ePaddocks™ Australian Paddock Boundaries (File Download)

The ePaddocks™ Australian Paddock Boundaries dataset is a shapefile containing the boundaries of paddocks at national spatial extent.

Image credit: Copernicus Sentinel data 2019.

ePaddocks™ seeks to enable the Australian agricultural sector to deliver paddock-level analytics by supplying high-quality paddock boundaries across the whole continent.

At its core, it is based on artificial intelligence, that is, we teach computers to understand satellite images. In our approach, we teach our computers multiple tasks at once because it has been shown to improve learning overall.

The ePaddocks™ algorithm analyses satellite images of mainland Australia's agricultural areas to locate the boundary between the paddock and other paddocks and farm management areas. We also teach it to recognise paddock boundaries regardless of their orientation and level of zoom (a process we call data augmentation).

What can the product be used for?

Paddock-level monitoring. A standalone geospatial product that service providers in the agricultural sector would use to on-board their farmer clients. The provision of the paddock boundary product eliminates the need for manual input which is a major hurdle for new clients.
Crop identification. A critical data input into continental earth observation and predictive analytics products and services.
Rural intelligence and portfolio analysis. The finance sector and providers of rural services requires this data product to disaggregate regional data to a farm or paddock scale. These initiatives include those seeking to understand their share of the market and how to manage logistics and product placement.

There are six different options available for purchase based on region of interest - WA, SA, VIC, NSW, QLD or All (mainland Australia wide). Purchasing a product will provide you with a download link for the relevant shape file which will be valid for 12 months. We update the shapefile occasionally (at least annually), and your download link will provide access to any updates made available in that 12 month window.

After purchasing ePaddocks™, you will receive an email with a link to download the dataset. The file format provided is the industry-standard ESRI shapefile format. All 4 files are required for each state dataset. Several free tools for interacting with shapefiles are available on the internet.

Disclaimers

The ePaddocks™ algorithm analyses satellite images of Australia's agricultural areas to locate areas under consistent management and draw boundaries between them. It does not have the ability to distinguish fences between the same management areas or between land uses (crops or pastures).
State-level ePaddocks™ data are only available for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. ACT is included in the National product. ePaddocks™ does not yet cover paddocks in NT or Tasmania.

For enquiries about the product, please use the Contact Us form.