Cadastral Surveying

Surveyors are charged with ensuring that cadastral systems are maintained in peak condition. It is these cadastral systems that form a register of property ownership and interests in property such as mortgages, easements and other rights. One of the identifiers of a strong economy is its cadastral system, and the ability to guarantee ownership of property and other rights.

Australia has a strong economy, underpinned by its cadastral system and guarantee of ownership in turn underpinned by surveyors.

Only a registered land surveyor can perform cadastral surveys in NSW and all other Australian States and Territories.

The registration process is operated by the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information (BOSSI) and ensures that surveyors have reached a minimum standard in the core areas of cadastral surveying of Town Planning, Engineering, Rural and urban surveying. Candidates for registration must hold an approved Degree.

Cadastral surveyors undertake subdivision work, mark boundaries, prepare identification survey reports, prepare strata plans, and create easements and rights in land.

Registered Land Surveyors will often be engaged in preparing Engineering plans for roads, stormwater drains and sewers. They will then follow up by supervising construction of the works as part of a subdivision.

A cadastral surveyors work can be used by subsequent surveyors many hundreds of years into the future.

Cadastral surveyors are subject to the Surveying Act, 2002 and are accountable to BOSSI.

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Engineering Surveying

Engineering surveyors are engaged in the building industry and can generally be found setting out buildings, bridges, airports, tunnels and other forms of major and minor infrastructure. These surveys are often performed by a Registered Land Surveyor as the infrastructure is related to boundaries in many cases, however this is not necessarily so.

Engineering surveyors are charged with ensuring that buildings are the correct size and vertical, which can be quite a challenge on a high-rise building.

Engineering Surveyors have been responsible for the success of the tunneling operations in Sydney of late; the Cross City and Lane Cove Tunnels for example. Modern tunneling involves excavation from both sides, meeting in the middle. This has been achieved in all these cases by expert Engineering Surveyors.

Engineering surveyors also undertake the following forms of work: -

• Construction set out of roads, bridges, buildings, dams, tunnels.
• Design of sewer and drainage systems (if accredited).
• Preparation of detail and level surveys.
• Trigonometrical surveys.
• Laser scanning.
• Works as executed surveys (if accredited).

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Geodetic Surveying

Geodetic surveyors use satellites to accurately measure the Earth's surface for monitoring phenomena such as sea level changes and earthquake prediction.

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Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a separate strain of study at University within the surveying discipline. GIS is a graphical database where information is spatially related to each other, and also held in separate layers.

Typical layers of information might include: -

• Cadastral and ownership information.
• Land use.
• Land value.
• Land classification - (i.e. heritage areas, mine subsidence areas).
• Transport.
• Infrastructure.
• Services.
• Street Names.
• Local Government Areas.
• Minerals.
• Contours and levels.

Databases of this form are held by most Councils and Government Departments in Australia and are used to help manage land and its associated resources.

Surveying students have the opportunity to be involved in this area of the spatial industry if they choose to do so, and can find rewarding careers.

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Hydrographic Surveying

Surveying is not just a land based profession. The beds of oceans, bays, rivers and lakes all require constant surveying due to their dynamic nature.

The Hydrographic Surveyor is equipped with GPS, Radar, depth sounding instruments and ships to undertake this important work.

Hydrographic surveyors are generally employed by port authorities and navies, however there are some in private practice.

A hydrographic surveyors work is vital in ensuring that merchant and naval shipping is safe and that port shipping channels are kept open and clear.

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Mining Surveying

Mine surveyors are involved in very aspect of a new mining operation, this includes initial exploration, initial construction of mine operations, on-going mining works and rehabilitation of site after mining is completed.

Mining surveyors use various instruments including GPS, GIS, EDM and laser scanning, to make their measurements of surface and underground works so as to prepare accurate plans for future planning of the mine, the determination of resource volumes and for safety.  Safety is the biggest issue in any mine and it is the surveyor who plays the lead role by accurately locating potential hazards e.g. flooded tunnels. Plans prepared by mine surveyors become very important historical documents for not only future mining of the site but also for various future developments and environmental planning.

As the work of a mine surveyor is so important for the operation of mines in NSW and the rest of Australia, mine surveyors are required to be registered to undertake mine surveying as are cadastral surveyors are required to be registered for cadastral surveying. In NSW registration is controlled by the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information.  The registration process involves the examing of potential mining surveyors in all aspects of mine surveying including the taking of accurate measurements, the preparation of accurate plans and the understanding of all legislation that deals with mines and mining operations.

Mine surveyors help find precious and non precious metals and minerals by measuring mines, tunnels and other underground or surface works. As with cadastral surveying, a mine surveyors map of an underground mine can be used by surveyors for many years to come and becomes a vital piece of evidence in mine rescue operations.

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Photogrammetry

Photogrammetry is the science in being able to measure data contained within a photograph, and is therefore by definition a part of remote sensing.

Photogrammetry has been used since the times of World War 2 to create maps based upon overlapping aerial photographs. In these early times, each stereo pair was placed in a stereo viewer to create a 3 dimensional image of the terrain. These images where then measured and drawn to form maps of reasonable accuracy.

Following its introduction, stereo plotters were invented, in which the position of the aircraft including its twists was replicated improving the accuracy of the resulting map.

Today, it is possible to obtain measurements from a single image if some control points are known. The results can be very good.

Surveyors in private practice will, depending on circumstances engage a photogrammatrist to provide contour and detail surveys over large areas of land. This can be done quickly assuming that the imagery exists, and relatively inexpensively when compared with traditional survey techniques.

Photogrammetry is used as a planning tool to provide maps, detail and contour surveys, at crime scenes and even in building façade restoration. In some cases, the technology has been superseded by the introduction of laser Scanners that create a point cloud image, which is then manipulated into drawings and measurements.

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Remote Sensing

Remote sensing involves the determination of the position of points on, above and below the earth's surface without traveling to and touching that point. This method of surveying involves an advanced knowledge of the shape of the earth and its movement (called Geodesy) and knowledge of photogrammetry techniques.

Principally, this involves using satellite imagery, airborne laser scan results, GPS and other tools to create a mathematical model of the region in question.

Remote sensers rely upon statistical analysis to ensure reliability of their results and work with very large data sets.

This is a specialist area of surveying and demands quite a different skill set to the Engineering or cadastral surveyor.

Students at university level and Diploma level are introduced to Geodesy and remote sensing in their undergraduate courses.

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