Oceanographic instruments were deployed to collect data on the circulation around the Dampier Archipelago between March and May 2001.Instruments were deployed at five locations within the archipelago: Brigadier Island (ADCP): Deployed 13/3/2001; Recovered 24/5/2001.Woodside Channel Marker (ADCP): Deployed 14/3/2001; Recovered 24/5/2001. Between Lady Nora Island and Nelson Rocks (S4): Deployed 14/3/2001; Recovered 21/5/2001.Georgeff Reef (S4): Deployed 14/3/2001; Recovered 21/5/2001.Marney Bay (S4): Deployed 15/3/2001; Recovered 21/5/01.In addition to these deployments CTD transects were conducted in the area on the 16th and 20 March, 2001 and an ADCP transect was carried out on the 17th March, 2001. This research was undertaken to provide data for a model that would predict coral larval fates given appropriate forecast winds and tides. S4 current meters and ADCPs were deployed during a spawning event, concurrent with biological measurements.

An array of oceanographic instruments was deployed to coincide with the first summer spring high tide inundation of the salt flats adjacent to the Norman River in November 1985. The instruments were deployed at two sites. Site A was located in the Norman River, where two Interocean Model S4 current meters were suspended in a bottom mounted frame 0.5m and 1.3m above the bottom. A second mooring was deployed, to which an Aanderaa current meter and an Aanderaa water level recorder were attached 1m below the surface. All meters logged data at five minute intervals and each mooring also included an Analite optical fibre nephelometer linked to an Aanderaa data logger, which logged data every 5 minutes.Site P was located in a narrow tidal creek, which drains into the Norman River and has a watershed comprised of only salt flats. An Aanderaa current meter was mounted on the bottom at this site.At site A, water samples were collected from 1m above the bottom and 1m below the surface using 5 litre Niskin bottles every 4 hours over two complete tidal cycles (14-17 November). During this time samples were also collected along the creek in which site P was located using 2 litre glass bottles. Near bottom and near surface water samples were also collected from sites ranging from 10km seaward of the mouth of the Norman River to 50km upstream of the river mouth before (13th November) and after (17th November) the tidal inundation. Water samples were filtered through preweighed 0.4µm Nucleopore polycarbonate membrane filters and stored frozen until analysis for dissolved orthphosphate, nitrate, nitrite and silicate. Separate samples were passed through 25mm diameter GF/F glass fibre filters, which were frozen until analysis for chlorophyll a.The Aanderaa current meters also recorded temperature and conductivity. In addition temperature, salinity and suspended solids were measured with a CTD probe, which included an optical fibre nephelometer. Vertical profiles were measured along the Norman River on the 13th and 17th of November; at hourly intervals for 48 hours at site A; and every 4 hours along the creek from site P. This research was undertaken to measure, for the first time, the outwelling of salt and nutrients from salt flats to a river estuary.

In February 1990, 53 hydrographic stations were sampled in the far northern Great Barrier Reef. The cruise track was laid out to cover inshore, outer-shelf and Coral Sea waters within and seaward of three major coastal embayments, Lloyd Bay, Temple Bay and Shelburne Bay. Two additional stations were sampled in transit to the study area.Water samples were collected with Niskin bottles through the full depth of the water column or upper 300m. A series of subsamples of water were drawn from the Niskin bottles and prepared for later analysis. Analyses conducted were dissolved nutrients, chlorophyll, suspended solids, particulate nitrogen (PON) and particulate phosphorous (POP). At primary production stations a subsample of water was taken for estimation of water column primary production using 14C-bicarbonate. A subsample of water was also taken to assess the contribution of pico-, nano, and phytoplankton to community biomass and productivity.At most stations triplicate sediment samples were collected using a van Veen grab. Subsamples of the sediment were taken for determination of sediment nitrogen and phosphorous. Subsamples were also taken for grain-size analysis. The gravel fraction was further investigated to determine the percentage of material from biological or terrigenous sources. Water column zooplankton stocks were sampled using bottom-to-surface vertical net tows at most stations. Subsamples were processed for later dry weight analysis.Salinity and temperature profiles for 11 of the first 13 stations were derived from CTD casts. After the failure of the CTD, insitu temperatures were measured with reversing thermometers and surface and near bottom water samples were collected for analysis of salinity.Subsurface irradiance profiles were measured at 24 stations. This survey was carried out to obtain baseline data on hydrographic, nutrient and sediment characteristics of shelf waters and sediments in the far northern Great Barrier Reef as areas on the adjacent mainland were under consideration for National Park declaration, the construction of a rocket launching facility and silica sand mining.

The coral and fish communities at the AIMS Long Term Monitoring (LTM) sites at Mermaid, Clerke and Imperiuse reefs were re-surveyed, following periodic surveys since 1994. To inform the design of future monitoring programs, communities at different habitats at the Rowley Shoals were surveyed at Clerke and Mermaid Reefs. In particular, coral and fish communities were surveyed at the reef slope in 9m, 6m, 3m and reef flat habitats, and at the base and top of three replicate bombies within the lagoon and false lagoon (Clerke Reef only). Additionally, Baited Remote Underwater Videos (BRUVS - single)) were deployed at the reef slope at 9m and 3m, and at the bombie habitats within the lagoon, to investigate their use as a remote monitoring method for certain fish and shark populations. Several coral species were also sampled opportunistically to investigate whether their participation in the predicted mass spawning at the end of October differs from that documented previously at Scott Reef, and samples of the dominant brooding coral Isopora brueggemanni were collected to add existing samples of several species from Scott Reef and the Rowley Shoals for genetic analyses, when funding becomes available. This project is a co-investment between Woodside Petroleum Limited (WEL) and AIMS, in order to build scientific knowledge at the Rowley Shoals and was undertaken between 11th October - 2 December 2013.

The coral and communities at the AIMS Long Term Monitoring (LTM) sites at Scott Reef, Seringapatam and Rowley Shoals were re-surveyed, following periodic surveys since 1994. In addition to the Proposed Field Program, the following work was completed: Benthic LTM surveys at three additional sites at Scott Reef. Coral species diversity surveys at four additional sites at Scott Reef. Benthic LTM surveys of coral communities at 13 sites in the deep lagoon (20-60m) at South Reef using ROV. Colony size-frequency surveys at six sites at Scott Reef. Genetic samples of surviving Seriatopora hystrix from 7 sites at Scott Reef. Additional temperature loggers and current metres deployed at Rowley Shoals. Video and photographic documentation of the Rowley Shoals, in water and from air using drones This project is a co-investment between Woodside Energy Ltd (WEL) and AIMS, in order to build scientific knowledge at Scott Reef, Seringapatam and Rowley Shoals and was undertaken between 4th – 25th November 2017.

2 deployments of tide gauges (Aanderaa WLR) were made at Flinders Reef (-17.867, 148.567). This dataset is a component of the project 'Water Level Variations along the Outer Great Barrier Reef 1985-1988' Deployment 1: Date deployed: 20/5/86Date recovered: 31/5/87 Deployment 2: Date deployed: 1/6/87 Date recovered: 10/5/88

This dataset consists of the data from the 24 oceanographic stations occupied during the Cairns - Port Moresby Survey, a survey of a cable route between Australia and Papua New Guinea from September and October 1974. The survey was conducted by Cable and Wireless Ltd.