Western Australia now has a complete high-resolution bathymetric and terrestrial coastal survey for more than 700 kilometres of coastline

Recent news from our Western Australian colleagues confirms that nearshore and terrestrial LiDAR Surveys commissioned by WA Department of Planning have been completed  for the WA coastline from Cape Naturaliste in the south to Horrocks  – a distance of over 700 kilometres. This is great news as the high resolution coastal and marine survey and mapping data are a fundamental dataset for coastal adaptation planning and management purposes.

See more at and below: https://www.planning.wa.gov.au/675.aspx

Western Australia now has a complete high-resolution bathymetric and terrestrial coastal survey for more than 700 kilometres of coastline – from Cape Naturaliste in the south to Horrocks in the north. The baseline information will be used to inform decision-making on the coast and ensure better management of coastal resources.

Data for the survey was collected using LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) technology, which involved aircraft-borne remote sensing technology rapidly transmitting pulses of light that reflect off the underwater terrain and other marine features along the coastline.

The State Government commissioned new high-resolution bathymetric data for 400 kilometres of coastline between Hillarys and Horrocks; and around the Abrolhos Islands and five inland waterways in the southwest (Peel Inlet, Harvey Estuary, Leschenault Estuary, Hardy Inlet and Wilson Inlet). Fugro LADS Corporation undertook the imaging survey between March and May 2016.

The resulting maps show incredible three-dimensional features of the State’s underwater coastal terrain.

The LiDAR imagery has revealed new features of our underwater coastal terrain such as a ledge offshore from Quinns and a reef system offshore from Cervantes which until now have gone undetected and not shown on navigational charts. This new information will be invaluable for recreational and commercial boating and fishing safety. A natural harbour system has been discovered offshore from Dongara and ancient offshore sand dune systems have been located, such as an ancient rivermouth system near Capel, south of Bunbury.