Wave buoys Observations - Australian Wave Buoy Operations and Data Management Guidelines Manual

Updated: 2026-10-12

This is a reference and guidance document for existing and prospective wave buoy operators and wave buoy data users in Australia. The document outlines wave buoy instruments most commonly in use and the wave data types and formats typically generated. Guidance is provided for Wave Buoy Deployment (Quality Assurance) and Wave Buoy Data Management (Quality Control) procedures and processes.

Data

ARDC webpage: "Catching Oz Waves"
Australian Wave Buoy Operations and Data Management Guidelines Manual - Version 1.0
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{"title":"Wave buoys Observations - Australia - delayed (National Wave Archive)","recordAbstract":"Buoys provide integral wave parameters. Buoy data from the following organisations contribute to the National Wave Archive: Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (part of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), which has assumed function of the former NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH)); Bureau of Meteorology; Western Australia Department of Transport (DOT); the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES); the Defence Technology Agency (DTA), New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF); the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), the University of Western Australia (UWA), Deakin University; and the NSW Nearshore Wave Data Program from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). \n\nThe data (aside from IMOS, the NSW Nearshore Wave Data Program, Deakin University and some of the buoys from UWA) is gathered by the Waverider system developed by the Dutch company, Datawell. Some older wave data were collected using non-directional Waverider buoys. As technology advanced and directional measuring capabilities were developed in wave buoys, wave buoy networks were gradually upgraded to directional Waverider buoys. Therefore, some older datasets do not have directional information whereas newer datasets have directional information. \n\nThe data from IMOS, the NSW Nearshore Wave Data Program, Deakin University and some of the buoys from UWA, comes from Spotter Wave Buoys, developed by Sofar Ocean Technologies, which collect data similarly to the Waverider system.\n\nThe buoy data from the Manly Hydraulics Laboratory replaces data (has been re-formatted) from the following specific collection - https://catalogue-imos.aodn.org.au:443/geonetwork/srv/api/records/bb7e9d82-3b9c-44c6-8e93-1ee9fd30bf21."}
{"title":"Manly Hydraulics Laboratory Waverider buoys","recordAbstract":"Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (MHL) part of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) (function now assumed by NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE)) operates a system of Waverider buoys off the NSW coastline. The buoys measure wave height and other wave statistics such as wave period on a continuous real-time basis. Some of the buoys are also capable of measuring wave direction and sea surface temperature (discoverable in a separate collection: Manly Hydraulics Laboratory Waverider buoys - Sea surface temperature data - https://catalogue-imos.aodn.org.au:443/geonetwork/srv/api/records/81c5f192-d4af-4dfe-a660-af15ae46a22a). This metadata record is a parent record describing the MHL Waverider system as a whole. The child metadata records describe each deployment of the buoy in more detail with links to downloadable data. The data is gathered by the Waverider system developed by the Dutch company, Datawell. The Waverider system uses an accelerometer mounted in a loose tethered buoy (0.7 or 0.9m in diameter) to measure the vertical accelerations of the buoy as it moves with the water surface. The accelerations are integrated twice within the buoy and the displacement signal so obtained is then transmitted to a shore station where it is processed to provide wave data statistics. The wave data is stored on the receiving station PC before routine transfer to Manly Hydraulics Laboratory via email. The wave direction capable Waverider buoys utilise a heave-pitch-roll sensor, two fixed X and Y accelerometers and a three axis fluxgate compass to measure both vertical and horizontal motion. An on-board processor converts the buoy motion to three orthogonal (vertical, north-south, east-west) translation signals that are transmitted to the shore station. \nThe data originally represented by this metadata record has been reformatted and now forms part of the National Wave Archive, and is accessible from that collection - https://catalogue-imos.aodn.org.au:443/geonetwork/srv/api/records/2807f3aa-4db0-4924-b64b-354ae8c10b58. The original data has been archived (contact IMOS for access)."}