Oceanographic Services are delivered through a single output (Oceanographic Services) that contributes to the achievement of the desired outcome. The developments relating to this output during 2004-05 and their contributions to the outcome are described below.

MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS 2004-05 

• The Bureau continued its lead role in operating the Australian Tsunami Alert System, the precursor to the Australian Tsunami Warning System (ATWS) which will be established over four years from 2005-06. As part of the ATWS project, the Bureau, in conjunction with Geoscience Australia (GA), Emergency Management Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is playing a key role in establishing the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS), including the development of tsunami detection infrastructure in the Indian Ocean. Existing tsunami warning services in the South Pacific are also being enhanced through substantial investment in detection infrastructure and capacity building.
• The newly formed National Tidal Centre (the NTC) was successfully relocated from Flinders University to the South Australia Regional Office in Adelaide. The NTC succeeds the National Tidal Facility Australia, formerly operated by Flinders University. Full integration of the NTC operations within the Bureau is continuing, including integration of sea level observing and network (Figure 35) management activities. The NTC plays a critical role within national and international frameworks for tsunami monitoring and warning in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the detection of tsunamis as part of the Australian Tsunami Warning System. The Centre carries responsibility for managing the data from Australias sea level gauge network and provides routine predictions of tides at major ports and coastal locations around Australia.
• The web site for the Bureau's Oceanographic Services was restructured to better reflect the growing range of development activities underway, including the integration of the National Tidal Centre (NTC) into Bureau operations and other projects such as BLUElink: a collaboration between the Bureau, CSIRO and the Royal Australian Navy.
• A review of the Perth Office of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) was concluded with the contributing partner organisations (the Bureau, the IOC and WA Government) approving its continued operation for a further three years. The Perth Office now plays an important strategic role in oceanographic activities in the Indian Ocean basin and the southwest Pacific, particularly with regard to intergovernmental coordination and capacity building in developing nations. It is also likely to play a significant role in the development of tsunami warning services in the Indian Ocean, particularly in support of the secretariat for the IOTWS.
• A strategic plan for the development of the Australian Integrated Ocean Observing System (AusIOOS) was prepared and supported by the governments Oceans Policy Science Advisory Group (OPSAG). The AusIOOS, which will be jointly supported by government agencies including the Bureau and CSIRO Marine Research as well as Australian universities, will provide essential underpinning for the development of operational oceanographic services in Australia.
• In principle agreement was reached on establishment of the Australian Ocean Data Centre Joint Facility (AODCJF) and its governance arrangements. The AODCJF is a joint venture between the Bureau, Department of Defence, Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO Marine Research, Australian Institute for Marine Science, GA and the National Oceans Office, encompassing all ocean data management activities of the Australian government under a distributed facility. The AODCJF begins formal operation in early 2005-06.

Figure 35. The network of sea level gauges operated by the National Tidal Centre.

The sea level gauge installed at Cocos Island - a strategic tsunami warning location for Australia.

Contribution towards outcome

• Development of the ATWS will significantly contribute to enhanced community safety and well-being, delivering a robust, timely and effective warning service to emergency response agencies and to all coastal communities likely to be affected by damaging tsunamis originating in the Pacific and Indian ocean basins.
• Integration of the NTC into Bureau operations ensures the sustained and efficient provision of sea level monitoring and prediction services to maritime industry and the general community, and is a key factor that will contribute to the success of the ATWS project. Timely and accurate observations and predictions of sea level and tides are essential to safe managements of ports and detection of tsunamis.
• Development of the Oceanographic Services web page contributes to safety of marine operations and a better informed general public, by providing ready access to information about potentially dangerous oceanic conditions such as tsunamis or other unusually large waves, information supporting safe navigation such as tide predictions, and insight into ocean temperatures which will affect search and rescue and fishing operations.
• Development of the Perth IOC Office, the AusIOOS and AODCJF will contribute to enhanced community safety and well-being and benefit specific marine sectors, through improved coordination of advice and warnings of dangerous oceanic phenomena and conditions, such as tsunamis and changes in ocean conditions likely to have a significant long term impact on Australia, especially in connection with global climate change. These developments will also enhance the ability of the nation to capture, maintain and provide essential oceanic environmental information in support of a sustainable natural environment, resource and environmental management, and development of sustainable maritime industries.