THE NSW SURVEYORS’ MONTHLY MAGAZINE • WWW.SURVEYORS.ORG.AU

No: 52, Issue 10 November 2013Print Post APProved: PP255003/06031

Watershed Boundaries of the ACT surveying the residues

Book Release Cadastral survey of tonga

University of Southern Queensland survey Baseline a work of Art

EISSI Award Winner Bolivia Hill road Upgrade

All material, opinions and reports published in this magazine are for the interest of members. No endorsement by the Institution of Surveyors, New South Wales, Incorporated, is given or implied by their publication.

Regular Features 4 President’s Report

5 Immediate Past President’s Report

7 Executive Officer’s Report

8 Editor’s Report

9 Surveyor’s Quiz

10 Secretary’s Report

11 Secretary’s Report AGM

29 NSW Government Gazette

30 Looking Back

31 Footprints

32 2013-14 Calendar of Events

33 Membership Connect

33 Conferences and Seminars

The Profession 12 The Consequences of Watershed Boundaries

of the ACT

22 150 Years of International Cooperation in Geodesy

24 ISNSW – Cadastral Workshops

24 Surveyor’s Reports Lodged with Plans

Education 16 University of Southern Queensland

23 GNSS Workshop at UNSW

EISSI Awards 2013 – Winner in Category of Infrastructure and Construction 18 Bolivia Hill Road Upgrade by Josh Cowley

Reports 25 Cumberland Group News

26 SSSI Report

News 27 Ultimate Positioning Group (UPG) fast-tracking

remote pilot training for UAV owners

27 How Can Drones Transform Surveying?

27 ikeGPS Brings Laser Measurement to the

Smartphone

Book Release 28 “One Hundred Fathoms Square” – Cadastral Survey

of the Kingdom of Tonga in the 1950’s

QUOTE CORNER

if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. – Michael evans

CONTENTS

18

Front Coverone of the pillars in the short-range edM calibration baseline at the University of southern Queensland’s Gumbi Gumbi Gardens at the toowoomba campus. see story in this edition by shane simmons.

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Operating from our modern, Gordon-based premises, the successful applicant will be responsible for the management of a variety of cadastral and survey projects. You will have access to experienced field parties, survey CAD draftsmen, as well as state-of-the-art technology to assist in the timely delivery of assignments.

LTS Lockley offers the enthusiastic, self-motivated surveyor a career opportunity with excellent work/life balance and competitive remuneration. For those with even greater ambition, equity positions may well be considered.

Successful applicants will have:■ High level proficiency in Landmark

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■ Registration in Australia or New Zealand.

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Azimuth • November 2013 • 5 4 • www.surveyors.org.au

iMMediAte PAst President

deLivered At tHe 2013 AnnUAL GenerAL MeetinG

This is my final report as the 73rd President of ISNSW. I will be passing on the survey staff to Phil Hayward after one year due to personal reasons. I have made the offer to complete a second year at the end of Phil’s two year term but this will be something for the Board to decide. When I became President I stated in my opening remarks at the AGM that I did so with nervous anticipation. I was however excited at the prospect of taking a leading role within the Profession.

Leadership of the Institution is about navigating together towards our vision of being a nationally recognised professional body that is a respected forum for surveying and related professions.

Leadership is not about racing off on a tangent and screaming back to everyone else to follow. The Azimuth continues to be arguably the premier surveying magazine in Australia, our new website is about to be launched, the EISSI Awards are the envy of kindred organisations, there is support for our young professionals through free seminars and registration candidate workshops to assist in professional growth, and we are improving at promoting our image to the community and to other professions.

At this point I would like to make some observations about our Profession. A couple of years ago I took my son to a University of New South Wales Open

Day. The thing that struck me was that in general the Doctors looked like Doctors, the Architects looked like Architects and so on, and yes the Surveyors looked like Surveyors. It occurred to me that Surveyors do have a type of persona. We enjoy life, like being outdoors and are generally resourceful. Perhaps these are some of the characteristics that endear us to our Patron Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir.

One of the features of our Professional persona is that we appear fragmented with so many sub-groups. For example the Country Surveyors Association has a strong independent following as does APAS and the Cumberland Group to name just a few. As President of the Institution I am comfortable with this situation as I realise that the Institution is acknowledged as the peak body that represents the Profession in NSW. It is the Institution that holds the entire Profession together as one cohesive unit. It is clear that if Universities, Government Departments, other professional bodies, or any other group wants to engage, communicate with, or seek an opinion from our Profession, then it is the Institution that they approach. It is the Institution that has a strong identity, reputation and history that has taken many years to establish.

One of the things I was keen to maintain and develop as President was relationships with other organisations. The Institution is now forging closer links with the Institution of Surveyors in New Zealand, Victoria and Tasmania. There is so much we can learn from each other. We are also developing closer links with the Facility of Engineering at UNSW, Australian Property Institute, Australian Institute of Building and other organisations for the benefit of members. The Institution also continues to value the relationship with long term friends such as ACS NSW and LPI.

As President I have had an opportunity

Welcome to the November 2013 Azimuth

“Potential has a shelf life” Margaret Atwood, Cats Eye.better understand each other’s positions

on professionalism and legislation of common interest.

I recently attended their awards night and discussed with their CPD officer joint activities. It is heartening that that organisation sees ISNSW as the professional body representing surveyors in this state.

Future NeedsThe recently conducted study into the

future needs of the surveying industry identified a national shortfall of some 1500 surveyors by the end of the decade.

This will provide enormous opportunities for our profession and the Institution if managed properly and will require us to act closely with government and ACS in particular.

ISVic and NZISWhen I spoke to the Board of ISNSW

seeking election as President – elect I spoke about my vision of closer liaison with IS Victoria and other similar groups. That contact has been made and will I’m sure, continue to grow.

Another exciting development was the invitation from NZIS to our President to attend their annual conference. Sadly he was unable to attend however we intend to reciprocate with the upcoming Australia Day Seminar next year. I have been convinced over many years that the way we practice surveying in NSW is closer to NZ than any other state.

In closing I look forward to meeting many of you over the next 2 years, working with Terina and her staff and in particular doing everything I can to engender a pride in our members in what is a great profession. z

Phil Hayward,

President ISNSW

And so to look at other things which have not changed.• Threats which include all the old bogies.• Ageing shrinking membership. I am

guilty of the first but sadly not of the second.

• De-regulation of the profession.• The failure of some surveyors to

practice in an ethical and professional manner which tarnishes us all.And finally the threat posed by those

who would see ISNSW subsumed into another organisation or who would set up another organisation in NSW in opposition to bring about that end.

Yet everYtHinG is diFFerentRather a sweeping statement and one

which is only partially true.The Board has changed with Grahame

Wallis, Norm Mann, Michael Lockley and Peter Vandergraaf leaving and we welcome Rob Cornish.

Norm Mann’s retirement comes about as the result of the winding up of the Engineering and Mining Surveyors Committee. Upon hearing of this I was disappointed that it had ceased to function, however Norm put a positive spin on it by saying that its functions had been successfully incorporated into group activities and it was now redundant. Norm’s retirement will be a loss to the Board and we will miss his deliberations and wise comments and friendship.

Grahame Wallis’ leaving the Board leaves another gap in wise counsel, however he has offered to continue to represent ISNSW as a liaison person with kindred groups.

Michael Lockley will be sorely missed for his contribution to the promotion of our profession and it is hoped that his absence from the Board will only be for a short period.

neW oPPortUnitiesKindred organisationsThe Australian Property Institute

(formerly Australian Institute of Valuers and Land Economists) approached our Board for informal discussions to

MeMBers And sUBsCriBersAs the Institution of Surveyors NSW

enters a new year under changed leadership I have been examining this theme as I consider goals and aspirations for our profession for the next two years and beyond.

notHinG HAs CHAnGedImmediate Past-President Graeme

Stewart perfectly enunciated the framework within which the Board of ISNSW will operate.

Viz:- Law 1: The Institution is and will remain the Premier Surveying organisation in the State.Law 2: The Institution will continue to act with autonomy.Law 3: The Institution will not give up its brand name.

The Board of ISNSW consists of a group of men and women who love the Surveying Profession and are prepared to devote their time and energies, in some cases to repay their profession for some of the benefits they have received and in the case of some of the younger members the understanding that if they don’t participate now there will be no professional body in the future.

Surveyor/explorer Sir Douglas Mawson in his book Home of the Blizzard stated

“In no department can a leader spend time more profitably than to the selection of the men who are to accomplish the work”

Had he said this today the words “and women” would have been justifiably added.

In a democratically elected organisation the choices are not down to the leader however we are fortunate that the elected Board members are the people a leader would choose to “accomplish the work.”

President’s rePort

Jean-Paul Sartre once said

“Nothing has changed yet everything is different”

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 7 6 • www.surveyors.org.au

eXeCUtive oFFiCer’s rePort

to place an advertisement in the Azimuth please contact terina sawyer for a Media Kit on (02) 9264 2076 or email: manager@surveyors.org.au.

We trust that our ISNSW members unfortunate enough to have been affected by the recent fires ravaging our state in recent weeks are all safe and well with no loss of property. To say it’s been a mammoth effort is an understatement and to all of those fire fighters who have given up so much of their time to fight these fires you are our heroes.

tWiLiGHt seMinAr My sincere thanks to Keith Cadogan FIS

NSW for organising the Twilight Seminar “Men, Marks and Monuments Revisited - City Alignments Recovery and Control” at the Institution Office onWednesday, 23rd October. The seminar saw a great line up of presenters including Keith, Peter Harris - former Manager, Survey and Design Section, City of Sydney. Robert Lock - Senior Surveyor, Survey Infrastructure and Geodesy, LPI NSW and Selin Ozdemir - Spatial Information Officer, City of Sydney.

Well done Keith and the team!

Keith’s book (and addendum) “Men, Marks and Monuments” can be acquired from the Institution Office please contact Maria on (02) 9264 2076. z

Terina Sawyer,

Executive Officer.

AUstrALiA dAY seMinAr 2014FoUr seAsons HoteL sYdneY, 199 GeorGe street, tHe roCKstHUrsdAY 23rd & FridAY 24tH JAnUArY 2014

Keynote Speaker for ADS2014 Todd Sampson, CEO of Leo Burnett Sydney

What else is happening at the Australia Day Seminar?

We have a new Keynote Speaker as unfortunately Ben Roberts-Smith VC had to pull out due to unforeseen circumstances.

Todd Sampson is our new Keynote Speaker. Todd is the CEO of Leo Burnett, Australia’s top creative agency. In 2012, Leo Burnett was

ranked as the 7th most creative agency in the world and the first Australian company to ever make the top 10. Todd is the co-creator of

the Earth Hour initiative, which was the largest environmental movement in history with over 1.4 billion people taking part globally. The

Financial Review and News Limited have ranked him as one of the most influential executives in the country.

He is the breakout star of the hit ABC television show The Gruen Transfer and was a co-host on Channel Ten’s The Project. His most recent

television show Redesign my Brain was aired on the ABC to much acclaim. Outside of work, Todd enjoys mountaineering and has climbed to

the top of Mount Everest unguided.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see Todd Sampson at ADS2014.

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to represent the Institution at numerous events such as Australia Day Seminar, EISSI, Governor’s Reception for NSW Construction Industries, Engineering Excellence Awards, Surveying Awards Gala Dinner in Victoria, SAGE Graduation Awards, APAS Conference, Cadastral Workshop, Country Surveyors Conference and numerous other CPD events. Of note is how well known and how well regarded the Institution is with other professions and related bodies. Another point worth stating is the diversity and quality of the CPD program being developed by the Institution from HQ and by the Regional Groups. This is providing the tools for our profession to be able to either specialise or diversify and take advantage of new and emerging technologies. As many of you are aware I have been keen on our Profession taking advantage of the advances in the field of GIS and use of existing data sets. I am a member of the North Coast Spatial Information Group and next month I will be honoured with a life membership and certificate in recognition of my contribution.

I would like to thank all the members of the Board and members of all the various committees for their support and all the work achieved during the term.

I would like to acknowledge that the Profession needs more women. The two women on our Board, Victoria Tester and Narelle Underwood, are both winners of Young Professional of the Year, both make an extraordinary contribution to the Institution and both are future leaders of the Profession. Matt Hynes, Honorary Treasurer needs special mention for keeping the Institution in a strong financial position. I would especially like to thank Phil Hayward (President Elect), Victoria Tester (Hon Secretary) and Grahame Wallis (Past President), without their efforts and advice the role of President would have been extremely difficult.

I would like to thank the Institution team of Terina, Natasha and Maria. Until you take on a senior role within the Institution you don’t fully appreciate all the hard work that is done behind the scenes in keeping the organisation running as smoothly as it does. I have been very fortunate indeed to have such a well-functioning team with exceptional knowledge, experience and commitment. You are all worth your weight in chocolate! z

Graeme Stewart,

Past President ISNSW

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 9 8 • www.surveyors.org.au

editor’s rePort

The EISSI awards are behind us, and the end of the year draws near. 2013 marked Canberra’s centenary, and this month we bring you another article related to this topic. When the boundaries of the new territory were established, numerous existing parcels were severed and residual bits of land were left behind in NSW. Many of these parcels are still in the ownership of the Commonwealth, and Landdata Surveys were contracted to survey these parcels with the intention of selling them off. Mike Stapleton describes what was involved in accessing

and surveying some of these isolated, difficult and somewhat forgotten areas in the mountains surrounding Canberra. As the Territory boundaries were defined by the watershed, it was necessary for the original surveyors to define these watersheds and mountain peaks. Coincidentally, this sounds remarkably similar to the exercise required to define the boundaries between Canada and Alaska following mountain summits, a couple of decades before the ACT survey. You can read about this interesting story in ‘Looking Back’ this month.

Another article this month, based on an EISSI award-winning project, is the detail survey undertaken by Sinclair Knight Merz for the RMS upgrade of the New England Highway at Bolivia Hill near Glen Innes. This was not a typical detail survey. The narrow confines of this section of road meant that conventional survey methods alone were not sufficient. SKM had to use a number of methods including terrestrial and mobile laser scanning, airborne laser scanning and aerial photography, as well as GNSS and robotic total station.

The challenge was to combine all this information together to form a final product that could be used for the road design. SKM’s innovative methods won them the EISSI award for Infrastructure and Construction.

Graeme Stewart has last month signed off as President of ISNSW, and he delivers his final President’s Report in this edition. Graeme has put in a productive term as President, but his commitment to the Institution does not end here. In the New Year, Graeme will be taking over the reins as Azimuth editor. We look forward to Graeme’s continued involvement in the Institution from a different perspective.

See you next month. z

Paul Davis-Raiss, Editor-in-Chief

azimuth@surveyors.org.au

The Association is entirely dependent upon voluntary financial contributions to cover the cost of operating. These contributions have to date come primarily from the Institution, together with several small grants, donations and legacies from members and the estates of members. Any donation would be gratefully received.The objects of the Association include:• To counsel, help and advise any member of the

Institution of Surveyors New South Wales Inc. in need or distress to overcome health and/or professional problems.

• To offer advice, guidance and, in circumstances considered by the Directors to be special, financial assistance by way of grants, loans or payments:

(i) to the family, surviving spouse and/or dependants of any

member of the Institution of Surveyors, New South Wales who dies;

(ii) to the family, spouse and/or dependants of any member of the Institution of Surveyors, New South Wales, who is incapacitated and who, as a result, is incapable in the opinion of the Directors, or managing the affairs and welfare of himself or herself or his or her family, surviving spouse or dependants.

In order for the Benevolent Association to provide assistance when needed, the Benevolent Association needs to be informed of the circumstances that may warrant such assistance. In this regard ISNSW members are asked to provide such information to:- ISNSW Benevolent Association Ltd, SecretaryPhone (02) 9264 2076 or isnsw@surveyors.org.au

The Institution of Surveyors NSW Benevolent Association Ltd

(A Company Limited by Guarantee Formed for Charitable Purposes)

sUrveYor’s QUiz

Surveyor’s Quiz compiled by Michael Spiteri

A Quiz from the October 1913 Board of Surveyors ExamThe three angles of a triangle are A = 30°, B = 70°, C = 80°; find the length of the side BC if the area ABC is 5 acres.

soLUtion neXt MontHPlease send your solutions to: michael.spiteri3@bigpond.com

soLUtion to LAst MontH’s QUiz

Last month’s solution comes from Horner’s Examination Questions and Methods of Solution.Let the long side of the allotments on the left be x, the short side of the block on the right is 6000 – x.The total area is 180 acres, therefore each allotment will contain (180ac – Road)/3.The length of the short side of the allotments on the left is 3000/2 – half the road width = 1450.Now 1450 x = (180ac – 100 x) / 3Therefore 1450 x = (18000000 – 100 x) / 3Therefore 4450 x = 18000000Thus x = 4044.94 = long side of allotments on left.Then length of short side of allotment on right is 1955.06.Thank you to Eric Maronese and Chris Hutchison for their solutions to the September Quiz.

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Membership Title Member Class 2013 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Honorary Fellow HFIS 7 5 4 2 2 3

Fellow FIS 49 53 47 45 44 43

Member MIS 777 765 796 811 841 841

Overseas Member MISO 8 9 8 8 9 9

Associate AIS 36 35 33 30 21 17

Affiliate AIF 2 2 2 1 2 1

Graduate 1 year out GR1 7 5 7 6 2 12

Graduate 2 years out GR2 8 12 12 8 22 15

Graduate 3 years out GR3 20 20 17 18 11 12

Graduate 4 years out GR4 N/A N/A 4 13 18 11

Graduate 5 years out GR5 N/A N/A 4 12 11 7

Student STU 267 230 213 183 160 62

Clause 17 (Exemption from Annual Subscription)

17 19 13 17 10 5 12

Seniors SEN 116 118 123 126 120 111

Working Seniors WSEN 21 17 17 15 15 13

Non Practising 11.9 13 20 - - - -

TOTAL 1350 1304 1304 1288 1285 1170

COMMITTEE NAME CONVENOR

Azimuth Committee Michael Lamont

Benevolent Association Phil Hayward

Careers & Promotion Committee Michael Lockley

Constitution Review Committee Grahame Wallis

CPD Committee Tony Proust

Ethics & Disciplinary Committee Vacant

Events Committee Terina Sawyer

Fees Committee Scott Murray

Major Mitchell Committee John Read

Membership Committee Norm Mann

Preservation of Survey Infrastructure Graeme Stewart

Professions Australia Phil Hayward

Property Council of Australia Committee Bob Harrison

Property Management Committee Bob Harrison

Surveying Practice & Legislative Committee Greg Frith

SIWG Committee Peter Vandergraaf

The Board 2013 Graeme Stewart

Azimuth • November 2013 • 11 ProUd sPonsor oF tHe sir tHoMAs MitCHeLL AWArd 2013

seCretArY’s rePort seCretArY’s rePort AGM

10 • www.surveyors.org.au

Summary of the Minutes of the ISNSW Board Meeting 6 September 2013

Honorary Secretary’s Report AGM4 October 2013

President Graeme Stewart commenced the meeting at 10:10am.

APoLoGies reCeived Jason Hay (Murray), Robert Van der Zypen

(Southern), Mark Buttsworth (Central Western). No Conflicts of Interest were declared.Graeme Stewart reported on the passing of

Peter Michael McCartney. Several members of the Board spoke of their memories of Peter and a minutes silence was held in Peter’s memory.

Grahame Wallis reported on communication with allied associations in ISV, ISTas and ISNZ. A motion was passed ‘That we continue to open up communications with other states and NZ with ‘like’ individuals in order to further promote the profession of surveying.’

treAsUrer’s rePort Mathew Hynes (Honorary Treasurer) –

Although we are only two months into the financial year we are already heading to make a profit.

MeMBersHiP rePort Vicki Tester (Honorary Secretary)Welcome to the following new members:

• Gyan Ratna Maharjan – Student Membership

• Xiaoxu Tang – Student Membership• Gregory Thomas Niland – Corporate

Membership• Najib Abu Raya – Corporate Membership• Alexander Richardson – Corporate

MembershipNumerous membership advancements and

status applications were also approved and also a few resignations.

AdMinistrAtion MAnAGer’s rePortTerina Sawyer (Administration Manager)- Numerous matters discussed including:

• Staff – Maria is settling into her role as the new Administration Assistant for ISNSW.

• Website – Maria & Natasha attended a

training session at SiteSuite Head Office. We are hoping for an October launch.

PoLiCY And GovernAnCe MAttersVarious Matters under consideration

including:• LPI Update – The President reported that

there had been a change of Director General at LPI and things have been very difficult at LPI of late. A report regarding the investigation of privatising LPI has gone to the Minister.

• ISNSW Prizes to UNSW and UNewcastle – It was moved to upgrade both prizes sponsored by ISNSW to $1000. It was also moved to give a monetary prize of $500 to the three TAFEs in NSW ie Sydney, Newcastle & Wollongong.

• Proposed Governor NSW Cocktail Party – Terina has heard back from the Governor’s official Secretary & Chief of Staff. The Governor is now not retiring till 26th September 2014 so our request has been diarised for March 2014 when we will resume discussion.

Throughout the afternoon session of the Board Meeting the various reports of the Sub-Committees, Regional and Special Interests Groups and Co-Operating Associations were presented.

There being no further business the meeting concluded at 2:45pm.

For a more extensive review of the above ISNSW Board Meeting, copies of the ratified minutes are available through the ISNSW Office. z

Vicki Tester,

Honorary Secretary ISNSW

2013 has been another successful year for ISNSW and marks my first year in the role of Honorary Secretary. My heartfelt thanks go to Terina and Natasha for all their help and wonderful work over the past year, particularly Natasha with all she does with membership.

Working alongside President Graeme Stewart has been an absolute pleasure and always interesting. I personally thank Graeme for all his time and effort over the past year and wish him all the best as he steps down from the

Presidency position. The total membership numbers are tabled below.There has been an overall increase in full fee paying members by 12, which is very positive to see.Associate and Affiliate numbers have increased by 1, graduates have decreased by 2, seniors have increased by 2 and students

have increased by a significant 37 – In total, membership of ISNSW has increased by 46.

ISNSW could not continue to function as successfully as it does without the help of our members involved on the various Committees. The chairmen of each of these committees are as listed above and our gratitude goes out to all of them. z

Vicki Tester

Honorary Secretary ISNSW

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 13 12 • www.surveyors.org.au

the professionthe profession

Prior to the establishment of the ACT, most of the sites had legal access via Crown or public roads. When the ACT was created many of these roads were severed, leaving remnant road pieces and effectively removing legal access to the parcels. It was thus necessary to identify where legal access was lacking and make recommendations regarding how it could be obtained.

This enabled Landdata to identify roads, tracks and feasible routes to reach the site. Owners were then approached for permission to access the sites via the chosen route.

This sometimes was challenging due to the physical nature of the access, requiring very careful 4-wheel driving. Challenges also presented themselves in dealing with government authorities who managed many of the sites through which access was sought.

ACCessThe access requirements of the project

were two-fold:• Determine how best to get to the site,

i.e. practical access.• Establish whether the site had legal

access.This involved the examination of

available aerial imagery which was readily available, thanks to the NSW and ACT databases as well as private providers such as Google and Nearmap.

• Identifying services on the site. This entailed surveying any services found on the site, undertaking a Dial Before You Dig search of the land, and mapping and reporting on such services and the implications thereof.

• Identifying both legal and practical access to the sites.

• Providing contours for the site.• Identifying zoning and town planning

issues associated with sites, and compliance therewith.

• Identifying any heritage issues found on or associated with the site.

• Providing a “GIS” of the site. This was interpreted as providing a digital CAD file of the survey.

• Providing recommendations regarding the resolution of issues associated with the site and opportunities for the disposal thereof.

ACt-nsW Border sUrveY The ACT-NSW border was surveyed

between 1910 and 1915. The surveys were drawn on a series of maps FC1-18, which are now heritage listed.

The survey was very accurate considering the instruments in use at the time, and the boundaries were very well monumented with very large wooden pegs and reference marks consisting of iron pipes and concrete blocks. Many of these marks still exist, and consequently the determination of the site boundaries common to the border was relatively easy. (see photos page 14)

Furthermore, in determining the border, the terminals of boundaries cut by the border were generally also located and surveyed. It was thus generally possible to confidently determine the boundaries of the relevant border properties. As well as being dimensioned, corners and references were coordinated relative to still existing trigonometric stations.

In 1900 the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 was enacted. This provided for the site for a capital city within New South Wales, but at least 100 miles from Sydney. Charles Scrivener was tasked with investigating options and recommending a site. Water was a critical issue in the site selection and when Canberra was eventually chosen, boundaries between NSW and the Australian Capital Territory were defined by watersheds of nearby rivers.

In 1910, Percy Sheaffe commenced the survey of the borders, which included defining the relevant watersheds without regard for the existing cadastral boundaries. The Commonwealth acquired all of the land within the borders and also the residue land within NSW of the portions divided by the watershed boundaries. As a consequence, the Commonwealth took ownership of a number of small residue parcels within NSW. In 2010, Landdata Surveys was contracted to undertake surveys of the various sites and prepare reports on a range of issues associated with the sites.

sCoPeThe scope was wide, including

features generally beyond the expertise of a surveying company or department. However, the primary component involved surveying work. The Department of Finance contracted a large multi-disciplinary company, ironically without local surveying expertise, to undertake the project.

Landdata Surveys was thus employed as a subcontractor to undertake the surveying and planning aspects of the scope, which included:• Undertaking “ID” surveys of 33

sites. This was interpreted as being an Identification Survey where improvements, burdens and encroachments on the site are identified and where possible surveyed, and an associated report provided.

“Capital almost got sold

down the river”Last year, a newspaper article in the Canberra Times described the water issues associated with the selection of Canberra as the nation’s capital (Warden, 2012):

“Canberra has been green and

lush for months and now we’ve

just had these deluges of flooding,

refreshing, cabbage-swelling

rains. And so it’s amusing to

recall that during the “Battle of

the sites” (1899-1908) opponents

of Canberra as the federal

capital used to call it a shrivelled

wilderness. No city was possible

here they warned. A lack of water

would make it unsanitary and

paradise for typhoid. Farms and

gardens would be impossible. In

the unlikely event of anyone here

ever managing to grow a single

stunted cabbage, it would be front

page news.”

The Consequences of Watershed Boundaries of the ACT by Mike Stapleton Landdata Surveys Pty Ltd

Plan of ACT-NSW border survey.

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the professionthe profession

It was necessary to check whether nearby heritage items could affect access to and future uses of the border sites. Thus, investigations of the heritage documentation of the relevant jurisdictions needed to be made.

reCoMMendAtionsRecommendations were generally fairly common-sense

suggestions involving investigating options for sale and consolidation with adjacent owners or extension of existing national park boundaries. It was also necessary to suggest ways of resolving site legal access issues. In making the recommendations, it was necessary to justify such suggestions based on adjacent land uses, zoning and heritage issues described above.

AdMinistrAtionThe border sites were situated in areas governed by a number

of authorities or government departments. As described earlier sites were located within three local government authorities: Yass Valley, Palerang and Cooma-Monaro. Other government departments that influenced issues associated with the sites included:

ACt• ACT Planning and Land Authority.• Territory and Municipal Services (with respect to the

management of ACT roads, forestry, national parks and reserves).

nsW• Forestry NSW.• Land and Property Information – Crown Lands.• NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

FederAL• Defence.• National Capital Authority.• Finance and Deregulation (client).• Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population

and Communities.

reseArCH soUrCesIn undertaking this project, besides researching the obvious

sources such as the Local Government authority or relevant Government department websites, the relevant site was ‘googled’ to see whether there were any extraordinary aspects recorded relating to the site. In doing this, a useful website was discovered. A local bushwalker has developed a fascination for discovering the ACT border survey marks and created a blog on which he posts his experiences in walking the border as well as numerous photographs. His interest was such that he obtained the corner coordinates from the ACT survey office and then with his handheld GPS located such marks and photographed many.

Other sources included the border survey sheets, portion plans and parish maps, topographical maps, local government and departmental documents.

ConCLUdinG reMArKsOne wonders whether using watersheds for the definition

of the ACT-NSW border was the most appropriate policy. It may have been more appropriate to follow the existing cadastre beyond the watershed. This would have avoided the consequences of severing existing properties to create the border.

The Seat of Government Surrender Act 1909 describes many of the boundaries on the ACT-NSW border as watersheds. Could such watersheds be considered somewhat ambulatory or a “natural boundary”? One wonders how the border surveyors determined the locations of the watershed.

The NSW Registrar General’s Directions define a natural boundary as:

“A boundary that is formed by a natural feature (bank of stream, mean high water mark, edge of cliff etc.) must be surveyed so that each change of course or direction is determined to the appropriate accuracy. This may be achieved by the surveyor adopting a series of bearings and distances that approximates the boundary. These bearings and distances are derived from the end points of a series of radiations taken from one or more field stations to each change in direction of the bank of the stream etc. In order to ensure the plan of survey remains clear and legible it is common practice to list each bearing and distance in a table of short lines. The actual bank etc. is delineated on the plan as an irregular line.”

Could the definition in the survey plans of the border be challenged on the basis that the watershed was not adequately defined? z

By Mike Stapleton, based on a presentation made at APAS 2013

Conference in Canberra, March 2013

• From the site visit, determine the existing use and also that of surrounding properties.

• Identify any other issues that may affect the site.The process was complicated a little by

a recent change of shire boundaries. This resulted in LEPs from adjacent or former shires applying to the site. Furthermore, the shires were in the process of preparing new LEPs. Consequently, one needed to investigate the current zoning but also determine whether any changes were envisaged in the new LEP.

Whilst most of the sites were themselves zoned rural, adjacent uses in the ACT included a military zone and nearby gun club, forestry uses, national park and expanding residential areas in the north. Other issues that affected sites included the aforementioned adjacent uses and their associated impact on access and future use, and the flight path of Canberra International Airport that impacted on many of the sites along the eastern border of the ACT.

HeritAGe issUesSome of the ACT-NSW border survey

marks have been heritage listed. It is unclear why all of the remaining marks were not listed.

points were then used to confirm existing contour sources such as existing maps. It was fortunate that the ACT has been comprehensively contoured and the contours often extend into the neighbouring parts of NSW on which the sites are located.

Contours, where not readily available digitally, were digitised from existing paper copies of plans to provide the required digital version. An appropriate disclaimer was obviously inserted.

zoninG And toWn PLAnninG issUes

The brief required the identification of the zoning of the sites as well as any other planning issues that affect the site. The existing land use was required to be identified to check conformance with the zoning.

The ACT is surrounded by four shires, i.e. Yass Valley, Palerang, Queanbeyan and Cooma-Monaro. Satisfying this requirement involved the following steps:• Identify the shire in which the site is

located.• Research the relevant Shire Local

Environmental Plan (LEP), usually found on the Shire webpage.

• Locate the site on the LEP maps and hence determine the relevant zone.

ContoUrsThe scope of work required the

provision of contours in digital form. To undertake a full new contour survey of each site would have made achieving the required timeframes and budgets impossible. Some of the sites were heavily wooded and very steep. Consequently, the method used generally involved the heighting of our own survey control either from existing nearby control or a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS). Additional heighting was done on features surveyed for other purposes such as boundary determination, fences and services. The heights of surveyed

Heritage border mark at the Piccadilly Circus end of Two Sticks Road (Evans, 2012b).

Border boundary peg (right) compared to modern pegs.

Rock spit marking bend in border (Evans, 2012a).

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edUCAtion edUCAtion

Table 1: USQ Academic and practice course guide for NSW TAFE

graduates for the Surveying major of the Bachelor of Spatial Science

(Honours) program

Academic Course Courses Exempt

ENM1600 Engineering Mathematics

SVY1102 Surveying A E

GIS1402 Geographic Information Systems

ENG1101 Introduction to Engineering Problem Solving E

SVY1110 Introduction to GPS E

ENG1002 Introduction to Engineering and Spatial Science Applications E

SVY1104 Surveying Computations A E

GIS1401 Geographic Data Presentation E

SVY2301 Automated Surveying Systems E

CIV2701 Road Design and Location E

SVY2106 Geodetic Surveying A E

ENV2201 Land Studies

ENG2102 Engineering Problem Solving and Analysis

SVY2303 Construction Surveying E

CSC1401 Foundation Programming

SVY3304 Cadastral Surveying

ENG2002 Technology, Sustainability and Society E

***#### Elective E

SVY2302 Mine Surveying

SVY3202 Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

ENG4110 Engineering Research Methodology

SVY2105 Survey Computations B

URP3201 Sustainable Urban Design and Development

SVY3107 Geodetic Surveying B

SVY4309 Practice Management for Spatial Scientists

ENG4111 Research Project Part 1

URP4203 Urban and Regional Planning

***#### Elective

***#### Elective

SVY4304 Land and Cadastral Law

ENG4112 Research Project Part 2

SVY3200 Land Administration

Total number of courses 12

Practice Course (attendance on campus at compulsory residential schools required)

Courses Exempt

SVY1901 Surveying and Spatial Science Practice 1 E

SVY2902 Surveying and Spatial Science Practice 2 E

SVY2903 Surveying and Spatial Science Practice 3

SVY3904 Surveying and Spatial Science Practice 4

ENG3902 Professional Practice 1

ENG4903 Professional Practice 2

Total number of courses 2

The Gumbi Gumbi Gardens represent a significant cultural pathway. For NSW TAFE Diploma in Surveying graduates there is a pathway to registration through distance education studies at USQ.

At USQ, the NSW TAFE graduates/students represent a significant proportion of the students studying surveying. For NSW TAFE students, USQ has well identified articulation pathways, for example the 2 year Diploma in Surveying graduates will receive 1.5 years of credit for the 4 year Bachelor of Spatial Science (Honours) program. An example of the credits granted is provided in table 1.

The most likely situation for the NSW TAFE student studying at USQ involves study by distance education mode. At USQ, the primary mode of study is distance education (typically part-time distance education, but can be full-time). External students access study packages sent by mail and delivered via the internet through an on-line learning management system. Assessment is generally by submission of assignments by electronic lodgement or post and sitting an examination at centres in your regional location. The majority of external students study part-time whilst working full-time. USQ offers programs in Surveying from 2 year to 4 year duration for full-time study or 4 year to 8 year duration of part-time study, the programs range from an Associate Degree in Spatial Science (2 year program, ADSS) to a Bachelor Spatial Science Technology (3 year program, BSST) to a full Bachelor Spatial Science Degree (4 year program, BSPH). The programs are articulated, resulting in seamless transition from one program to another with full credit for studies completed between programs within the same major. There are majors in Surveying, Geographic Information Systems and Urban and Regional planning.

The program that best suits a NSW TAFE surveying diploma student is the Bachelor of Spatial Science (surveying major). For information on our programs of study you can visit our web address: http://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/current/eng.html or the faculty web address: http://www.usq.edu.au/faculty/engsurv/ and for information on admission you can access the web address: http://www.usq.edu.au in the future students menu option.

Unless you studied at USQ last year, you will need to apply through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) for enrolment at the QTAC web address: www.qtac.edu.au. The last chance for application is usually in February.

For the faculty to assess credits for your previous studies the following documentation is required, certified copies of academic records/transcripts of results (signed by a Justice of the Peace). You would be eligible for credits/exemptions on the basis of your prior learning and your NSW TAFE qualification will exempt you from 12 academic courses/subjects and 2 practice courses in the BSST and BSPH programs as per the articulated pathway in table 1.

Like both the UNSW and University of Newcastle, the Surveying and Spatial Science discipline has recently been combined with civil engineering into the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying. We trust you will both enjoy your study at USQ and fulfill your career goals. z

Shane Simmons

Program Coordinator

Surveying and Spatial Science, USQ

The wife and family of Indigenous rights activist Eddie Mabo visited the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Toowoomba recently to tour and open the Gumbi Gumbi Gardens Indigenous cultural site. The gardens include a number of both small and large teaching spaces that have been incorporated into the overall character of the development - including the short range EDM calibration range at USQ. The Gardens were designed in close partnership with Historical Elders from Toowoomba and Elders of the Jarowair People, the traditional custodians of the land on which the USQ Toowoomba campus lies and has been designed around the short range EDM calibration range.

The Gardens cover approximately 2.2 hectares of land on the north-east side of the University main entrance and features extensive planting of over 100 plant species of indigenous flora used by the local Aboriginal communities for food and medicine. The Gardens also contain a number of indigenous storyline and information signs, adjacent tribal acknowledgment stones, various gathering areas including a yarning circle and firepit, grinding and ceremonial stones, watercourse with fish decorated bridge and as far as the surveyors are concerned the pathways weave in and around the EDM calibration range with each EDM pillar being individually decorated with applied indigenous artwork. The major issue for students will be the movement of the pillars in the short range EDM calibration range through the construction phase, until such time as the base is again certified.

Three generations of the Mabo family attended the USQ Gumbi Gumbi Gardens opening where Bonita Mabo, wife of late indigenous activist Eddie Mabo, her daughter and grand-daughters and Aboriginal Elders, joined community and business leaders for the opening ceremony. The Gardens were officially opened by USQ Chancellor Mrs Bobbie Brazil, Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Councillor Mr Paul Antonio and the renowned ex-jockey and Aboriginal Elder Mr Darby McCarthy. The official opening celebrations included a rock laying and smoking ceremony; performances from internationally renowned novelist and poet, Herb Wharton and country music artists Troy Cassar-Daley and Roger Knox; and the Kooma Didgeri Dance Troupe.

Surveyors are well versed with the campaign for indigenous land rights staged by Eddie Mabo and the subsequent High Court of Australia decision to overturn terra nullius (land belonging to no one) and recognise that indigenous peoples may have rights to land through Native Title. The USQ Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jan Thomas, stated “the Mabos were pivotal in changing the face of Australia and in progressing reconciliation - their contribution to Australian history is profound...to have the endorsement of someone so significant to the history of reconciliation is very special to USQ...the Gumbi Gumbi Gardens celebrate the link between Australia’s traditional custodians and the land and plants they used for food and medicine.”

University of Southern QueenslandThe prettiest little EDM range in Terra Australis and pathway to registration for NSW TAFE Surveying Diploma alumni

Survey pillars for the EDM calibration range in the Gumbi Gumbi Gardens. USQ Toowoomba campus

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Vekta’s primary role on this project was to acquire the aerial photography and airborne laser scan data, provide high-resolution digital imagery and to process and classify the LiDAR point cloud data to ICSM Level 3 specifications.

Using SKM’s photogrammetry resources, photogrammetric break lines (drainage, vegetation, terrain and cultural features, etc) were plotted over the project area of interest from the stereo imagery. The SKM photogrammetry team were also allocated the task of generating a high-resolution orthophoto from the digital aerial photography & LiDAR surface.

mapping information was to be used to develop route options that will have constructability assessments and OH&S risk assessments completed.

Whilst the initial brief called for a combination aerial and ground survey, upon the initial site visit with the RMS project manager it was apparent that this approach alone would not yield a satisfactory or thorough result for RMS.

A key driver for RMS was to have a survey that was as complete as possible from the outset. An extensive geotechnical investigation would follow the survey, and past experiences of being disappointed with inconclusive or incomplete geotechnical reports have stated inadequate survey as their limitation.

SKM and RMS then set about implementing a suitable approach.

Drawing on its experience and early adoption of MLS & TLS technology together with proven acquisition and processing methodologies to ensure project spatial requirements were met, SKM implemented an innovative, technically and logistically complex approach involving the following survey techniques: (See table opposite)

ProJeCt MetHodoLoGY

Aerial Photography, Photogrammetric Mapping, ALs & orthophotography

Although SKM has a dedicated Aerial Survey capability we do not own or operate our own aircraft or camera/sensor systems. Rather, SKM has relationships with a number of reputable aerial acquisition companies, hence is not restricted to any specific aerial acquisition system and is free to select the best provider with the most appropriate technology who is able to complete the acquisition within the required timeframe.

For this project our provider of choice was Vekta Pty Ltd (now part of AAM) who have a third generation Leica ALS60 LiDAR system and a Leica high resolution, large format, metric mapping camera which were ideal for this project.

The award-winning project involved the development of a detailed and comprehensive 3D survey model for the upgrade of the New England Highway near Bolivia Hill. The New England Highway passes through the Bolivia Range about 55 km north of Glen Innes in NSW. Both the New England Highway and the Great Northern Railway line (disused) pass through a gap in the range just to the west of Bolivia Hill.

In this section the New England Highway descends 100m (980m to 880m AHD) over 2 kms on the northern granite escarpment of the range. This alignment has steep cross falls and narrow road corridors with hard rock cutting to the east of the alignment and steep rockfill embankments to the west.

The topographical features in the project area present significant challenges for road design. RMS required survey and mapping of the area to help identity design constraints. Several of the features to be mapped included, but were not limited to, the rock cuttings, rock fill embankments, drainage lines, a disused railway line and mine, the remains of the original Brisbane to Sydney telegraph line and an old bullock track that once descended through the pass. Of particular concern was an embankment of the disused railway that is potentially in danger of slipping onto the highway.

Armed with the understanding that RMS were investigating options to upgrade the New England Highway at Bolivia Hill and that the topographical features of the project area presented significant challenges for road design, SKM provided a conforming solution based primarily on using aerial survey techniques. Later in the project cycle alternative solutions were proposed for some of the more critical elements of the project.

The imagery and 3D survey model from the aerial survey was to be used as a base for the project’s geological mapping and geotechnical assessments, vegetation surveys and environmental assessments. Also the contouring and

Sinclair Knight Merz Pty Ltd (SKM) and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) were the joint winners of the 2013 Excellence in Surveying and Spatial Information Award in the category of Infrastructure and Construction.

Bolivia Hill Road UpgradeBY JosH CoWLeY

Survey Technique Location/Extent Description Output

GNSS (Rapid Static & RTK)

Entire project extent • Provision of ground control points (GCPs) to control the stereo aerial photography

• Provision of calibration sites for the Airborne Laser Scan (ALS) survey

• Provision of quality check points to verify the aerial surveys• Densification of survey control to support total station, terrestrial

Laser Scan (TLS) and Mobile Laser Scan (MLS) surveys.

• GCP coordinates• Data for ALS Calibration• ALS and Photogrammetry

quality check points• Survey control network

Total Station (robotic & reflectorless

Along New England Hwy

• Coordination of targets to calibrate and control the TLS and MLS surveys

• Survey of road culverts• validation QQ Strings

• Coordinates of targets for TLS and MLS

• Culvert detail imported into the 12d Survey Model

• Quality assessment report of 12d Survey Model

Terrestrial Laser Scan (TLS)

Two pinch points on the New England Hwy

• Very high resolution scan of pavement and rock faces at critical pinch points

• 3D point cloud• TrueView files• Detailed cross sections of road

and rock faces at pinch points.• 3D feature coded detail

imported into 12d Survey Model

Mobile Laser Scan (MLS)

New England Hwy corridor

• High resolution scan of the road corridor to define pavement, road furniture and cuttings.

• 3D point cloud• 3D fly thru• 3D feature coded detail

imported into 12d Survey Model

Aerial Photography Entire project area • Used to produce high resolution ortho-rectified aerial image over the entire study area.

• Used for photogrammetric extraction of 3D breaklines and other significant features within the inner study area

• High resolution ortho-rectified aerial imagery

• 3D feature coded detail imported into 12d Survey Model

Airborne Laser Scan (ALS)

Entire project area • Point cloud classified to ICSM Level C3 with the assistance of ortho-rectified imagery

• 1m Contours• 2m posting gridded elevation

model• Classified LAS files• Selected model key points

integrated into 12d Survey Model

Aer

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tria

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eissi AWArd Winner in tHe CAteGorY oF inFrAstrUCtUre And ConstrUCtion

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a virtual clone of the existing terrain and features.

The resulting point cloud is then processed using a software processing system developed in house by SKM, ‘Virtual Surveyor’ using a combination of proprietary and off the shelf software. It is only now that 3D vector line work can be extracted.

The detail of the pavement such as paint lines, medians, edge of pavement kerb and gutter, guard rails and barriers etc as well as overhead structures are easily identified in the point cloud and image. The operator picks the centre of features in plan and elevation assigning the appropriate supplied RMS MX code.

SKM’s spatial team then set about integrating the data sets from the aerial survey with that collected in ground survey, MLS and TLS.

The final unified data set was consistent with RMS feature coding standards and supplied in MX and 12d formats.

sUMMArYWith steep cross falls, narrow road

corridors and unstable terrain a survey by traditional means, would not only pose a significant safety risk, it would also pose a greater challenge in measuring sufficient information.

Firstly, there was a requirement from the RMS to complete this project within a rigid and non-negotiable time frame.

Secondly, there were many technical hurdles with respect to the integration of many data sets that had to be resolved, not to mention the additional requests for further survey that only became apparent as the project unfolded.

Thirdly, coordinating with subcontractors the timely acquisition and delivery of aerial component in order to meet delivery deadlines.

The integration of all technologies and provision of a single homogenous dataset was a first for SKM & RMS. z

Josh Cowley (SKM) Survey Team Leader

Richard Lemon (SKM) Project Manager

Gurjit Singh (RMS) Project Manager

AHD), SKM undertook a detailed traverse network connecting the MLS, TLS, ALS and aerial photography. This task was undertaken with conventional GNSS and total station/TPS technology and included RMS, validation QQ Strings together with roadside drainage utilities.

The network was processed through a least squares package and revealed a very good comparison to existing values of the state survey control for both position and height.

BrinGinG it ALL toGetHerThe real challenge for this project was

in bringing all the survey data together into a complete 3D survey model. A DTM was first produced consisting of points from the ALS model key points, photogrammetrically extracted contourable features, 3D break lines and this was then integrated with 3D features extracted from the TLS and MLS point clouds. Finally the culvert detail was included in the model.

To provide context to the scope of the project it was broken into two areas of interest (AOI), one smaller area within the larger. The orthophoto and ALS were to cover the larger AOI and detailed higher accuracy survey over the smaller AOI.

Whether a point cloud is acquired via TLS or MLS the method of processing the data set of discrete points is similar. Each of the point clouds are registered together through a process that builds a continuous 3D point cloud image of all the captured structures/features, to create

plane and 270 degrees in the vertical in just over six minutes.

RMS identified two pinch points in cuttings where detail survey of the steep embankments was required. Whilst the MLS had collected data through these cuttings, a higher density scan was required to provide a better resolution of detail on the rock face.

Each of the scans were then registered together through a registration process that builds a continuous 3D point cloud image of all the captured structures, to create a virtual clone of all the existing infrastructure. Detailed cross sections were also extracted from this dataset and provided to RMS for further evaluation.

GroUnd sUrveYTo confirm the integrity of the existing

State PMs/SSMs in the project area and tie the survey to State control (MGA/

MoBiLe LAser sCAnninGA vehicle mounted Riegl VMX-250

3D laser scanner supplemented by the onboard navigation system including a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver, a fibre optic gyro based Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and the latest Direct Inertial Aiding (DIA) to assist in areas of poor GPS reception was deployed to scan the existing road pavement, adjacent road furniture, vegetation and roadside embankments in far greater detail than achievable by aerial survey.

The scanner is capable of 600,000 measurements per second and is ideally suited for high-resolution survey grade accurate (+/- 10 to 15mm) fast 3D data collection. In order to reduce the need for additional traffic control, the vehicle is driven along the road at within 20 km/h of the posted speed limit.

The scan data is processed initially using Riegl software to define position and level of the scan data, IMU and GPS static observations to create a unified point cloud. There are a number of process steps involved which analyse the scan data along with GPS and IMU inputs to ultimately produce a unified registered point cloud dataset calibrated to features surveyed by ground survey.

MLS technology focused on the acquisition of roadside rocky / crag features, accurate pavement modelling and survey of all road signage as its key objectives.

terrestriAL LAser sCAnninGData capture was undertaken using a

Leica HDS 7000 (terrestrial) phase based scanner, capable of collecting in the order of 5,000 points/second while completing a full 360 degree scan in the horizontal

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the profession tHe ProFession

• Theme3:Observing,UnderstandingandAssessingEarthHazards

• Theme4:ScienceandApplicationsofEarthRotationandDynamics

• Theme5:ObservationSystemsandServices• Theme6:Imaging&PositioningTechniquesandApplications

There were 40 oral presentations in the following Theme 1 sessions: Interaction Between the Celestial & Terrestrial Reference Frames; Regional Reference Frames; Reference Frames (Theory, History, Realisation); Strengths, Weaknesses, Modelling Standards & Processing Strategies of Space Geodetic Techniques; Scientific & Other Applications of Terrestrial Reference Frames.

There were 75 oral presentations in the following Theme 2 sessions: Regional Gravity & Geoid Studies (Developments in the Gravity Field Theory); Regional Gravity & Geoid Studies (Gravimetry); Regional Gravity & Geoid Studies (Improvements in Gravity Field Methodology); Regional Gravity & Geoid Studies (Developments in Approaches Related to Geoid Determination); Unification of Height Systems; Regional Gravity & Geoid Studies (Regional & Local Geoid Determination); Global Gravity Field Models; Satellite Altimetry Analysis & Applications; Mass Transport Studies; Actual & Future Satellite Gravity Missions (GOCE); Actual & Future Satellite Gravity Missions (GRACE); Actual & Future Satellite Gravity Missions (Future Missions & General Studies).

There were 31 oral presentations in the following Theme 3 sessions: Technologies & Methodologies of Hazard Warning

Systems; Geometric & Gravimetric Techniques in Observing & Assessing Earthquake Hazards; Geodetic Imaging for Regional & Local Case Studies; Innovative Use of Geodetic Techniques for Volcanic & Meteorological Hazards; The Challenges of Assessing Hazards From Geodetic (and Other) Observations.

There were 11 oral presentations in the Theme 4 session Science & Applications of Earth Rotation & Dynamics.

There were 18 oral presentations in the following Theme 5 sessions: Observation Systems & Services (Services); Observation Systems & Services (Services & Infrastructure); Observation Systems & Services (GGOS).

There were 40 oral presentations in the following Theme 6 sessions: GNSS Algorithms & Methods; Trends in GNSS Positioning, Navigation & Timing; Multi-Constellation GNSS & Emerging GNSS; Imaging & RF Senor Integration & Modelling.

The proceedings of this conference will be published in the IAG Symposium Series of books by Springer, and will appear in early 2014.

The scientific programme was complemented by social activities that included an evening BBQ and Ignite presentation show at the German Research Centre for Geosciences (http://www.gfz-potsdam.de) on the historic Telegrafenberg near the Potsdam city centre, and a cruise on the Havel River that flows through Potsdam. (The IAG Ignite event was very ably hosted by our own Dr Craig Roberts.) z

Chris Rizos

President IAG (2011-2015)

International Society of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing (ISPRS - http://www.isprs.org), the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG - http://www.fig.net), the International Cartographic Association (ICA - http://icaci.org) and the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association (GSDI - http://www.gsdi.org). The IAG is also a foundation association of the IUGG, which comprises today of eight associations covering all fields of the geosciences, including seismology, solid earth geophysics, volcanology, geomagnetism, hydrology, and the atmospheric, oceanographic and cryospheric sciences.

A programme of 241 presentations and 234 posters highlighted the contributions of Modern Geodesy to science and society, under the following themes:• Theme1:Definition,Implementation

and Scientific Applications of Reference Frames

• Theme2:GravityFieldDeterminationand Applications

during my presidency of the IAG. Over 500 scientists from 50 countries

attended the Assembly, held in the Hotel Dorint Sanssouci. Potsdam is about 30km SW of Berlin, and is undoubtedly one of Germany’s most beautiful cities. Potsdam’s famous sites include the Sanssouci Palace, summer residence of King Frederick II, and Cecilienhof Palace, venue of the 1945 Potsdam Conference. Conference participants were able to visit these attractions, as well as those of Berlin itself.

The conference was opened on the Monday afternoon with several welcome speeches, including one by Christian Heipke on behalf of the Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JBGIS - http://www.fig.net/jbgis/) and one by Michael Sideris, vice-president of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG - http://www.iugg.org). The JBGIS includes the IAG’s sister geospatial organisations well known to readers of Azimuth, such as the

In 1862, the Prussian General Johann Jacob Baeyer initiated the Central European Arc Measurement (“Mitteleuropäische Gradmessung”) project.

By the end of that year fifteen countries had affirmed their participation, and in 1864 the first General Conference was held in Berlin. General Baeyer’s project is considered the forerunner to today’s International Association of Geodesy (IAG – http://www.iag-aig.org). The IAG celebrated its 150th anniversary with a Scientific Assembly in Potsdam, Germany, 2-6 September 2013 (http://www.iag2013.org). It is a great honour that this important anniversary falls

GNSS WORKSHOP AT UNSW

High precision GNSS for surveyors, engineers and geospatial professionals – Workshop @ UNSW, 13-14 Feb 2014

Are you intimidated by the pace of change of precise GPS and now GNSS positioning? UNSW will host an intensive 2-day workshop targeted directly at professional users starting at GPS basics through to the latest GNSS augmentations. We’ll cover GPS positioning modes; carrier phased based positioning; error sources and how to avoid them; real time kinematic; network RTK; CORS; PPP; Ausgeoid09; new guidelines and regulations; operations and pitfalls; AUSPOS; the impact of all the new GNSS signals. There’ll be hands on exercises in a computer lab, a showcase outdoors of the latest technology from local suppliers and plenty of time to answer your questions. Craig Roberts and Simon McElroy bring over 20 years of experience each to this workshop and present the material in a unique and interactive style. To find out more, go to www.gmat.unsw.edu.au/futurestudents/short/RTK_2014.pdf Spaces limited. z

150 Years of International Cooperation in Geodesy:Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Geodesy

Some of the 500 participants at the IAG Scientific Assembly

edUCAtion

24 • www.surveyors.org.au

the profession

proUD sponsor of the sir thoMAs MitCheLL AWArD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 25

rePorts

“Staged Stratas and Community Titles...12 Months On”. The initial seminar attracted a healthy 220 delegates and led to one-day Seminars continuing annually in an almost unbroken line for over twenty years.

So at a time like this it is worthy to acknowledge the contributions of all Cumberland Group committee members over the past 50 years and in particular those members who have put their hand up to take on the position of Chair of the Cumberland Group. The known Group Chairs are:Walter Thomas Edward Ayling (1963)Arthur Barrington (Barry) McLeod (1967)Bernard Anthony Moriarty (1970)Eric Maronese (1974)Arthur John Sunter (1978-1979)David William Timbs (1982)Michael Kenneth Leslie Archbold (1982+)William Lewis Backhouse (1985)Philip John Hunter (1986-1988)Philip Henry North (1988)Edward John Garvin (1990-1991)Gregory Keith Oxley (1993)John Francis Brock (1994-1995)Royston William Lowe (1996-2000)Michael Peter Parkinson (2001-2004)Adrian Phillip Barden (2005-2011)Mark Thomas Gordon (2011-present)

As we wind up the Cumberland Group’s 50th Anniversary year we can report on another year of success with up to 90 people attending each of the Group’s three general meetings and 150 members attending this year’s one-day Surveying Seminar in July. Add to that the 50th Anniversary celebrations and History Seminar at the Carrington Hotel and it is evident that the Cumberland Group holds a very special place in the life of the surveying profession in Sydney – a place that is very likely to continue for many years to come.

So raise your glass in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Cumberland Group of Surveyors and let’s all toast those members of the profession who had the vision to establish the Group in the first place and also toast those members whose dedication and involvement over 50 years have seen it develop and grow to be a valued organisation of benefit to the whole surveying profession. zWarren Thomas

Publicity Officer, Cumberland Group of Surveyors

member Ken Hainge was elected the Group’s only Life Member.

Vernon Clements was mostly a sole practitioner with offices at Parramatta and Castle Hill employing two or three people. He sold his practice in 1979, the same year he attended his last Cumberland Group meeting.

When Keith Cadogan researched the Group’s history in 1998 little information could be found on the life of Wal Ayling. After a call for information in the April 2012 Azimuth, Eric Maronese, former surveyor at Parramatta City Council, came forward. Eric recalled that Wal Ayling talked about his early days training with Mr Surveyor W.W. Mathews at Parramatta. He went into partnership with ‘WW’ at Parramatta, trading as Chatfield Brown and Mathews, eventually becoming the sole practitioner. Wal subsequently joined in with Exley Smith O’Keefe and Partners and with Eric working there at the time, become his manager.

In the late 1970s Wal and Norm Smith left the partnership and worked together out of Wal’s residence at Northmead. In 1980 Eric says that he did locum work for Wal when he took holidays and spent many a Saturday and Sunday helping him out when Wal took ill with cancer. Wal Ayling passed away in Queensland in 1997.

By 1967 the Cumberland Group had a membership of about 55 surveyors. By 1970 however, when Bert Cawthorne joined the Cumberland Group, numbers had fallen to about 8 people per meeting. In the Group’s official history, Bernie Moriarty reports that the very first time he attended a Group meeting it was mooted to disband the Group. He protested and found himself Chairman by the next meeting!

Bert Cawthorne became secretary in 1971 and began a promotional campaign by phoning surveyors and inviting them to attend. By constant phone calls numbers grew to about 60 over 4 years. During this period speakers were introduced to address the members. Bert’s campaign and dedication revitalised the Group and set the pattern for the future.

In 1991, under the chairmanship of Ed Garvin, the Cumberland Group ran the first of its annual one day Seminars on

By the time you read this article the Cumberland Group of Surveyors will have held the celebrations to commemorate its 50th Anniversary. A blacktie dinner and History Seminar with world class presenters will have been held at the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba on the first weekend of November 2013. The Group’s thanks go to Committee Member John Brock for the effort that he has put into organising this event. There will be a full report in the December edition of Azimuth.

Over the past 50 years the Cumberland Group has been involved in all matters ‘surveying’. The Group has worked efficiently and effectively to provide Continuing Professional Development to its members, to promote professional ethics and standards of practice amongst surveyors and to be a lobby group for issues of interest to surveyors.

So how did 50 years of involvement in the surveying profession get started? Well it all traces back to a meeting held on 13 December 1963 where it was proposed that a group of surveyors should be formed in western Sydney to allow the local practitioners to get a better knowledge of each other and to cooperate in enhancing the interests of the surveying profession.

The Cumberland Group is indebted to Keith Cadogan who in 1998 compiled the Group’s definitive history in a paper titled “A Reluctant Relationship – the History of the Cumberland Group of Surveyors 1963 – 1998”. The full paper can be downloaded from the Cumberland Group website. www.cumberlandgroup.com.au

Walter Thomas Edward Ayling and Vernon Rupert Clements were the co-founders of the Cumberland Group of Surveyors. They met after hours in Vernon’s office at 71 George Street Parramatta and in the words of Vernon, “agreed in principle and … decided to approach all other local surveyors… with success, except in one or two cases in which no merit was seen in the proposal.”

The foundation members were Wal Ayling, Vince Exley, Ken Hainge, John O’Keefe, and Vernon Clements. Wal Ayling was elected President and Vernon Clements the Secretary. On 6 December 2003, in the Group’s 40th year, foundation

The second round of Cadastral Workshops for candidates undertaking the BoSSI Assessment of Candidate Competency in October 2013 was recently held over two weekends.

On Saturday and Sunday the 24th and 25th August, presentations on urban cadastral, rural cadastral, strata titles, community titles, calibration of equipment, the BoSSI Assessment process and examples of past projects were given to up to 20 candidates by ISNSW members.

Four weeks later 14 candidates brought along up to 21 projects to the Plan Assessment Day on Saturday 21st September, for 16 ISNSW members to give advice and additional guidance to the candidates.

I would like to thank all those listed below who gave up their time to once again make the ISNSW Cadastral Workshops a success.

Greg Frith, Convenor

Surveying Practice & Legislative Committee

THE INSTITUTION OFSURVEYORS NSW INC

CUMBERLAND GROUP

THE INSTITUTION OFSURVEYORS NSW INC

CUMBERLAND GROUP

Cadastral Workshops August/September 2013

Cumberland Group NewsCUMBerLAnd GroUP CeLeBrAtes its 50tH AnniversArY!

Surveyor’s Reports Lodged with Plans

At the August Surveyor’s Liaison meeting with LPI, the issue of reports lodged with plans at LPI being made available on request from registered surveyors was raised. LPI’s current policy is that surveyor’s reports lodged with plans for registration may only be released with the consent of the surveyor who lodged the report. A recent issue arose where a registered surveyor requested a copy of a report and the surveyor who lodged the report refused to release the report requested.

LPI is prepared to revise this policy and release surveyor’s reports to registered surveyors, but would like ISNSW to request this change in policy. Therefore, I am calling on members who have an issue with the proposed change in policy to contact Surveying Practice and Legislative Committee at isnsw@surveyors.org.au with their objections before any request for a change in LPI policy is made on behalf of members. zGreg Frith, Convenor

Surveying Practice and Legislative Committee

Mark AndrewAdrian BardenFred de BelinGreg GoodmanBob Harrison

Justin KellRob MonteathJim OllisMark ScottNarellle Underwood

Darren BoothTim CollinsAlan DoyleMark GordonPhil Hayward

John MinehanTasy MoraitisKyle ScottBrian TuckerPeter Vandergraaf

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 27 26 • www.surveyors.org.au

rePorts

crowd. It doesn’t matter how good the data, or how robust the analysis, a bad map will always let the side down.

An effective map portrays a place, delivers a message, or reveals a pattern with representational accuracy and visual clarity. The test of accuracy and clarity is how well the audience perceives the map and understands the purpose.

As map makers it is up to us to create clear, effective and accurate maps for all kinds of audiences and purposes. This is an art which can take years to master, but the Cartography and Map Design workshop will give you a good foundation, or enable you to brush up on any rusty skills.

As part of the one day workshop you will cover:

•ThecartographicProcess•Projections,Datumsandcoordinate

systems•MapData•MakingtheMapRegistration: http://www.sssi.org.

au/Events/Cartography-and-Map-Design-Workshop/eid/887.html

LAnd And ProPertY inForMAtion BAtHUrst oFFiCe toUr

Date/Time: Thursday, 14th November 2013, 9am to 12:20pm or 1:30pm to 4:50pm.

Where: LPI, 346 Panorama Ave, Bathurst NSW 2795.

Overview The Land and Property Information (LPI) Bathurst will be running FREE tours (AM & PM) of their office the day before the NSW Regional Conference “Spatial Networking - Crossing the Great Divide”.

Each tour group will have a maximum of 10 people and will be taken through the following LPI areas:

Graphic Services; Cadastral; Imagery / LiDAR; Survey / CORSnet; GURAS.

Morning Session is from 9am to 12:20pm.

Afternoon Session is from 1:30pm to 4:50pm.

You must register for this event to guarantee a spot.

Registration: http://www.sssi.org.au/Events/Land-and-Property-Information-Bathurst-Office-Tour/eid/888.html

“Spatial Networking – Crossing the Great Divide” will focus on how surveying and spatial science professionals work together, the crossing of the professions. It is also timely as this year we are celebrating the bicentenary of the crossing of the Blue Mountains.

Friday’s presentations will be opening presentations by Des Mooney and Paul Harcombe from LPI along with representatives from SSSI, ISNSW and MSIA. This will then be followed by presentations on Spatial Data on the Web, Spatial Mix, Cadastral Surveying / LPI and Saturday’s Presentations will be on GIS & Engineering, Mapping & Engineering, Imagery, Surveying & Certification. Please see PROGRAM for full details of speakers and abstracts. Go to: http://www.sssi.org.au/userfiles/event_doc1381198724.pdf

CPD PointsDay 1 & 2 - 13 CPD Points (10

Survey Practice, 3 Cadastral) - extra CPD Point for additional 45 mins on Day 1 and 15 mins on Day 2 combined.

Day 1 only - 6 CPD Points (4 Survey Practice, 2 Cadastral).

Day 2 only - 6 CPD Points (5 Survey Practice, 1 Cadastral).

Organising Committee: SSSI - Gaby Van Wyk, Ross Johnson,

Warwick Hehir and Kelly Rischmiller Central Western Group of ISNSW -

Michael Spiteri and Craig JaquesSouthern Group of ISNSW - Greg

GoodmanMSIA - Hank Staal and Doug HerrickSponsorship Opportunities are

available. Please go to SSSI website for

further information: http://www.sssi.org.au/Events/Spatial-Networking-%E2%80%93-Crossing-the-Great-Divide-Conference/eid/717.html

CArtoGrAPHY And MAP desiGn WorKsHoP

Date/Time: Thursday, 14th November 2013, 8:30am to 5:30pm.

Where: Rydges Mount Panorama, 1 Conrod Straight, Mount Panorama, NSW, 2795.

Overview Do you know your grid from your graticule?

Anyone can make a map these days, but with a little guidance and practice we can make your maps stand out from the

nsW Chair reportit is tiMe to reGister!

The SSSI NSW regional conference is fast approaching. The theme of this year’s conference will be “Spatial Networking - Crossing the Great Divide”. For this conference, SSSI NSW will team up with the Central Western Group of ISNSW, the Southern Group of ISNSW and MSIA (Mapping Sciences Institute Australia).

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the first crossing of Blue Mountains. Our conference celebrates this historic event as well as the coming together of the many different disciplines in the spatial industry.

To find out more head on over to the SSSI site at this address: http://www.sssi.org.au/Events/Spatial-Networking-%E2%80%93-Crossing-the-Great-Divide-Conference/eid/717.html

Gaby van Wyk

SSSI NSW Region Chair

Contact: NSW Regional Executive Officer, Kelly

Rischmiller at reo.nsw@sssi.org.au

Chair, Gabriel van Wyk at chair.nsw@sssi.org.au

Upcoming events “sPAtiAL netWorKinG - CrossinG tHe GreAt divide” nsW reGionAL ConFerenCe 2013 And AnnUAL dinner

Date: Friday, 15th November and Saturday, 16th November 2013

Where: Rydges Mount Panorama, 1 Conrod Straight, Mount Panorama, NSW, 2795.

OverviewSSSI NSW along with the Central

Western Group of ISNSW, Southern Group of ISNSW and MSIA (Mapping Sciences Institute Australia) invite you to attend the Spatial Networking – Crossing the Great Divide NSW Regional Conference 2013 and Annual Dinner, to be held on Friday, 15th November to Saturday, 16th November 2013 in Bathurst at the Rydges Mount Panorama. Networking Drinks and Dinner on Friday night.

The theme of this year’s conference Contined on page 28

neWs

Ultimate Positioning Group (UPG) fast-tracking remote pilot training for UAV owners

Australian geospatial technology provider, UPG, has announced it is making it much quicker and simpler for UAV owners to gain their remote pilot certification by offering the first one-week training course in the market. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)-approved course, which involves three and a half days of theory and one and a half days of practical activity, will be run by UPG’s in-house UAV specialist who is a qualified pilot with 20 years of UAV flying experience.

UAVs are used to gather spatial information from the air using high spec cameras and software and in the last couple of years have become a popular replacement for expensive flyovers in industries like mining, forestry and utilities. However, operating a UAV isn’t quite as simple as buying one and launching it; before that an operator needs to show their understanding of CASA airspace regulations by gaining their Remote Piloted Aerial System (RPAS) Certification. UPG, in its 125th year of operation in Australia, is making it much simpler for UAV owners to get this certification, meaning they can operate the state-of-the-art imaging technology themselves.

Paul Standen, National Geospatial Manager for UPG, says; “We’ve been working with CASA towards launching this flight school for some time now, so we’re incredibly excited to let everyone know that it’s official.

“Since I joined UPG in 1999, we’ve evolved from a traditional survey equipment reseller to now offer one of the widest ranges of geospatial solutions in Australia. Our imaging area is one of our fastest growing and we offer aerial and ground-based solutions from both Trimble and SenseFly. This technology is changing the way businesses operate in a huge number of industries including mining, construction, waste management, utilities, local government, and traditional surveying. Launching this flight school means we have a complete offering for our customers from the planes to the software to the training, certification and support.”

The first of the courses, which will run every second week in different locations depending on demand, was kicked off in Melbourne in October.

For more information about the flight school: http://www.ultimatepositioning.com/ultimatepositioning/Imaging/UPG_Flight_School.aspx

To express interest in attending a course please email flightschool@ultimatepositioning.com.

How Can Drones Transform Surveying?

During the past 50 years, surveying and engineering measurement technology has made five quantum leaps: the electronic distance meter, total station, GPS, robotic total station and laser scanner. Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) or drones (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs) will be the sixth quantum leap in technology. Although drones have been around for a while, the technology has not yet been widely used in the surveying and remote sensing professions. But it soon will be, thanks to the advent of practical, lightweight lithium polymer batteries, low-cost drone technology, lightweight digital cameras and advances in close-range oblique aerial photography—all of which make the future of drones in land surveying exciting.Read more http://www.pobonline.com/articles/96996-how-can-drones-transform-surveying

ikeGPS Brings Laser Measurement to the Smartphone

ikeGPS, makers of field measurement technology and solutions for utilities, has unveiled a new product that attaches to a smartphone in order to take laser measurements.

The Spike combines a 3D digital compass, a laser, bluetooth transmission, and syncs with the phone’s camera and GPS in order to geolocate and collect details on buildings and infrastructure. Users can capture distance, direction, height and volume just by snapping an image. Read more http://informedinfrastructure.com/6236/ikegps-brings-laser-measurement-to-the-smartphone/

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 29 28 • www.surveyors.org.au

BooK reLeAse

Book Release“ONE HUNDRED FATHOMS SQUARE”

Our involvement in the Cadastral Survey of the Kingdom

of Tonga and experiencing the Tongan way of life in the

1950s

During 1957 and 1958, Bruce Alexander and Larry Wordsworth, two young and newly qualified land surveyors from Christchurch and

Auckland, New Zealand, travelled to the Kingdom of Tonga to start work on an official Cadastral Survey.

This book is an account of their work and day-to-day experiences while in this remote Pacific archipelago. Their task: to help fulfil the Constitutional requirement that every Tongan man should be allocated an area of arable land for the support of his family.

Since very few Tongans had any qualifications or experience of how to conduct an accurate and fair survey, Bruce and Larry were enlisted as part of a team to start the survey and train locals so they could subsequently complete the task. Much of the time they worked under challenging conditions with minimal equipment and resources.

In addition to conducting their duties, they mingled freely with the local people, making many friends and embracing the Tongan way of life with enthusiasm. As this book shows, they made the most of this unique opportunity to record aspects of life in a country visited by few outsiders at that time. The result is an intriguing portrait of life in an island nation as it had existed for hundreds of years. The book is important as an historical record of those times.

The first book launch for ‘One Hundred Fathoms Square’ was held recently at the Otago University where the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors held their annual conference, celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Institute. Other launches were held in Christchurch and Auckland. The late King Tupou V of the Kingdom of Tonga was keen to see the book published. Unfortunately he died before it was published.

The book has 152 pages with 253 colour and 52 black and white photos. The book can be ordered from Larry Wordsworth at the price of $35 plus postage & packing $4 Email: larrywordsworth@yahoo.com.au or phone: 6382 1331. z

CitY oF rYde CoUnCiL Gis dAYDate/Time: Monday, 18th November 2013, any time from

10am to 5pm.Where: Ryde Library, 1 Pope Street, Ryde NSW 2112 (cnr

Pope and Devlin Streets, within Top Ryde City Shopping Centre).Overview; On Monday, 18th November City of Ryde Council will be

hosting a GIS Day. This will run from 10am to 5pm and you can visit at any time during these hours.

Attendees will be shown information related to GIS in a Local Government context. You will see examples of the City of Ryde’s work and a small video clip relating to GIS. Members of the City of Ryde’s GIS team will be on hand to answer any questions.

Drop in, stay for a while and then go shopping at Top Ryde Shopping Centre or vice versa.

This is a FREE event.Registration: http://www.sssi.org.au/Events/City-of-Ryde-

Council-GIS-Day/eid/885.html

SSSI Report continued from page 26

GAzettes

G.G.13tH sePteMBer 2013The following instruments were officially notified on the NSW legislation

website:• Government Property NSW Amendment (Transfer of Property) Order (No 3)

2013• Clarence Valley Local Environmental Plan 2011 (Amendment No 8)• Great Lakes Local Environmental Plan 1996 (Amendment No 72)• Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amend. No 2)• Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2004 (Amend. No 77)• Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (Amend. No 15)• Singleton Local Environmental Plan 2013• Sydney Local Environmental Plan (Green Square Town Centre – Stage 2)

2013The following address locality boundaries were amended:

• creation of a new address locality named Yerranderie in the Wollondilly Local Government AreaPursuant to the provisions of Clause 83 of the Surveying and Spatial

Information Regulation 2006, the undermentioned Surveyors have been awarded a Certificate of Meritorious Service in recognition of their long service and contribution to the surveying profession in New South Wales with effect 1 September 2013.

Name Removal Date Registration Date

ABLETT, Christopher John 31 August 2013 6 December 1984

AMOS, Kenneth Raymond 31 August 2013 1 May 1970

BENNETT, Neil Douglas 31 August 2013 27 October 1978

BIRSE, Robert William 31 August 2013 1 October 1976

BISSETT, Gerald Thomas 31 August 2013 6 October 1966

BLACKADDER, John Alexander 31 August 2013 19 March 1985

CLARKE, Thomas John 31 August 2013 28 March 1960

GRANT, Philip John 31 August 2013 24 November 1975

FILOCAMO, John Joseph 31 August 2013 19 March 1982

GREEN, Michael Bernard Scott 31 August 2013 22 March 1976

HARD, Colin William 31 August 2013 4 October 1966

KIMBER, William Douglas 31 August 2013 1 April 1968

LITTLE, Geoffrey Hayward 31 August 2013 3 October 1967

PRICE, Wayne Edward 31 August 2013 6 December 1982

SCHOLES, Mark Paul 31 August 2013 24 June 1986

SINCLAIR, David Gordon 31 August 2013 13 July 1983

STEWART, Terence James 31 August 2013 22 September 1961

TEIRNEY, John Charles Matthew 31 August 2013 22 March 1971

WALPOLE, David Ronald 31 August 2013 29 March 1954

Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 83 of the Surveying and Spatial Information Regulation 2006, the undermentioned Surveyor has been awarded a Certificate of Meritorious Service, Posthumously, in recognition of their long service and contribution to the surveying profession in New South Wales with effect 1 September 2013.

Name: McCARTNEY, Peter MichaelDate of Removal : 13 August 2013Date of Registration: 20 September 1963

G.G. 20tH sePteMBer 2013The following instruments were officially notified on the NSW legislation

website:• Ballina Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 2)

• Burwood Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 2)• Hurstville Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 1)• Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2004 (Amendment No 76)• Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (Amendment No 4)• Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 1)• Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2011 (Amendment No 4)• State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Region Growth Centres)

Amendment (Land Use) 2013• Sydney Local Environmental Plan (Green Square Town Centre) 2013

G.G. 27tH sePteMBer 2013The following instruments were officially notified on the NSW legislation

website:• Native Vegetation Regulation 2013• Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 2)• Warringah Local Environmental Plan 2011 (Amendment No 3)• Warringah Local Environmental Plan 2011 (Amendment No 5)

The Scientific Committee established under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 has made a final determination to omit the following species as a vulnerable species under that Act:• Kardomia granitica (A.R. Bean) Peter G. Wilson

The Scientific Committee established under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 has made a final determination to list the following species as a critically endangered species under that Act:• Corunastylis sp. Charmhaven (NSW896673)

The Scientific Committee established under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 has made a final determination to insert the following matter as a key threatening process under that Act:• Aggressive exclusion of birds from woodland and forest habitat by abundant

Noisy Miners, Manorina melanocephala (Latham, 1802) forest habitat by abundant Noisy Miners, Manorina melanocephala (Latham, 1802)

G.G. 4tH oCtoBer 2013The following instruments were officially notified on the NSW legislation

website:• Ballina Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 3)• Coffs Harbour Local Environmental Plan 2013• Hornsby Local Environmental Plan 2013• Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (Amend. No 11)• Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Environmental Plan 2011 (Amendment No 22)• Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (Amend. No 12)• State Environmental Planning Policy Amendment (North Ryde

Station Precinct) 2013• The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Amendment No 6)

Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 83 of the Surveying and Spatial Information Regulation 2006, the undermentioned Surveyors have been awarded a Certificate of Meritorious Service in recognition of their long service and contribution to the surveying profession in New South Wales with effect 1 September 2013.Name: TAYLOR, Michael Anthony Date of Removal: 1 September 2013Date of Registration: 21 March 1978

Pursuant to the provisions of the Surveying and Spatial Information Act 2002, section 10(1)(a), the undermentioned persons have been Registered as a Land Surveyor in New South Wales under the Mutual Recognition Act 1993 from the dates shown.Name: GLUIS, Joel MarkAddress: 33 Euro Avenue, Eden Hills, South AustraliaEffective Date: 24 September 2013 z

From the NSW Government Gazette

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 31

Footprintssend in your photos to azimuth@surveyors.org.au

30 • www.surveyors.org.au

LooKinG BACK

The following are extracts from the November 1913 edition of The Surveyor:

Survey of the Alaskan BoundaryAn account of the survey of the boundary

between the Dominion of Canada and Alaska, by Mr. J. A. Flemer, is given in a recent issue of the “Engineering Magazine”.

The northern section, which follows the 141st meridian west longitude from Greenwich, was never in dispute, but in South-East Alaska considerable difference of opinion existed as to the position of the boundary line, which, in the treaty of 1867 between the Emperor of Russia and the United States of America, was to follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast as far as the point of intersection of the 141st meridian.

Probably no decided difference of opinion regarding this boundary would have arisen had the topography of south-east Alaska conformed with its conventual representation on the charts of Vancouver.

In 1889 the Governments of the United States and Canada decided to take steps toward a settlement of the boundary, and finally, in 1892, commissioners were appointed to devise the best method for making a topographic reconnaissance of south-east Alaska and to carry out the survey. The Commissioners appointed were Mr. W. F. King, chief astronomer of the Department of the Interior, on the Canadian side, and Dr. T. C. Mendenhall, superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, on the American side. The climatic and topographic difficulties inherent to this territory being fully recognized, it became clearly evident that the customary instrumental methods generally applied to the topographical surveys heretofore executed under the American Government would be precluded, on account of excessive cost and time consumed. It was suggested by Mr. King and adopted by the Commission that the survey be carried out by the method of photo-topography. Captain E. Deville, Surveyor-General of Dominion Lands, had inaugurated extensive photo-topographic surveys in the Rocky Mountains and in the Selkirks, which from their inception in 1888 had been marked with great success.

The coastal belt of south-east Alaska, approximately of ten marine leagues in width, was by these means reconnoitered and mapped in less than three years, from 1893 to 1895, the parties having been kept in the field from

May to September each year.In 1896 the Commissioners submitted their

report, with the topographic atlas of south-east Alaska. In 1898 an agreement was concluded between Great Britain and the United States for the purpose of the creation of a joint commission to negotiate a treaty, adjusting as far as possible, all subjects of controversy between the Dominion of Canada and the United States. Among the twelve points under discussion, the third topic to be considered provided for the delimitation and establishment of the Alaskan-Canadian boundary. At this time a large number of miners and prospectors were constantly on their way into the interior of Alaska lured by the recent discoveries on the Klondyke Goldfields. Pending the final settlement of the boundary line, a provisional boundary was therefore arranged.

This treaty was signed in Washington on 24th January, 1903, and a tribunal appointed to meet in London. The award was signed on 20th October, 1903, the Canadian members submitting a minority report. The majority of the tribunal favoured a “natural” boundary line, and they accordingly selected a series of 83 mountain peaks which were to define the boundary. The boundary of south-east Alaska, as laid down by the decision and award of the tribunal, has a total length of about 870 miles, 690 miles of which is overland, and this stretch has a distance from the coast line varying between 10 and 40 miles, giving the United States a coastal belt averaging 30 miles in width, as originally contemplated in the convention between Russia and Great Britain of 28th February, 1825.

In 1903 the British Government appointed Dr. W. F. King, on the Canadian side, and the United States Government appointed the Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, “Commissioners for the Demarcation of the Alaskan Boundary Line”, in accordance with the Award of 20th October, 1903.

The boundary line of south-east Alaska has now been completely surveyed, mapped and marked with aluminium-bronze monuments. This line could not be actually followed out and traced to its full extent, since the mountain peaks forming the turning points in the meander of the boundary line are largely inaccessible. The survey parties entrusted with the delimination work had to ascend the streams and valleys from the coast until the

line was reached, climb the boundary peaks to either side of the valley, and “line-in” between the peaks. Where the straight course between two peaks traversed wooded areas, a 20-foot wide vista has been cut through the timber (10 feet to either side of the line) to enable miners and others navigating the inland streams to recognise at once when the boundary has been reached or crossed. The conically shaped monuments have been placed, in conspicuous places along the line in such a manner as to be intervisible. They have the words “United States” cast in raised letters on one side, and “Canada” on the other, and they have been securely set in a concrete base, preferably on solid rock.

All boundary peaks have been determined trigonometrically and their geographical positions have been computed with reference to the coast triangulation. Inaccessible peaks have been photographed with tele-photo instruments, to enable the Commissioners to indicate and permanently fix the exact turning point (generally the highest projection of the peak) of the polygonic Boundary line at these places.

The points thus selected and fixed were the ones observed to in the triangulation and their geographical positions have all been computed. The turning points on accessible boundary peaks have been marked with monuments.

The northern section of the Alaskan boundary, following the 141st meridian, being a straight course throughout its length, its location depended upon the longitude determination of one or more points on this meridian. The initial point, determined by telegraphic longitude, is at the crossing of this meridian and the Yukon River. The azimuth of the meridian at this station was determined astronomically and the line itself is being projected both north and south from this telegraphic longitude station by two observers, one a Canadian and the other an American. This international survey party is supported by two heliograph parties, one at the rear station (the last station occupied by the international observing party) and the other at the forward station (the one next to be occupied by the same party). Before leaving each station is marked with a triangulation tripod to be “tied in” and geographically located by the triangulation party, which immediately follows the international projection party. z

Looking Back 100 Years Ago

TOP: Unfortunately, preservation of survey infrastructure was not the highest priority during the recent bushfires in NSW. Paul Brandon provided this photo, taken along the Picton Road.

LEFT & ABOVE: Tim Pauling sent in this photo of a Trig Station in Spain. The extra height would give good visibility, but access looks tricky!

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SIR THOMAS MITCHELL AWARD 2013

Azimuth • November 2013 • 33 32 • www.surveyors.org.au

ConFerenCes & seMinArs & MeMBersHiP ConneCt

Conferences & Seminars

Membership Connect

NSW ReGIoNAl CoNfeReNCe 201315-16 November 2013Rydges Mount Panarama, BathurstEmail: reo.nsw@ssi.org.au

AuStRAlIA DAy SemINAR 201423-24 January 2014Four Seasons Hotel SydneyEmail: isnsw@surveyors.org.auwww.surveyors.org.au

19th APAS CoNfeReNCe 201431 March - 2 April 2014Pokolbin, Hunter Valley, NSW

the XXV fIG INteRNAtIoNAl CoNGReSS IN mAlAySIA“Engaging the Challenges, Enhancing the Relevance”16–21 June 2014Kuala Lumpur Convention CentreKuala Lumpur, Malaysiahttp://www.fig.net/fig2014

fIG INStItutIoN of hIStoRy of SuRVeyING & meASuRemeNtCharting and Mapping the Pacific Paradise of the Pitcairners Conference 20146 – 10 July 2014Norfolk IslandContact: maria@travelcentre.nlk.nf

CALendAr oF events 2013-14

DATE EVENT CODE ORGANISATION ACTIVITY/FUNCTION/MEETING LOCATION

CPD POINTS

MINING CAD SUR Total

The Institution of Surveyors NSW is pleased to welcome and congratulate the following members admitted on 4th October 2013

CoRPoRAte membeRShIP

Congratulations Benjamin Sreckovic and Timothy Youman on advancing to Corporate Membership.

Michael BrownAge: 32Comments: I grew up in Inverell NSW where I worked a year as a Surveyors assistant for a year before deciding to

go on to study Surveying at Newcastle University in 2001. After completing my Degree at Newcastle I have lived in Sydney and I’ve currently found a great home at Rygate Surveyors in the CBD.

I have just recently completed my final registration exam after a long few years of study. I enjoy doing cadastral work both urban and rural along with detail surveys and engineering work.My time away from work is spent looking after my 2 young daughters and competing in the sport of rifle shooting.

We farewell with best wishes

David Scott Kelly, John Gillies and Peter Lentz

We hope you have enjoyed your time

as a Member of ISNSW Inc.

November 2013

1 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Committee Meeting L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

2 IS13.07 Cumberland Group 50th Anniversary Celebration and Blue Mountains History Seminar Carrington Hotel Katoomba 6 6

6 Seniors Group Lunch 12:00pm Quarterly Meeting & AGM 1pm

Lunch: Crown Hotel Sydney Cnr of Goulburn St & Elizabeth St Meeting: L4, 162 Goulburn St

Surry Hills

20 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Twilight Seminar L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills TBA

December 2013

6 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Committee Meeting L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

14-31 **ISNSW OFFICE IS CLOSED**

January 2014

1-5 **ISNSW OFFICE IS CLOSED**

23-24 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Australia Day Seminar 2014 Four Points by Sheraton Darling Harbour

TBA

February 2014

1 The Institution of Surveyors NSW BoSSI Candidate Workshop - Instructional L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

2 The Institution of Surveyors NSW BoSSI Candidate Workshop - Instructional L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

7 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Board Meeting L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

11 Seniors Group Parliamentary Luncheon Parliament House Sydney TBA

22 The Institution of Surveyors NSW BoSSI Candidate Workshop - Assessment Workshop L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

March 2014

7 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Board Meeting L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

19 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Twilight Seminar L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills TBA

April 2014

4 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Board Meeting L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

May 2014

2 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Board Meeting L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills

14 The Institution of Surveyors NSW Twilight Seminar L4, 162 Goulburn St Surry Hills TBA

EditorFor Revision of

‘Hallman’ Required

the update of ‘Hallman’ is now well overdue.

if you have an interest or can suggest a person with a

legal background who may be interested in this role,

please convey your suggestions to terina (02) 9264 2076 or

Bob Harrison 02 8558 7100 (w), 02 9528 9089 (h).

Assistance will be available with technical information.

THE INSTITUTION OFSURVEYORS NSW INC

Head OfficeLevel 4, 162 Goulburn street, surry Hills, nsW 2000Po Box 104, darlinghurst nsW 1300Phone: (02) 9264 2076Fax: (02) 9261 8102isnsw@surveyors.org.au www.surveyors.org.au

PatronHer excellencyProfessor Marie Bashir AC CvoGovernor of new south Wales

PresidentPhilip HaywardPhone: 0418 481 285pah@fastastrata.com.au

Past PresidentGraeme stewartPhone: (02) 9264 2076

honorary Secretaryvictoria testerPhone: (02) 9264 2076secretary@surveyors.org.au

honorary treasurerMatt HynesPhone: 0408 084 147mhynes1972@bigpond.com

Administration managerterina sawyer(02) 9264 2076manager@surveyors.org.au

elected ISNSW Directorsdr. Bill Kearsley Phone: (02) 9385 4188 w.kearsley@unsw.edu.au

Jonathan KeenPhone (02) 9544 0948jackeen@bigpond.net.au

GRouP RePReSeNtAtIVeSCumberlandJohn BrockPhone: 02 9633 9562brocksurveys@bigpond.com Southernrobert van der zypen(02) 4296 7055bobvz@landteam.com.au

North CoastMichael Lamont Phone: (02) 6651 2688michael@resdesman.com.au

Sydney Northvictoria testerPhone: (02) 9630 7955 vt@sdg.net.au

murrayJason Hay Phone: (02) 6051 1300 jason.hay@au.cpg-global.com

hunter manningtony ProustPhone: (02) 4940 4200 tony.proust@rpsgroup.com.au

Central WesternMark ButtsworthPhone: 02 6331 4015mark@mysurveyor.com.au

St George Sutherlandrob CornishPhone: (02) 9335 9700rc@jbwsurveyors.com.au

Senior SurveyorsMichael rutlidgePhone: 0410 770 259mrutlidge@optusnet.com.au

young Surveyorsnarelle UnderwoodPhone: (02) 8837 0897narelle.UnderWood@rms.nsw.gov.au

Co-oPeRAtING ASSoCIAtIoNS RePReSeNtAtIVeSAssociation of Public Authority surveyors and staff surveyors Association – Graeme stewartAssociation of Consulting surveyors – Murray LearmontMain roads surveyors Association – narelle UnderwoodCountry surveyors Association – Paul rowlandsonProfessional surveyors occupational Association – Michael Lamontsurveying and spatial sciences institute – Gaby van Wyk

university RepresentativeKarl BretregerPhone: (02) 4921 6051 Karl.Bretreger@newcastle.edu.au

tAfe Representative Paul swan Phone: (02) 9217 5161 Paul.swan3@det.nsw.edu.au

Nominees to the board ofSurveying & Spatial InformationMark GordonPat McnamaraBob Harrison

AzImuth mAGAzINeeditorPaul davis-raissPhone: (02) 4296 7055azimuth@surveyors.org.au

Advertisingterina sawyer(02) 9264 2076manager@surveyors.org.au

Azimuth CommitteeMichael Lamonttony ProustMichael spiteriterina sawyerAdrian White

Art Directoreli Kitcheneclair MarketingPhone: 0419 489 612ek@eclair.com.au

PrinterJon GallimoreBee PrintmailPhone: (02) 9437 6917beeprint@tpg.com.au

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