Which of the following bodies of water lies between australia and papua new guinea?
a: the southern ocean
b: the coral sea
c: the torres strait is a body of water which lies between australia and the melanesian island of new guinea.
d: the tasman sea
e: the torres strait

The correct answer is E. The body of water that lies between Australia and Papua New Guinea is the Torres Strait.

Explanation:

Torres Strait is a strait between the Cape York Peninsula in the Australian state of Queensland and Papua New Guinea. The strait is about 150 km wide and connects the Coral Sea in the east with the Arafura Sea in the west.

The Torres Strait was discovered in 1606 by Spaniard Luis Vaez de Torres, who followed the south coast of New Guinea from east to west. It would, however, take until James Cook in 1770 until another person sailed it down.