HydroScheme 2023

• Status: Complete
• Date: Aug 23 - May 24
• Area: 468 NM²
• Contractor: Fugro Australia

SI 1017 covers an area of high environmental value and includes part of the West Cape York Marine Park, the Torres Strait Particularly Sensitive Sea Area and the Torres Strait Dugong Sanctuary. The area is home to one of the largest seagrass meadows in Australia, which provides vital grazing for dugongs and turtles.

A high density of shipping passes through this comparatively shallow area as vessels approach or depart the Torres Strait. Mitigating risk along these shipping routes has been the focus of adjacent HIPP surveys SI 1004 (Hydroscheme 2020) and SI 1005 (HydroScheme 2021). This survey (SI 1017) is designed to continue the work undertaken previously, improving bathymetric data quality using modern methods. Historical data collection in the area was undertaken by NATMAP (1990) and HMAS Moresby II (1970), and did not achieve full data coverage.

The area's shallow depths, which range from as little as 3 metres just South of Cook Reef to beyond the 20 metre contour, allows this survey to be undertaken by an Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry system. 

• Status: Complete
• Date: Sep 23 - Mar 24
• Area: 380 NM²
• Contractor: Fugro Australia

SI 1021 adjoins the Port of Brisbane Harbour Limits and the Northern section of the Moreton Bay Marine Park. It forms part of the approach to the Port of Brisbane, a major destination for container ships and bulk carriers, and is in close proximity to Mooloolaba, home to many sailing vessels, pleasure craft and fishing boats. As a result this area is transited by a substantial number of vessels.

Depths in the area generally exceed 20 metres and extend to 130 metres offshore. Charting for this locality is currently based on survey data recorded by NATMAP (1971) and limited low quality passage soundings. The area extends to capture the full extent of Barwon Bank to the 50 metre contour, as this has not been fully surveyed to modern standards.

• Status: Complete
• Date: Nov 23 - Jun 24
• Area: 173 NM²
• Contractor: Precision Hydrographic Services (PHS)

Torres Strait is a region of concentrated shipping, through a navigationally complex and strategically important area. SI 1028 encompasses both sections of the Two-Way Route leading into Prince of Wales Channel from the East. Two-Way Routes are internationally recognised ship routeing systems used to reduce the risk of collisions and groundings in major, high traffic shipping areas. 

SI 1028 connects recent survey coverage of the Torres Strait Under-keel Clearance Management Area (SI 1005) to that of the Great North East Channel (SI 1006 and SI 1018), thereby providing a continuous extent of modern survey for vessels transiting through Torres Strait. SI 1028 extends South through Adolphus Channel, the Northern-most entrance to the Inner Great Barrier Reef. This section of the survey covers an area of dynamic seafloor with sand waves extending across the shipping channel. These sand waves, affected by the strong currents experienced through the channel, vary in depth and position over time.

SI 1028 lies within both the Torres Strait Particularly Sensitive Sea Area and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and is bordered by numerous reefs and rocky outcrops. This survey will enhance navigational safety within the region and help protect this unique marine environment. 

• Status: Complete
• Date: Nov 23 - Jun 24
• Area: 424 NM²
• Contractor: Guardian Geomatics

Situated between the islands of the Kent Group and Flinders Island, SI 1030 lies in the path of major shipping routes between the North coast of Tasmania and East coast of the Australian mainland. The area lies on the Southern edge of the Beagle Marine Park and Kent Group National Park, which is a breeding sanctuary for the Australian fur seal and an important habitat for seabirds.

Depths in the area range from reefs and rocks that are awash at chart datum to over 70 metres. The existence of a significant number of rocks and shoals make the area particularly hazardous to navigation; a fact validated by the numerous shipwrecks located within or nearby that have foundered in the wild seas common to this region.

Until recently there has been little survey effort in this region. Aside from a small area covered by HMA Ships Leeuwin and Melville (2004), historical data is from NATMAP (1986-90), HMAS Warrego (1949-53) and HMAS Moresby I (1944). HIPP has expanded operations in the region and with a major LiDAR survey of the Furneaux Group (SI 1032) conducted during HydroScheme 2022, and four MultiBeam Echo Sounder (MBES) surveys along the South and East coast of the island group. These efforts will provide full bathymetric coverage and consequently greatly enhance the reliability of the nautical products used to navigate the region.

• Status: Complete
• Date: Sep 23 - May 24
• Area: 212 NM²
• Contractor: MMA Offshore

SI 1042 is a continuation of the HIPP survey effort along the inshore route that extends northwards from Broome through Lacepede Channel towards Cape Leveque and King Sound. The initial sections were completed under SI 1010 (HydroScheme 2020) and SI 1014 (HydroScheme 2021), with SI 1025 currently underway as part of HydroScheme 2022.

The SI 1042 area falls completely within the Kimberley Marine Park and the newly proposed Bardi Jawi Gaarra Marine Park. These parks are home to innumerable marine creatures including whales, dolphins and dugong, and many endangered seabirds and shorebirds.

Depths in this sensitive area are between zero and 40 metres, with a large number of shoals. A significant amount of shipping navigates through the area, mostly passing West of Alarm Shoal (Oorroondoorroon), and it is a concern as the area has not been recently surveyed. The most recent survey was conducted by NATMAP (1974-1975), though with limited detail, and prior to that by HMS Fantome (1909-1910).

This survey is designed to exclude charted depths less than 10 metres over Alarm Shoal (Oorroondoorroon) due to cultural sensitivities, however, surrounding waters have been included to ensure that no uncharted features exist that could pose a risk to navigation.

• Status: Complete
• Date: Jul 23 - Feb 24
• Area: 600 NM²
• Contractor: Ocean Infinity

This is an offshore component of the HIPP surveys in the area, expanding on previous activity within Beagle Gulf under SI 1002 (HydroScheme 2020) and SI 1016 (HydroScheme 2021). The continued survey effort in this region will help to ensure well surveyed approaches to Darwin, a highly trafficked and key strategic port.

Depths in the area, which contains a number of shoals, range from approximately 12 metres to over 50 metres. Although the area adjoins past high quality surveys by the Royal Australian Navy, a large amount of the survey area is very poorly surveyed; most being undertaken by HMAS Moresby I (1935-37).

The Northern section of the survey area lies within the Oceanic Shoals Marine Park, which is home to abundant and diverse sponge gardens, corals and marine life. Ensuring that the area is fully surveyed will allow high quality nautical products to be made available to mariners navigating the area, and as a result, help to ensure safe navigation through this sensitive region.

• Status: Complete
• Date: Jul 23 - Mar 24
• Area: 112 NM
• Contractor: EGS

Van Diemen Gulf forms the North-East approach to the Port of Darwin, which serves as the Northern gateway for a significant proportion of the Australasian trade network. Clarence Strait connects Van Diemen Gulf to Beagle Gulf, passing by the Vernon Islands, with numerous shoals and strong tidal streams making navigation challenging. The charted Recommended Track passes through the narrow Howard Channel.

The survey area is a continuation of surveys conducted under HydroScheme 2021 (SI 1003 and SI 1016) and HydroScheme 2022 (SI 1027). As existing bathymetric data for the area was mostly acquired in 2001 using Single Beam Echo Sounders, this achievement will provide continuous high quality survey data acquired to modern standards. This will greatly improve the quality of the bathymetric charts for the region and thereby aid safe navigation.