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The "1:100 000 Programme" meaning the first topographical (contoured) coverage of the 
Australian continent, will be completed during the next quadrennium, and with reasonable assurance 
will meet the 10 year time limit placed upon it at its inception. Only photogrammetry has made this 
possible and the work will be recorded as a magnificent example of coordination between National, 
State and Private Practice authorities. 
Instrumentation 
The past four years have seen no serious change in instruments used — in fact Photogrammetry 
has adopted traditional and even standardised systems of approach to the various mapping problems. 
The exceptions are the Australian development and operation of the Laser Profiler used extensively 
in the National 1:100 000 Mapping programme and the operational testing of an Australian developed 
system of Inertia Camera Platform and Attitude Indicator destined to serve the same programme and 
additional offshore work. Of further significance is the increased interest in high precision analogue 
equipment for the restitution of super wide-angle photography. This is in contrast to the run on 
topographic plotters which characterized the previous quadrennium. 
Orthophotomapping has enjoyed individual peaks and troughs in popularity. Its advantages are still 
more obvious to the map maker than the map user. As a tool of the map maker it provides a sensible and 
economic solution to map revision practices although this still appears to be the intention rather than the 
rule in present Australian mapping activities. All Government authorities are engaged in some form of 
basic orthophoto mapping with scales ranging from 1:2 500 to 1:100 000 and in practically all cases the 
orthophotos are compiled in standard mapping formats. It is significant that two of the Private Offices 
are now equipped with Orthophoto facilities. As far as the user is concerned colour enhancement has 
provided benefits in the marketing of the product and colour offset printing, which assumes adequate 
market statistics, is finding favour. A colour duplication film on a stable base with normal projection 
speed is an obvious need in manufacturing development. 
The most used distribution method at present is by diazo and monochrome printing and 
overprinting of cadastral and/or contour detail is common. The incompatibility between the accuracy of 
drop line and machine contouring is a considerable nuisance in the system, emphasised by the nature of 
the Australian terrain and the desire by authorities to gain maximum mapping benefit from a selected 
flying height. 
It would seem that the profiling system as used now to create the control for orthophoto projection 
should be either, 
(a) dispensed with and replaced by a profile from machine contoured compilation, or, 
(b) modified by a system in which the digitised profiles used for the orthophoto projection control 
are interpolated by computer action and the necessary contour overlay created. 
Map Revision 
In Australian large scale topographic mapping, circumstance rather than design has determined 
that repeat mapping is the best form of revision. The principal circumstances of the past four years has 
been the change to metrics. Whilst automated computer based transformations and drawing of Imperial 
maps has found some favour, new mapping programmes with metric measures in compatible mapping 
scales have been introduced in all Australian States. 
In the medium and small scale topographic maps the change has not been so dramatic as 
metrication formed part of the original map systems and their introduction preceded the introduction of 
metric measurement. The revision of these series is still minimal, however, for as the programme of 
1:100 000 mapping advances, the revision of the 1:250 000 series is thereby being automatically 
accommodated. 
Until the work of the 1:100 000 Series is complete the priorities of map revision in this Series will be 
the product of need rather than any set programme. The methods of revision will vary until experience 
proves the most efficient system for Australian conditions. Light Aircraft sorties have provided a popular 
tool for map completion and combined with up to date photography this practice may well prove to be 
the most economical method for the medium scale map revision. 
Satellite imagery is under review as a source material for revision as is orthophotography. 
Improved resolution and more precise geometry in Spacecraft imagery will be needed, however, before 
the results from the satellites are to be used in scales larger than 1:250 000.