Norfolk Island Nearshore and Coastal Habitat Mapping

Ocean Infinity (Australia) Pty Ltd (formerly iXblue Pty Ltd), in partnership with Deakin University’s Marine Mapping Group, University of Wollongong, Tellus4D Geoimaging, University of Newcastle, University of New South Wales, University of Tasmania, and Geoscience Australia, undertook a combined aerial and hydrographic survey as part of the Norfolk Island Nearshore and Coastal Habitat Mapping project under Parks Australia Grant Activity ID 4-FISKTDM.The work aimed to establish a detailed baseline of Norfolk Island’s nearshore coastal and shelf environments to inform management, conservation, and research. From 21 to 24 July 2021, 109 km² of the Norfolk Shelf was mapped using high-resolution multibeam sonar, along with two sub-bottom profiles. These were supplemented by 44 Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) deployments in the northeast and south of the island to assess fish assemblages and provide ground truthing data for interpretation of seabed nature.In November 2021, a separate coastal survey using high-resolution drone photogrammetry captured geomorphic and habitat information at seven coastal sites: Captain Cook Lookout, Anson Bay, Puppy’s Point, Headstone Point, Slaughter Bay and Bombora Beach, and Cemetery and Emily Bay. These locations span a variety of morphologies, from exposed basaltic shore platforms and dramatic cliffs to offshore stacks and pockets of rocky beach.The data collected by the project provides a detailed view of the marine and coastal geomorphology of Norfolk Island. The data provides an initial condition assessment of key areas to inform park management, habitat protection, and future targeted studies such as further bathymetric mapping in sensitive areas and expanded ground-truthing of seabed habitats.Ocean Infinity (Australia) Pty Ltd（前身为iXblue Pty Ltd）与迪肯大学海洋测绘组、伍伦贡大学、Tellus4D Geoimaging、纽卡斯尔大学、新南威尔士大学、塔斯马尼亚大学以及澳大利亚地质调查局合作，作为澳大利亚公园管理局资助项目活动编号4-FISKTDM下的“诺福克岛近岸与海岸生境测绘”项目的一部分，开展了航空与水文联合勘测。本项目旨在建立诺福克岛近岸海岸与陆架环境的详细基线数据，为管理、保护与研究工作提供支撑。2021年7月21日至24日，团队采用高分辨率多波束声呐（multibeam sonar）完成了诺福克陆架109平方千米的测绘，并采集了两条亚底质剖面（sub-bottom profiles）数据。此外，在岛屿东北部与南部部署了44台诱饵式远程水下视频（Baited Remote Underwater Video, BRUV）系统，以评估鱼类群落，并为海底性质解译提供地面验证（ground truthing）数据。2021年11月，团队开展了另一项海岸勘测工作，通过高分辨率无人机摄影测量（drone photogrammetry）技术，在7个海岸点位——库克船长瞭望台、安森湾、帕皮角、墓石角、斯劳特湾与邦博拉海滩，以及公墓湾和艾米莉湾——采集了地貌与生境信息。这些点位涵盖了多种海岸地貌类型，从裸露的玄武岩海岸平台、陡峭悬崖，到离岸海蚀柱与岩滩区域均有覆盖。本项目采集的数据详细展现了诺福克岛的海洋与海岸地貌特征，可为关键区域提供初始状态评估，以支撑公园管理、生境保护工作，同时为后续针对性研究奠定基础，例如敏感区域的进一步水深测绘（bathymetric mapping）以及海底生境的扩展地面验证工作。