Australian Maritime Boundaries (AMB)

• User Guide [PDF 304 Kb (Get PDF Reader)]
• Metadata
• Free Download
• Australia's Maritime Zones map (for purchase)
• Latest news and cautions
• Questions or feedback? Contact us by email.

• Product Specifications

Geoscience Australia has the primary role in the delineation of Australia's maritime boundaries. An output of this activity is the development of the Australian Maritime Boundaries (AMB) data. AMB is a GIS data product, replacing AMBIS 2001 Version 1.1, providing access to the data for Australia's Territorial Sea Baseline (TSB) and maritime zones. Click the image above for an example of how the data can look in a GIS [GIF 12 Kb]. AMB Data can now be viewed on-line via AMSIS

AMB is a digital representation of Australia’s territorial sea baseline and boundaries as established under the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973. The data also include a representation of the limits by which the adjacent areas of each of the States and of the Northern Territory are determined under the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967. In the event of an inconsistency between AMB data and the baseline and limits under the legislation, the latter prevails.

The data have been published by Geoscience Australia in consultation with other relevant Commonwealth Government agencies including the Attorney-General’s Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Hydrographic Office.

AMB data comprise the TSB and the outer limits of each zone, together with maritime boundaries determined by treaties between Australia and neighbouring countries. Base points that generate the zone boundaries are supplied in separate files and an extensive user guide provides useful background information. All data coordinates are supplied in the World Geodetic System (WGS 84) (ITRF 2000 @ 2000.0) which is effectively identical to the GDA94 datum.

Geoscience Australia is committed to the maintenance of the maritime boundaries data to ensure it reflects the changing nature of Australia's coastline and hence the various maritime zone limits. The data reflects the location of the coastline within the constraints of available source material at the time of production. Where major differences have since been discovered, these are listed in a table of notes and cautions.

Product Specifications

Coverage: Australia including all external territories

Currency: 2006 (printed map); February 2006 (data)

Coordinates: Geographical

Datum: WGS84 (ITRF 2000 @ 2000.0)

Format: ArcInfo Export, ArcView Shapefile and MapInfo mid/mif

Medium: Printed map (flat and folded); Data - Free online and CD-ROM (fee applies)