Caption:
Aerial shots of most Australian beaches are part of SLSA's ABSAMP database.
Detailed information on Australia's 11,011 beaches
The Australian Beach Safety & Management Program (ABSAMP) was established in 1990 as a joint program between SLSA and the Coastal Studies Unit , University of Sydney. ABSAMP is an ambitious project that aims to be the most comprehensive study ever undertaken on the beaches of any part of the world's coast.
Detailed information on every beach in Australia has been amassed.The main aims of the program are to:
develop a comprehensive, standardised and scientific information base on all Australian beaches with regard to their location, physical characteristics, access, facilities, usage, rescues, physical and biological hazards, and level of public risk under various wave, tide and weather conditions.
expand and improve the management and safety services of all Australian beaches, and to assist other countries to develop similar programsThe database is the core of the program and contains information on every one of Australia's 11,011 beaches, after data entry for Tasmania was completed in early 2004. The database is currently maintained in two software packages: MapInfo is a GIS package that is used for geographical analysis of every beach, while Microsoft Access is used for data entry, management and analysis. A new version of the database is now in development, using MySQL, and will be accessible through the web to authorised users.
Data on each beach is acquired from a range of interrelated sources: topographic maps and aerial photographs, aerial and ground site inspections, beach conditions (produced on a daily basis by patrolling surf lifesavers filling in beach maps) and published data. All information is filed as a hard copy, and all appropriate information then extracted for entry into the database.
An edited example of the type of information contained in the database is available for viewing on the Find a Beach or Club pages of this site.
Beach Hazards
In order to address public risk on beaches we need to know both the nature of the hazards and the type and level of usage. The ABSAMP database provides accurate information on the nature and level of beach hazards, as well as categorising each beach into one of fifteen general types. The level of public usage can be assessed using daily beach patrol reports, and an assessment of the location and level of access, parking, accommodation and facilities, all contained in the database, to gauge likely seasonal usage.
Beach hazards are elements of the beach environment that expose the public to danger or harm, such as surf zone topography, water depth, waves and rip currents. Every beach in the ABSAMP database is given a beach hazard rating, which refers to the scaling of a beach according to its associated hazards. The rating ranges from a low rating of 1 (least hazardous) to a high rating of 10 (extremely hazardous), and is based on a combination of beach type and wave height. The beach hazard rating was developed to provide a simple, yet effective method of scientifically rating both the average and prevailing hazards on each beach, for the range of conditions that each beach may experience. Public beach risk is a product of the beach hazard rating and the level of beach usage.
ABSAMP is based on integration of a scientific understanding of beaches, their hazards and usage, together with the expertise in beach safety management and resources of SLSA, utilising the latest technology for data management and analysis. The program has already had wide application and impact on the management of Australian beach systems, and will play an increasing role in their management into the next century, particularly as growing coastal development, population and tourism all demand accessible, yet safe, beaches for public recreation and tourism.
Current Development
Currently, apart from extracts appearing on this site (see Find a Beach or Club), access to the ABSAMP beaches data is difficult as it is held in a geographical information system (GIS) in SLSA's national office. That’s why the beaches database is now migrating to a robust web-based system, in line with the SLSA IT Strategic Plan, for use by authorised users with internet access.
There are a range of user groups who may need access to this data:
Lifesavers and lifesaving management staff – this data can assist in improving and analysing weak spots in our services, especially when combined with data from the Incident Reporting Database(IRD).
Coastal risk auditors – the ABSAMP database is being expanded to provide online data entry forms for auditors, so they can immediately assess their findings against the base data.
The public – with a user friendly web frontend on the database, it can become a powerful decision making tool for all beachgoers. They will be able to determine which beach is the most appropriate for them, based on the level of hazard, lifesaving services, facilities available etc.This project will be developed in stages, with the first priority being the consolidation with coastal risk auditing procedures. The other stages of development and access will be rolled out gradually. Please email absamp@slsa.asn.au for more information.
Publications
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SLSA has published a series of books with information on the country's beaches.
ABSAMP research has resulted in the publication of a series of books in the Beaches of the Australian Coast series. All available books in the series can be ordered directly from from the publishers.