Report

Nelson Marine Park is deep and remote. It lies 200 kilometres south of South Australia, beyond the edge of the continental shelf. The park encloses important habitats representative of the West Tasmanian Transition, and includes geological features such as plateaus, knolls and canyons. These features provide important hard substrate for benthic biota to attach, creating oases of biodiversity in an otherwise soft and muddy terrain.

Nearer the surface, whales transit through the park on the way to and from their breeding and feeding grounds.

The park is located to the south-west of South Australian’s border with Victoria. It covers 6,123 square kilometres and is a Multiple Use Zone. – Parks Australia

Nelson ranges from 2,557 to 5,612 metres depth, with an average depth of 4,605 metres. The majority of the Park (81%) falls within the abyssal zone (4,000-6,000 metres). [View on map] The mapped areas of the seafloor are dominated by Plane (82%) and Apron (5%) geomorphology. [View on map]

Read more about the Nelson State of Knowledge (Parks Australia).

All data
Public/analysed data
Coverage and accessibility of bathymetry (AusSeabed) and habitat observations (SQUIDLE+; green, GlobalArchive; purple, and MARS database; orange) for selected region.

What's known about the Nelson marine park?

The current state of research knowledge (bathymetry, physical and biological observations, seafloor habitat maps) for this region.
Habitat and bathymetry summaries last refreshed March 2024. Habitat observations are refreshed weekly from data providers.

Habitat

Habitat Area (km²) Mapped (%)
% of coverage (relative to surveyed area)
Total (%)
% of coverage (relative to total region area)

Bathymetry

Resolution Area (km²) Mapped (%)
% of coverage (relative to surveyed area)
Total (%)
% of coverage (relative to total region area)

Habitat Observations

  • 0 imagery deployments (0 campaigns)
  • 0 video deployments (0 campaigns)
  • 0 sediment samples (0 analysed) from 0 surveys

Research Effort

Data Quality

What's in the Nelson marine park?

Underwater imagery from this region, and pressures and activities occurring here.

Imagery

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Pressures & Activities