Scientific topics Marine and coastal
Last updated:29 June 2016
![Red boat on horizon of blue Antarctica water with rocky coastline in foreground](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0004/105394/varieties/768w.jpg)
This document sets out the five year strategy for the marine geoscience program at Geoscience Australia, for the period 2018–2023.
![Aerial panorama of Sorrento Back Beach and coastline. Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne, Australia](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0013/130621/varieties/768w.jpg)
Coasts and estuaries form a dynamic, transition zone between the land and the sea and help Australians achieve many economic, social and environmental benefits.
![Map of Australia](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0011/130601/varieties/768w.jpg)
As an island continent, Australia has sovereign rights over a vast area of ocean, along with the fishery, mineral, and petroleum resources found in that area.
![Marine survey fieldwork](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0018/130626/varieties/768w.jpg)
Details on the techniques used in marine and coastal research, including sediment coring, seabed drilling, sonar, seismic, biological sampling, photography and video recording.
![Drone shot of rocky coastline](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0009/20421/varieties/768w.jpg)
Geoscience Australia has a central coordinating role to bring seabed mapping data together from many sources and make it publicly available and usable.
![The Research Vessel Investigator in front of an iceberg on the Sabrina Coast margin in 2017.](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0020/112880/varieties/768w.jpeg)
The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) comprises 5.9 million square kilometres, or approximately 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent, with a marine jurisdiction extending over an area of approximately 2.2 million square kilometres.
![Screenshot of an interactive map](https://www.ga.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0014/41207/varieties/768w.jpg)
Information regarding Australia's sea floor, coasts and estuaries.