Enhanced Land Data Captures Australia's Evolving Landscape

The area of Australia's inland water bodies have more than doubled since 2019, according to improved National Land Cover Account data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Dr Helen Fox, ABS head of environmental statistics, said: 'The National Land Cover Account, 2024 is our most detailed ever, meaning we have far better insights into the impacts of climate on land cover types.'

Image

Visual example of resolution improvements between 250 metre to 30 metre

Description

Two side by side pixelated images of a white lake surrounded by black and grey herbaceous vegetation. The left image is shown at 250 metre resolution, and is less detailed. The right image is shown at 30 metre resolution, and captures much more detail including a river to the left of the lake which isn't present in the other image.

'Improvements to ABS systems have enabled us to go from a resolution of 250 metres right down to 30 metres.'

Wetter years have seen long-term inland water bodies expand by 114.4 per cent and short-term inland water bodies expand by 114.2 per cent since 2019.

'In 2024, long term inland water bodies were at their largest extent since 2011 and second largest overall since the data started in 1988,' Dr Fox said.

'Inland water bodies, such as Lake Eyre, are important to Australia because they provide habitats for our native wildlife.'

Artificial surfaces, such as cities and towns, have continued to trend upwards, increasing 105.7 per cent nationally since 1988.

Artificial surfaces Index, states and territories 1988-2024 (1988 = 100)

	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia	Western Australia	Tasmania	Northern Territory	Australian Capital Territory
1988	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
1989	92	107	128	92	105	107	96	121
1990	98	103	117	88	98	103	108	116
1991	127	122	158	103	109	129	123	152
1992	121	120	148	105	144	143	129	137
1993	117	118	173	97	142	124	132	134
1994	122	116	136	109	128	116	118	139
1995	104	126	134	96	124	106	128	168
1996	117	116	129	100	134	100	138	147
1997	128	142	141	109	139	91	153	165
1998	119	132	131	104	149	122	150	159
1999	121	129	125	106	157	102	165	144
2000	102	115	144	94	144	123	142	139
2001	106	122	144	94	146	111	152	140
2002	122	150	182	105	154	112	148	172
2003	113	144	159	106	167	111	160	169
2004	141	152	169	121	176	121	182	201
2005	133	155	183	116	183	122	187	209
2006	149	176	204	120	195	128	218	194
2007	152	187	247	122	205	139	229	261
2008	130	195	214	116	209	160	190	223
2009	130	195	214	116	209	160	190	223
2010	131	172	216	115	220	127	236	175
2011	117	172	201	126	221	130	225	220
2012	144	189	237	130	231	130	260	240
2013	161	189	255	130	248	143	264	268
2014	156	187	278	129	239	131	282	266
2015	147	214	249	137	261	158	283	259
2016	156	203	254	132	276	159	283	248
2017	161	200	254	132	266	147	266	265
2018	184	222	286	135	267	143	303	310
2019	189	225	325	132	270	156	307	324
2020	180	217	307	136	266	152	319	308
2021	170	211	279	136	269	153	348	289
2022	158	220	274	131	266	153	319	263
2023	166	220	279	126	275	158	315	270
2024	167	225	280	138	271	168	330	253

'While artificial surfaces make up a small part of the landscape, they have been growing in all states and territories since our records began in 1988,' Dr Fox said.

Grassland expanded by 2.4 per cent since 2019 and continued to be the dominant land type covering 44.2 per cent of Australia in 2024.

The improvements to the National Land Cover Account also includes historical data which is available in the latest publication.

/ABS Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.

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