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Dive Attraction Site Investigation

A 12-month environmental monitoring program that helped confirm the best sites to grow the Gold Coast's dive tourism market.


Project Details

  • Client: City of Gold Coast

  • Date: 2012

  • Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia



About This Project


The Challenge

The Gold Coast Dive Attraction (GCDA) project set out to identify and investigate opportunities to grow the dive tourism market on the Gold Coast, and needed to confirm the suitability of two preferred locations.


The Solution

ICM undertook a bathymetric and side scan survey using a CeeScope 200 dual frequency echo sounder coupled with a Leica RTK receiver and a Starfish 450F seabed imaging system, confirming depths and identifying any rocky outcrops or other features within the nominated exclusion zones. Dive inspections assessed seabed characteristics and potential impacts on existing natural reefs, including collection of sediment grab samples.


Continuous data collection ran over 12 months at both sites, measuring turbidity, current velocity and direction, water depth and temperature - calibrated against diver visibility assessments and secchi disk measurements. This data was analysed to determine the expected number of "diveable" days for site accessibility, diver safety and diver experience, with a Generalised Additive Model developed that accounted for around 80% of the variability in the data.


Services Provided

  • Bathymetric Survey

  • Side Scan Survey

  • Dive Inspection

  • 12-Month Data Collection

  • Data Analysis

  • Suitability Assessment


Get in Touch

With decades of experience in marine site investigation, International Coastal Management specialises in the data-driven assessments that underpin new coastal and marine tourism ventures. Contact us today to discuss your upcoming project.



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