related to growth rates both into terms of skeletal deposition and organic carbon accrual associated with linear extension, and with organic carbon accrual associated with fat deposition or lipid enrichment of existent tissue. The study was based on the coral Acropora millepora located at Lizard Island (-14°40’, 145°27’) and at Heron Island (-23°26', 151°54') in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) of Australia, with data collected for winter and summer months.

The purpose of this data set was to compile distributional, general life-history characteristics and phylogenies for Australian tropical rain forest vertebrates to inform a wide range of comparative studies on the determinants of biodiversity patterns and to assess the impacts of global climate change.

This dataset shows the estimated maximum temperature of the warmest period for the Wet Tropics Bioregion of North Queensland over a 24 month period from January 2007 to December 2008. It was modelled based on weather station data, elevation, foliage cover and distance to the coast. The purpose of this dataset is as a metric for estimating thermal stress on animals living in this region. Methods: The maximum temperate was modelled over the region at an 80 m resolution using weather station data with adjustments for elevation, foliage cover and distance from the coast.

The purpose of this study is to quantify spatial and temporal patterns in water quality of the GBR. Surface water quality data collected by Miles Furnas and colleagues (AIMS) between 1988 and 2006. Niskin or bucket surface water samples and laboratory analyses of a suite of physical and chemical water quality data, including chlorophyll, suspended solids (SS), and the following nutrients: particulate phosphorus (PP), particulate nitrogen (PN), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), total phosphorus (TP = PP + TDP), total nitrogen (TN = PN + TDN).

The eAtlas delivers its mapping products via two Web Mapping Services, a legacy server (from 2008-2011) and a newer primary server (2011+) to which all new content it added. This record describes the legacy WMS. This service was decommissioned on in Jan 2024. This service delivered map layers associated with the eAtlas project (https://eatlas.org.au), and contained map layers of environmental research focusing on the Great Barrier Reef.

Boundaries of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park proclaimed under Subsection 31(1) of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (CTH). For administrative purposes, the Amalgamated Great Barrier Reef Section is divided into four management areas. This metadata record was created for the eAtlas and is not authoritative. Please contact GBRMPA for more information. To obtain this dataset go to the GBRMPA spatial information website, download the appropriate data usage agreement and send it through to gis@gbrmpa.gov.au.

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This dataset contains the amalgamated set of Special Management Areas (SMAs) in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park as described in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, Amendments 2008. This includes: SMA - No Dories Detached, SMA - Princess Charlotte Bay, SMA - Public Appreciation, SMA - Restricted Access, SMA - Seasonal Closure, SMA - Dugong Protection Area B, SMA - Dugong Protection Area A, SMA - Natural Resources Conservation Dugong Protection Areas: This layer shows the Special Management Areas that provide additional protection for Dugongs from commercial fishing.

This dataset contains coastal features within and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area. This dataset consists of two shapefiles GBR_FEATURES.shp and GBR_DRY_REEF.shp. The GBR_FEATURES shapefile contains the following features: Queensland mainland coastline, Major and other coral reef structures (as defined by the reef shoal edge), Islands and rocks (exposed and submerged), Major coral cay features. The GBR_DRY_REEFS contains major coral reef structures (as defined by the reef shoal edge) that are tidal, drying or emergent reef areas.

This dataset is shows the distribution of inshore seagrass along the eastern Queensland coastline. It is a composite of 38 surveys conducted from 1984 to 2007. Coastal seagrasses in waters shallower than -15 metres were mapped by dive surveys, under water cameras and inter-tidal aerial surveys. The data includes location information on the spatial extent of seagrass habitats mapped in 38 surveys between 1984 – 2007. The data does not include species information.

This dataset shows a spatial model of the distribution and relative density of dugongs (Dugong dugong) in the Torres Strait region based on an aggregate of 19 years (1986, 1987, 1992, 1994, 1999, and 2005) of systematic aerial surveys. For more information on the methods used in the creation of this dataset see Grech. A., and Marsh. H. (2007) - Prioritising areas for dugong conservation in a marine protected area using a spatially explicit population model, Applied GIS, 3(2), 1-14.

This dataset details the Declared Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) across Australia through the implementation of the Indigenous Protected Areas Programme. These boundaries are not legally binding. An Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is an area of Indigenous-owned land or sea where traditional Indigenous owners have entered into an agreement with the Australian Government to promote biodiversity and cultural resource conservation.

Geoscience Australia has the primary role in the delineation of Australia's maritime boundaries. An output of this activity is the development of the Australian Maritime Boundaries (AMB) data. AMB is a GIS data product, replacing AMBIS 2001 Version 1.1, providing access to the data for Australia's Territorial Sea Baseline (TSB) and maritime zones. Note: This is a non authoritative copy of the metadata for the use in the eAtlas. Please refer to Geoscience Australia for queries on this dataset.

There are 10 major trading ports along the Great Barrier Reef coast. The waters of most of these ports are within the Great Barrier Reef Region, but not within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. In recognition of the outstanding values of the Great Barrier Reef, there are stringent management arrangements for commercial shipping in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, which is designated a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area by the International Maritime Organisation. Shipping traffic is confined to Designated Shipping Areas in the Great Barrier Reef Region.

This data set contains information on Oil and Gas pipeline infrastructure. This dataset has been converted from Microstation format used in a map "Petroleum Exploration and Development Titles" published annually in APRIL. Attributes have been added to comply with data standards and minor coding of line work has been achieved using annotation from the map. Further data has been added, specifically for the specific Acreage Release Areas. This metadata was prepared for the North West Atlas and is not authoritative.

Australia's River Basins 1997 is the result of a joint State, Territory and Commonwealth Government project to create a national spatial database of major hydrological basins. It shows the boundaries of Australia's basins as defined by the Australian Water Resources Management Committee (WRMC). Australia is divided into drainage divisions which are sub-divided into water regions which are in-turn sub-divided into river basins. The data includes the name and number of each of the 245 drainage basins, 77 regions, and 12 divisions.

The GEODATA TOPO 2.5M 2003 product is a national seamless data product aimed at regional or national applications. It is a vector representation of the Australian landscape as represented on the Geoscience Australia 1:2.5M general reference maps and is suitable for GIS applications. It supersedes the TOPO 2.5M 1998 product by being developed according to GEODATA standards as described below. The data was derived from GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 2 data where available and GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 1 and has double precision accuracy.