Describe a dataset
/v1/datasets/{slug}1¢ per callWhat a dataset is, what it shows, why you would use it and how it is built; its fields and units, coverage, refresh cycle and an example call.
Authorization
Request
The only values you send. Fields under Responses below are what comes back — you never pass those.
Path parameters
slugstringrequiredDataset slug from /v1/datasets.
Query parameters
Responses
Successful Response
slugstringalways returnedDataset id for /v1/datasets/{slug}.
namestringalways returnedcategorystringalways returnedcrime, economy, environment, schools, planning, market, demographics, transport or health.
levelsarray of stringalways returnedGeography levels the dataset answers at.
endpointsarray of stringalways returnedRoute templates serving this dataset.
period_typestringalways returnedas_ofstring · datealways returnedmodelledbooleanalways returnedprice_centsintegermay be nullPrice per call of the per-area endpoint.
descriptionstringalways returnedOne-paragraph summary.
availablebooleanalways returnedFalse until the dataset has been loaded on this deployment.
coveragestringalways returnedWhere and when the dataset has values.
refreshstringalways returnedHow often we refresh it.
description_longobjectalways returnedfieldsarray of DatasetFieldInfoalways returnedexampleobjectalways returnedAn example area per level.
rowsintegermay be nullValues held.
loaded_atstring · date-timemay be nullWhen this deployment last loaded it.
About this data
What this is
The full description of one dataset: what it is, what its fields show, why you would use it, how it is built and its caveats, plus every field with its unit, the coverage, refresh cycle, row count and an example call.
What people use it for
- Developers: read field names and units before writing code against a dataset.
- Analysts and researchers: judge method and coverage before relying on a number.
- AI assistants: check what a dataset can and cannot answer before quoting it.
Tips
Get the slug from /v1/datasets. modelled says whether values are our estimates or measured, and loaded_at says when this deployment last loaded the data.
/v1/datasets/{slug}curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.microburbs.com.au/v1/datasets/terrain-block' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer test'{
"data": {
"as_of": "2026-10-01",
"available": true,
"category": "environment",
"coverage": "All states and territories; blocks with at least three addressed properties.",
"description": "Ground elevation and slope for every residential mesh block: median, lowest and highest ground level, typical and steepest slope, and the share of homes on flat or steep land.",
"description_long": {
"how": "We sample a digital elevation model at every address point, using 5 metre …",
"shows": "Median, minimum and maximum ground elevation in metres; the median slope and …",
"what": "A terrain profile for each mesh block (a city block of roughly 30 to 60 homes). …",
"why": "Slope drives building cost (cut and fill, retaining walls, split-level …"
},
"endpoints": [
"/v1/suburbs/{suburb_name}/mesh-blocks/terrain"
],
"example": {
"block": "10431160000"
},
"fields": [
{
"description": "Median ground level above sea level across the block's addresses.",
"field": "elevation_median_m",
"name": "Median ground elevation",
"unit": "m"
},
{
"description": "Lowest ground level among the block's addresses.",
"field": "elevation_min_m",
"name": "Lowest ground elevation",
"unit": "m"
},
{
"description": "Highest ground level among the block's addresses.",
"field": "elevation_max_m",
"name": "Highest ground elevation",
"unit": "m"
}
],
"levels": [
"block"
],
"loaded_at": "2026-11-06T09:02:11.546166Z",
"modelled": false,
"name": "Terrain by mesh block",
"period_type": "snapshot",
"price_cents": 20,
"refresh": "yearly",
"rows": 2710287,
"slug": "terrain-block"
}
}