This web service contains a selection of remotely sensed raster products used in the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) East Kimberley Groundwater Project. Selected products were derived from LiDAR, Landsat (5, 7, and 8), and Sentinel-2 data. Datasets include: 1) mosaic 5 m digital elevation model (DEM) with shaded relief; 2) vegetation structure stratum and substratum classes; 3) Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 20th, 50th, and 80th percentiles; 4) Tasselled Cap exceedance summaries; 5) Normalised Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) and Normalised Difference Wetness Index (NDWI). Landsat spectral reflectance products can be used to highlight land cover characteristics such as brightness, greenness and wetness, and vegetation condition; Sentinel-2 datasets help to detect vegetation moisture stress or waterlogging; LiDAR datasets providing a five meter DEM and vegetation structure stratum classes for detailed analysis of vegetation and relief.

This report presents key results from the Upper Burdekin Groundwater Project conducted as part of Exploring for the Future (EFTF)—an eight year Australian Government funded geoscience data and information acquisition program. The first four years of the Program (2016–20) aimed to better understand the potential mineral, energy and groundwater resources in northern Australia. The Upper Burdekin Groundwater Project focused on the McBride Basalt Province (MBP) and Nulla Basalt Province (NBP) in the Upper Burdekin region of North Queensland. It was undertaken as a collaborative study between Geoscience Australia and the Queensland Government. This document reports the key findings of the project, as a synthesis of the hydrogeological investigation project and includes maps and figures to display the results.

The Vegetation Structure classes dataset was derived from Vegetation Height Model (VHM) and Fractional Cover Model (FCM) LiDAR products. The National Vegetation Information System framework was used to classify vegetation height and canopy/cover density into (sub-)stratum, growth forms, and structural formation classes. The classifications contain descriptions and spatial extents of the vegetation types for the East Kimberley LiDAR survey area. The displayed classifications include 19 dominant structural formation classes, and 43 dominant sub-structural formation classes for lower-, mid-, and upper stratum. High resolution LiDAR imagery, including Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Canopy Height Model (CHM), Vegetation Height Model (VHM), Vegetation Cover Model (VCM) and Fractional Cover Model (FCM) surfaces were acquired for the East Kimberley area in June 2017. All the data were released in 2019 (Geoscience Australia, 2019). For the purposes of vegetation structure mapping, the two input datasets were resampled, classified and combined to produce a vegetation structure map for the East Kimberley area. The methods are described by Lawrie et al. (2012), with the following differences: • resampling used Focal Statistic Min in ArcGIS as it more accurately represented vegetation extent • VHM was used instead of CHM as CHM did not include low vegetation (i.e ground cover). • VHM and FCM were classified into height and foliage cover classes using the Australian Vegetation Attribute Manual (NVIS Technical Working Group, 2017). Authors acknowledge the tremendous work of the Geoscience Australia Elevation team who carried out post processing, classification, production, quality assurance and delivery of all released LiDAR data products (see Geoscience Australia, 2019). In particular, the authors thank Graham Hammond, Kevin Kennedy, Jonathan Weales, Grahaem Chiles, Robert Kay, Shane Crossman, and Simon Costelloe. Geoscience Australia, 2019. Kimberley East - LiDAR data. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. C7FDA017-80B2-4F98-8147-4D3E4DF595A2 https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/129985 Lawrie, K.C., Brodie, R.S., Tan, K.P., Gibson, D., Magee, J., Clarke, J.D.A., Halas, L., Gow, L., Somerville, P., Apps, H.E., Christensen, N.B., Brodie, R.C., Abraham, J., Smith, M., Page, D., Dillon, P., Vanderzalm, J., Miotlinski, K., Hostetler, S., Davis, A., Ley-Cooper, A.Y., Schoning, G., Barry, K. and Levett, K. 2012. BHMAR Project: Data Acquisition, processing, analysis and interpretation methods. Geoscience Australia Record 2012/11. 826p. NVIS Technical Working Group. 2017 Chapter 4.0 NVIS attributes listed and described in detail. In: Australian Vegetation Attribute Manual: National. Vegetation Information System, Version 7.0. Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Prep by Bolton, M.P., deLacey, C. and Bossard, K.B. (Eds).

<div>The Furneaux Group, Bass Strait&nbsp;bathymetry survey was acquired for the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) using Cessna 441 during the period 11 Apr 2022 – 20 Nov 2022. This was a contracted survey conducted for the Australian Hydrographic Office by Fugro Australia as part of the Hydroscheme Industry Partnership Program. The survey area encompases an area in Furneaux Group, Bass Strait. Bathymetry data was acquired using a LADS HD+ / LADS HD / RIEGL VQ-820-G, and processed using RIEGL RiProcess and CARIS HIPS and SIPS processing software. The dataset was then exported as a 30m resolution, 32 bit floating point GeoTIFF grid of the survey area.</div><div>This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.</div>

We present a multifaceted hydrogeological investigation of the McBride and Nulla basalt provinces in the Upper Burdekin region, north Queensland. The project aims to better understand their key groundwater system processes to inform future development and water management decisions. This work, carried out as part of the Exploring for the Future Upper Burdekin Groundwater Project, has shown that basalt aquifers in each province are typically unconfined where monitored. Groundwater recharge is widespread but highly variable, largely occurring within the boundaries of the basalt provinces. Groundwater salinity based on electrical conductivity is <1000 μS/cm in the McBride Basalt Province (MBP) and up to 2000 μS/cm in the Nulla Basalt Province (NBP). Groundwater levels have been declining since 2011 (following major flooding in Queensland), showing that the study period covers a small fraction of a longer-functioning dynamic groundwater system. The basalt provinces contain distinct lava flows, and the degree of hydraulic connectivity between them is unclear. Despite similarities in their rock properties, the geometry of lava emplacement leads to different groundwater flow regimes within the two basalt provinces. Radial flow away from the central high elevations towards the edges is characteristic of the MBP, while regional flow from west to east dominates the NBP. Basalt aquifers in both provinces support a range of groundwater-dependent ecosystems, such as springs, some of which sustain flow in tributaries of the Burdekin River. Where streams intersect basalt aquifers, this also results in direct groundwater discharge. Springs and perennial tributaries, particularly emanating from the MBP, provide important inflows to the Burdekin River, especially in the dry season. This work has highlighted that management of MBP and NBP groundwater sources is crucial for maintaining a range of environmental assets in the region and for ensuring access for existing and future users. <b>Citation:</b> Ransley, T.R., Dixon-Jain, P., Cook, S.B., Lai, E.C.S., Kilgour, P., Wallace, L., Dunn, B., Hansen, J.W.L. and Herbert, G., 2020. Hydrogeology of the McBride and Nulla basalt provinces in the Upper Burdekin region, north Queensland. In: Czarnota, K., Roach, I., Abbott, S., Haynes, M., Kositcin, N., Ray, A. and Slatter, E. (eds.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, 1–4.

The AusBathyTopo 250m (Australia) 2023 Grid is a high-resolution depth model for Australia that replaces the Australian Bathymetry and Topography Grid, June 2009. This publication is the result of a collaborative partnership between Geoscience Australia, the Australian Hydrographic Office, James Cook University, and the University of Sydney. It has been compiled using 1582 unique data sources from multibeam echosounders, single-beam echosounders, LiDAR, 3D seismic first returns, Electronic Navigation Charts and satellite derived bathymetry alongside higher-resolution regional compilations. In particular, the map incorporates new innovations such as the use of earth observation data (satellite based) produced by Digital Earth Australia to improve shallow coastal depth modelling to present a seamless transition between land and sea. All source bathymetry data were extensively edited as 3D point clouds to remove noise, given a consistent WGS84 horizontal datum, and where possible, an approximate MSL vertical datum. This new continental-scale grid represents decades of data collection, analysis, investment and collaboration from Australia’s seabed mapping community and is a significant improvement on the 2009 compilation. The data extends across a vast area from 92°E to 172° E and 8°S to 60° S. This includes areas adjacent to the Australian continent and Tasmania, and surrounding Macquarie Island and the Australian Territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Australia's marine jurisdiction offshore from the territory of Heard and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory are not included. We acknowledge the use of the CSIRO Marine National Facility (https://ror.org/01mae9353 ) in undertaking this research. The datasets used were collected by the Marine National Facility on 43 voyages (see Lineage for identification). This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.

The Australian Bathymetry and Topography (AusBathyTopo) Torres Strait dataset contains depth and elevation data compiled from all available data within the Torres Strait into a 30 m-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The Torres Strait lies at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the largest coral reef ecosystem on Earth, and straddles the Arafura Sea to the west and the Coral Sea to the east. The Torres Strait area is bounded by Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Bathymetry mapping of this extensive reef and shoal system is vital for the protection of the Torres Strait allowing for the safe navigation of shipping and improved environmental management. Over past ten years, deep-water multibeam surveys have revealed the highly complex continental slope canyons in deeper Coral Sea waters. Shallow-water multibeam surveys conducted by the US-funded Source-to-Sink program revealed the extensive Fly River delta deposits. Airborne LiDAR bathymetry acquired by the Australian Hydrographic Office cover most of the Torres Strait and GBR reefs, with coverage gaps supplemented by satellite derived bathymetry. The Geoscience Australia-developed National Intertidal DIgital Elevation Model (NIDEM) improves the source data gap along Australia’s vast intertidal zone. We acknowledge the use of the CSIRO Marine National Facility (https://ror.org/01mae9353 ) in undertaking this research.” The datasets used were collected by the Marine National Facility on 13 voyages (see Lineage for identification). All source bathymetry data were extensively edited as point clouds to remove noise, given a consistent WGS84 horizontal datum, and where possible, an approximate MSL vertical datum. The 30 m-resolution grid is a fundamental dataset to underpin marine habitat mapping, and can be used to accurately simulate water mixing within a whole-of-GBR scale hydrodynamic model. This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems measure surface properties at high resolution, including ground surface elevation, and vegetation height and density. As well as having routine application in studies of surface hydrology, vegetation, ecology, infrastructure and hazard assessments, LiDAR is important in groundwater studies as it can help characterise and inform hydrogeological architecture, recharge and discharge processes, surface water–groundwater connectivity, and groundwater-dependent ecosystems. LiDAR-based high-resolution elevation data support surface and subsurface mapping, borehole data analysis, and the processing, calibration and interpretation of geophysics and remote sensing. Here, we describe several applications of airborne LiDAR to understanding groundwater systems in two case study areas in northern Australia: the East Kimberley area in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and the Upper Burdekin area in Queensland. The East Kimberley LiDAR data were critical to mapping geomorphology and near-surface hydrostratigraphy, which informed our understanding of recharge processes. The Upper Burdekin LiDAR data enabled the mapping of key surface features such as lava flows and rootless cones, which can act as recharge pathways. <b>Citation:</b> Halas, L., Kilgour, P., Gow, L. and Haiblen, A., 2020. Application of high-resolution LiDAR data for hydrogeological investigations. In: Czarnota, K., Roach, I., Abbott, S., Haynes, M., Kositcin, N., Ray, A. and Slatter, E. (eds.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, 1–4.

<div>The Lacepede Channel bathymetry survey was acquired for the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) onboard the MV Pacific Conquest and USV Blue Shadow - 901 during the period 19 May 2021 – 22 Sep 2021. This was a contracted survey conducted for the Australian Hydrographic Office by Fugro as part of the Hydroscheme Industry Partnership Program. The survey area encompases an area in Lacepede Channel, Western Australia. Bathymetry data was acquired using a Kongsberg EM2040 Mk II, and processed using Caris Hips & Sips processing software. The dataset was then exported as a 30m resolution, 32 bit floating point GeoTIFF grid of the survey area.</div><div>This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.</div>

<div>The Western Approaches to Torres Strait Bathymetry survey was acquired for the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) onboard the MV Pacific Conquest, an unmanned vehicle USV and VH-VEH Cessna 441 aircraft during the period 29 October 2020 – 21 February 2021.&nbsp;</div><div>This is a contracted survey conducted for the Australian Hydrographic Office by Fugro Australia Marine as part of the Hydroscheme Industry Partnership Program (HIPP). </div><div>The survey area is east of the Western approaches to the Torres Strait. </div><div>Bathymetry data was acquired using a Kongsberg EM2040 (Dual/Single Head and Dual swath), EM2040P and LADS HD+ and RIEGL VQ-820-G systems and processed using CARIS HIPS & SIPS 11.3.17, LADS HD+ GS, RiWorld processing software. </div><div>The dataset was then exported as a 30m resolution, 32 bit floating point GeoTIFF grid of the survey area.</div><div>This dataset is not to be used for navigational purposes.</div>