AusCoast-VTG: the Australian Coastal Virtual Tide Gauge Dataset

Updated: 2026-07-30

The Australian Coastal Virtual Tide Gauge (AusCoast-VTG) dataset provides coastal water level information at approximately 12,500 virtual tide gauge (VTG) locations distributed around the Australian coastline at an average spacing of about 2 km. Generated using the Coupled Coastal Hazard Prediction System (CCHaPS; Hernaman et al., 2025, https://doi.org/10.25919/6tbn-px91 ), a high-resolution barotropic hydrodynamic-wave modelling system with coastal resolutions of 50-200 m, the dataset extends coverage well beyond the limited network of physical tide gauges, providing a nationally consistent representation of coastal sea level variability. AusCoast-VTG is distributed as two complementary products. The first contains hourly reconstructions from 1981 to 2025 of both tidal water levels and non-tidal residuals, the latter representing water level variations driven by meteorological and oceanographic processes such as storm surges, atmospheric pressure fluctuations, wind forcing, and large-scale ocean circulation. The second product contains harmonic tidal constituent parameters for each VTG, including amplitudes and phases that characterise local tidal dynamics and enable tidal reconstruction, prediction, and the derivation of tidal statistics. The dataset supports a wide range of applications, including coastal hazard assessment, flood risk analysis, infrastructure planning, environmental management, marine operations, and scientific research. Its dense coastal coverage enables investigation of spatial variations in tidal characteristics and storm-driven water levels, including at locations where no observations are available. Designed for researchers, government agencies, industry, educators, and community stakeholders, AusCoast-VTG provides an accessible resource for analysing historical coastal conditions and understanding the processes that influence water levels around Australia. By combining long-term reconstructions with tidal constituent information, the dataset improves access to coastal water level information and supports evidence-based decision-making for Australia's coastal environments.