Australian oceanography today

Abstract

This paper focuses on oceanography in Australia today, 150 years on from the period when von Neumayer was pioneering nautical observations and inspiring others to begin the tasks of charting and observing the ocean. Matthew Fontaine Maury is often recognised as the founding father of marine observing and, in particular of the system of voluntary observations of the sea that is still in place today. It is known that Georg von Neumayer took inspiration from Maury’s work during the 1950s, particularly in relation to Southern Ocean observations. From these humble beginnings we have built to a complex, multi-disciplinary approach to oceanography in Australia and the presentation will focus on the national approach to oceanography and how Australia is responding to the modern challenges.