in New 
ia where the 
i New Guinea 
quined by 
zcuracy as 
red to by all 
shall be 
of Australia 
nerally 
iangulation 
cross ties 
by it dis 
niles from 
Sydney Obser- 
etion in 
e final values 
an overall 
‘e mapping is 
f 
o triangulation 
e control.of 
POS 
ing is. rre- 
vith normal 
pt abreast 
lity of. good 
ere the 
found suf- 
ave developed 
   
  
of geodetie 
ing indepen- 
atum. 
mary control 
ing. which 
s, barometric 
~ A4 5d 
gradienis 
  
E 2d Anne 
ents of Aust- 
ypes of 
MO 
mapping as at 1st January 1960, it will be realised that the task of mapping the continent 
is far from complete. 
Ir view of the vast areas ard the limited manpower available for the purpose it 
is obvious that the mapping resources are unable to adequately cope with the constant 
demands of the map user who is rapidly developing this country. 
To partially overcome this difficulty, some degree of torographical information 
1s readily made available in the form of a mosaic of air photography (photo index) as soon 
as aerial photography has been flown, 
It is the aim of the Commonwealth Government to obtain complete map coverage of 
Australia at a scale of 1:250,000 in the form of a planimetrie map and show by means of 
hachures, hillshading or the like together with available spot heights, the relief of the 
country, When this phase has been completed these planimetric maps will be used as a 
base on which contours will be shown, 
Sirultaneously whilst these two phases are being conducted it is hoped to satis- 
fy any urgent requirements for mediun and large scale maps of selected areas. 
The following sets out the activities of the main mapping organisstions of 
Australia = 
Commonwealth Government Departments 
Division of National Napping 
The Division of National Mapping is that branch of the Department of National 
Development which is primarily concerned with all aspects of geodetic and topographic sur- 
veys, mapping and air photography required for Commonwealth purposes. 
The clients for which it carries out this work are mainly Army, Civil Aviation, 
Territories, Treasury (Bureau of Census and Statistics), External Affairs, Supply, (Weapons 
Research Establishment), the Commonwealth Scientific ond Industrial Research Organisation 
and the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics, 
The Division itself carries out part of the Commonwealth mapping programme and 
arranges for portions to be carried out on behalf of Department of National Development by 
the Royal Australian Survey Corps, by State Lands Departments on a partial reinbursement 
basis and by private enterprise on a contract basis. 
The Division also has the responsibility for the mapping of the Northern Terri- 
tory of Australia, Papua and Trust Territory of New Guinea and Antarctica, 
The Division is mainly employed in small scale mapping, Up to the present, 
this activity has been confined to the undeveloped areas of Australia and New Guinea, and 
consists of producing a map of the area of interest as soon as possible, This generally 
takes the form, in the first instance, of an uncontrolled photomap showing flight strips 
and photo identification, 
Phe next stage is the production of a planimetric map, The compilation is 
usually st average photoscale and is based on a combination of astro fix control and 
slotted template assemblies. 
An office identification of topographic detail is marked up on the photos and 
transferred to the compilation by "sketchmasters" in most types of terrain but use is made 
of simple radial plotters in very rugged terrain (e.g. New Guinea), 
Copies of these initial compilations are supplied to resources survey organisations 
who usually arrange to transfer the photo control points onto their own copies of the photo- 
graphs and then plot up the particular information in whieh they are interested, 
Field verification of the initial compilation is carried out with the aid of 
light aircraft fitted with small air cameras for the purpose of photographing any detail 
either not readily discernible on the original photography or not in existence at that time 
Astro fixes are usually determined at about 1 per 500 square miles in Australia, 
but in greater density in New Guinea. The theodolite normally used is the Wild T2 and is 
recorded with stop watch, chronometer and portable short wave receiver, 
In the less accessible areas of the mainland fewer astro fixes are used and these 
are interconnected by RCY9 strip air photography from which Canadian type "azimuth" tem- 
plates are prepared and laid down to provide a control framework for the full map assembly 
of templates, 
It is normal practice to place "spring-loaded" studs over plotted astro fix con-