Inshore benthic habitat mapping of the Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges (AMLR), Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, Upper Spencer Gulf, Upper Gulf St Vincent, South East and Kangaroo Island as part of a wider DEWNR project to map specific areas of the South Australian inshore environments Habitat boundaries were interpreted from underwater features discernable on ortho-rectified aerial photographs. The data for the Upper Gulf St Vincent and Upper Spencer Gulf were captured between 2005 and 2007. AMLR data was captured between 2008 and 2009. South East data was captured between 2009 and 2010. Field observations and underwater video footage was used to capture the Upper Spencer Gulf and Upper Gulf St Vincent data. The AMLR data was captured from field observations, underwater video footage, acoustic mapping and sidescan sonar. The data sets were combined as part of a DENR Statewide project. Additional data was captured on Kangaroo Island during 2013 which included field observations and Underwater video footage. This data was added by regional staff using an adapted data schema that now includes species specific information.

Point data collected from video drops identifying benthic habitats such as seagrass, macroalgae and reef, collected during field work in 2007 to 2011. Used to support the Benthic Habitat Mapping project undertaken by DENR to map the nearshore benthic habitats of South Australia.

This dataset summarises benthic surveys in Yanyuwa Sea Country into 3 GIS shapefiles. (1) A point (site) shapefile describes seagrass presence/absence at 3248 sites surveyed by small vessel and helicopter. (2) The meadow shapefile describes attributes of 180 intertidal seagrass meadows. (3) The interpolation GeoTiff describes variation in seagrass biomass across the seagrass meadows. This project is a partnership between li-Anthawirriyarra rangers, Charles Darwin University, James Cook University, and Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Indigenous Corporation to map the intertidal habitats of the Yanyuwa Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), an area of profound importance to the Marra and Yanyuwa people and to the marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Benthic habitat maps of Yanyuwa Country were produced, with a focus on seagrass. Report reference: Groom R, Carter A, Collier C, Firby L, Evans S, Barrett S, Hoffmann L, van de Wetering C, Shepherd L, Evans S, Anderson S. (2023) Mapping Critical Habitat in Yanyuwa Sea Country. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. Charles Darwin University, pp. 40. Available at: https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NESP-MaC-Hub-Project-1.12_Groom-et-al-FINAL-REPORT.pdf Methods: The sampling methods used to study, describe and monitor seagrass meadows were developed by the TropWATER Seagrass Group and tailored to the location and habitat surveyed; these are described in detail in the relevant publications (https://research.jcu.edu.au/tropwater). Geographic Information System (GIS) All survey data were entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS) developed for Torres Strait using ArcGIS 10.8. Rectified colour satellite imagery of Yanyuwa Sea Country (Source: Allen Coral Atlas and ESRI), field notes and aerial photographs taken from the helicopter during surveys were used to identify geographical features, such as reef tops, channels and deep-water drop-offs, to assist in determining seagrass meadow boundaries. Three GIS layers were created to describe spatial features of the region: a site layer, seagrass meadow layer, and a seagrass biomass interpolation layer. Seagrass site layer This layer contains information on data collected at assessment sites. This layer includes: 1. Temporal survey details – Survey date; 2. Spatial position - Latitude/longitude; 3. Survey location; 4. Seagrass information including presence/absence of seagrass, above-ground biomass (total and for each species), percent cover of seagrass at each site and whether individual species were present/absent at a site; 5. Benthic macro-invertebrate information including the percent cover of hard coral, soft coral, sponges and other benthic macro invertebrates (e.g. ascidian, clam) at a site; 6. Algae information including percent cover of algae at a site and percent contribution of algae functional groups to algae cover at a site; 7. Open substrate – the percent cover of the site that had no flora or habitat forming benthic invertebrates present; 8. Dominant sediment type - Sediment type based on grain size visual assessment or deck descriptions. 9. Survey method and vessel 10. Relevant comments and presence/absence of megafauna and animals of interest (dugong, turtle, dolphin, evidence of dugong feeding trails); 11. Data custodians. Seagrass meadow layer Seagrass presence/absence site data, mapping sites, field notes, and satellite imagery were used to construct meadow boundaries in ArcGIS®. The meadow (polygon) layer provides summary information for all sites within each seagrass meadow, including: 1. Temporal survey details – Survey month and year as individual columns and the survey date (the date range the survey took place); 2. Spatial survey details – Survey location, meadow identification number that identifies the reef name and the meadow number. This allows individual meadows to be compared among years; 3. Survey method; 4. Meadow depth for subtidal meadows. Intertidal: meadow

Marine benthic habitat data for Tasmanian coastal waters from the LWM (Low water mark) to 40 metres in depth or 1.5 kms from shore. See 'Lineage' section of this record for full methodology and data dictionary. This data is also available via the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Layer - a nationally consolidated benthic habitat map. https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/4739e4b0-4dba-4ec5-b658-02c09f27ab9a

The SeaMap Tasmania project undertook mapping of seafloor habitats across the nearshore Tasmanian coastline (0-40 m) - the first state to compile a statewide asssimilated benthic habitat dataset. This initiative comprised of collating aerial photography (from archives), acoustic mapping, and conducting underwater video surveys and field-based visual observations. From this, 1:25,0000 scale habitat maps were created for shallow coastal water to within 1.5 km of the coastline (or 40m depth, which ever was arrived at first). Depth information was collected via acoustic methods and used to discriminate seafloor habitat type, in combination with scanned aerial photographs and towed video transects providing ground-truthing information. See 'Lineage' section of this record for full methodology and data dictionary. This data is also available via the Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Layer - a nationally consolidated benthic habitat map. https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/4739e4b0-4dba-4ec5-b658-02c09f27ab9a

Point data collected from video drops identifying benthic habitats such as seagrass, macroalgae and reef, collected during field work in 2007 to 2011. Used to support the Benthic Habitat Mapping project undertaken by DENR to map the nearshore benthic habitats of South Australia

This record contains a subset of benthic habitat data from https://doi.org/10.25959/E4S6-GE74 (NESP MaC Project 3.6) rehosted for the purposes of the Seamap Australia collaborative project. Seagrass beds are a dominant marine ecosystem of Tayaritja (the Furneaux Group of Islands) in the north-eastern waters off Tasmania. Historical coarse mapping has indicated extensive beds of Posidonia, Amphibolis, Heterozostera, and Zostera species, potentially comprising some of the largest and deepest seagrass extents found in temperate Australian waters. However, limited data on the distribution and ecological value of these seagrass habitats represents a significant knowledge gap in understanding Australia's wetland natural assets. This project mapped the extent, ecological composition, population structure, and blue carbon value of seagrass beds around Tayaritja, in partnership with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, as part of NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 3.6. The study area focused on the coastal waters surrounding Flinders Island in the western Furneaux Group, with mapping extending from the high tide line to the depth limit of reliable optical detection (approximately 30 m), based on analysis of field data and satellite imagery capabilities in the region. This metadata record specifically describes the benthic mapping component of the study. A combination of close-range remote sensing methods was used to map the extent and ecological values of seagrass beds. High-resolution satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 (10 m) sensors, combined with bathymetric LiDAR data and oceanographic variables, was used to map baseline seagrass extent and composition. A field campaign deployed a Benthic Observation Survey System (BOSS) and unBaited Remote Underwater stereo-Video system (stereo-uBRUV) at approximately 400 locations to validate remote sensing outputs, collecting field photo quadrats and rhizome cores. From these data, maps were produced showing the extent and coverage of seagrass, sand, and macroalgae, and where possible, seagrass species composition, subject to water depth and clarity constraints. See the "Lineage" section of this record for full methodology.

This dataset corresponds to high resolution (10 m) raster shallow benthic and geomorphic habitat maps for Northern and Western Australia estimated from Sentinel 2 composite imagery from 2018 – 2023. Benthic classes include sand, rubble, rock, seagrass, coral/algae, microalgal mats and light seagrass. Geomorphic classes include deep, sediment slope, shallow lagoon, deep lagoon, inner reef flat, outer reef flat, reef crest, terrestrial reef flat, sheltered reef slope, plateau, back reef slope, small reef and rocky reef. This dataset covers the area from Houtman Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia through to the northwestern side of Cape York, including both offshore and inshore reef systems. Classifications are limited to shallow regions, just below lowest astronomical tide in turbid areas, and to 10 - 15 m in clear water areas. These maps were developed by extending the methods used in the Allen Coral Atlas (https://allencoralatlas.org/methods/) and the development of habitat maps for the Great Barrier Reef (GBR10 GBRMP Geomorphic, https://arcg.is/1jfWaa1, GBR10 GBRMP Benthic, https://arcg.is/1GOD4T1). The maps were produced using a semi-automated classification workflow implemented in Google Earth Engine, combining improved low-tide Sentinel-2 satellite imagery composites created by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) (https://doi.org/10.26274/2bfv-e921), with Random Forest machine learning classifiers. The classification approach was regionally tailored across five subregions (Shark Bay, West, Northwest, Gulf, and Offshore) to account for differences in water column optical properties and habitat types. Classifications are aligned with updated reef and shallow sediment outlines produced by AIMS as part of this project, and follow conventions from the Allen Coral Atlas and Great Barrier Reef mapping projects, incorporating additional classes to better represent seagrass environments characteristic of this region. The workflow integrated expert visual interpretation of reference imagery, Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) for training data development, and iterative refinement through object-based cleanup rules and regional expert review. These maps are intended to support regional-scale habitat assessment, marine spatial planning, ecosystem modelling, environmental impact assessment, and prioritisation of monitoring efforts. The dataset provides a consistent and scalable baseline for future reef monitoring and contributes directly to the national reef mapping framework. This dataset is delivered in three parts: 1. Geomorphic Map (geomorphic/NW_NESP-MaC-3-17_UQ_Shallow-habitat_Geomorphic_2025.tif) High-resolution spatial classification of coral reef, rocky reef, and shallow sediment geomorphic zones across five subregions. The map features 14 classes: Deep Water, Sediment Slope, Shallow Lagoon, Deep Lagoon, Inner Reef Flat, Outer Reef Flat, Reef Crest, Terrestrial Reef Flat, Sheltered Reef Slope, Reef Slope, Plateau, Back Reef Slope, Small Reef, and Rocky Reef. Classifications were produced at 10 m spatial resolution and refined through three stages of cleanup, including object-based rules and expert-guided manual corrections. Geomorphic maps underwent accuracy assessment using validation points generated from expert-interpreted reference segments.,

This record describes a single aggregated dataset of the geomorphic habitat environment (facies) for Australia's 7 states and territories: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia. The classification system contains 12 easily identifiable and representative environments: Barrier/back-barrier, Bedrock, Central Basin, Channel, Coral, Flood- and Ebb-tide Delta, Fluvial (bay-head) Delta, Intertidal Flats, Mangrove, Rocky Reef, Saltmarsh/Saltflat, Tidal Sand Banks (and Unassigned). These types represent habitats found across all coastal systems in Australia. For the New South Wales region, 134 coastal waterways are described. Most of the estuaries of New South Wales are under intense land use pressure with approximately 80% of the State's population living near an estuary (NSW Dept of Land and Water Conservation) For the Victorian region, 54 coastal waterways are described. Most of the 54 coastal waterways have a "Modified" environmental condition (as opposed to "Near Pristine"), according to the National Land and Water Resources Audit definition. For the Tasmanian region, 88 coastal waterways are described. The majority of near pristine estuaries in Tasmania are located in the south and west of the State and on Cape Barren Island, according to the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. For the Queensland region, 213 coastal waterways are described. Southern and central Great Barrier Reef lagoon coasts have a broad spectrum of river, tide and wave- dominated estuaries. For the Northern Territory region, 63 coastal waterways are described. Estuaries on the northern Arnhem Land, Gulf of Carpentaria coasts are predominantly tide-dominated estuaries, which vary greatly in size and floodplain characteristics. For the South Australia region, 36 coastal waterways are described. Most of the 36 coastal waterways have a "Modified" environmental condition (as opposed to "Near Pristine"), according to the National Land and Water Resources Audit definition. For the Western Australia region, 103 coastal waterways are described. Western Australia has a diverse range of Estuaries due to different climates. Ranging from mostly "near pristine" and tide influenced estuaries in the north to "near pristine" wave dominated estuaries in the southwest region.

This record describes a single aggregated dataset of the geomorphic habitat environment (facies) for Australia's 7 states and territories: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia. The classification system contains 12 easily identifiable and representative environments: Barrier/back-barrier, Bedrock, Central Basin, Channel, Coral, Flood- and Ebb-tide Delta, Fluvial (bay-head) Delta, Intertidal Flats, Mangrove, Rocky Reef, Saltmarsh/Saltflat, Tidal Sand Banks (and Unassigned). These types represent habitats found across all coastal systems in Australia. For the New South Wales region, 134 coastal waterways are described. Most of the estuaries of New South Wales are under intense land use pressure with approximately 80% of the State's population living near an estuary (NSW Dept of Land and Water Conservation) For the Victorian region, 54 coastal waterways are described. Most of the 54 coastal waterways have a "Modified" environmental condition (as opposed to "Near Pristine"), according to the National Land and Water Resources Audit definition. For the Tasmanian region, 88 coastal waterways are described. The majority of near pristine estuaries in Tasmania are located in the south and west of the State and on Cape Barren Island, according to the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. For the Queensland region, 213 coastal waterways are described. Southern and central Great Barrier Reef lagoon coasts have a broad spectrum of river, tide and wave- dominated estuaries. For the Northern Territory region, 63 coastal waterways are described. Estuaries on the northern Arnhem Land, Gulf of Carpentaria coasts are predominantly tide-dominated estuaries, which vary greatly in size and floodplain characteristics. For the South Australia region, 36 coastal waterways are described. Most of the 36 coastal waterways have a "Modified" environmental condition (as opposed to "Near Pristine"), according to the National Land and Water Resources Audit definition. For the Western Australia region, 103 coastal waterways are described. Western Australia has a diverse range of Estuaries due to different climates. Ranging from mostly "near pristine" and tide influenced estuaries in the north to "near pristine" wave dominated estuaries in the southwest region.