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Spatial data sharing is recognised as one of the important components of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) development. The data sharing processes provide a number of benefits to the organisations involved. However, there are many issues that hinder sharing spatial data between organisations. In Australia, state government organisations are the custodians of spatial information necessary for natural resource management and regional NRM bodies are responsible to regional delivery of NRM activities. The sharing of spatial data between government agencies and regional NRM bodies is therefore as an important issue for improving natural resource management outcomes.

The aim of this paper is to explore the motivations and barriers for spatial data sharing, and its impacts on spatial data infrastructure (SDI) development in natural resource management sector in Australia. Further, it critically reviewed the spatial data sharing literatures and developed a framework.  A case study method was used to collect primary data from 14 regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies responsible for catchment management in Queensland. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 14 regional NRM bodies, state government organisation and Queensland regional NRM groups collectives (RGC). In total 18 interviews were conducted; 14 from regional NRM bodies, two from state government organisations and two from the RGC.  The qualitative data were analysed using QSR NVivO software. The results show that  the motivation for spatial data sharing were to better organise information and knowledge, to reduce cost, to share risks and resources, to avoid duplication and to enhance better collaboration and networking. Various constraints such as lack of policy, lack of trust, privacy, confidentiality and funding were identified and categorised into five different areas as policy, technological, organisational, cultural and economic. The issues related to policy, organisational, cultural, and economic were found to be more important in comparison with technological issues. We found spatial data sharing has significant impacts on spatial data infrastructure development in catchment management sector in Australia.

Natural Resource Management, Spatial Data, geospatial data; geographic information, Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), Case Study