Major aero-triangulation equipment known to the Commission Board to have been in- 
stalled in Australia during the period 1968 — 1972 is as follows:— 
1 Stereocomparator, Stecometer (Zeiss Jena) 
1 Stereocomparator, PSK (Zeiss Oberkochen) 
1 Analytical plotter, AP/C (Nistri) 
Investigation of block adjustment methods in Australia has produced a Fortran com- 
puter programme 'XYBLOCK' which is used to transform independent sections into one 
uniform system of horizontal co-ordinates without any restrictions on the shape of the 
block or the number and location of control points. The iterative solution is based on a 
least squares treatment of the discrepancies at the section junctions. Features of the pro- 
gramme include the use of an arbitrary system for numbering points and flexible data input, 
i.e. sections may be loaded in almost any order. The adjustment converges rather quickly, 
and after six to twelve iterations produces very satisfactory results. 
With the accelerating pace of development, Australia has an ever increasing demand 
for mapping. In general, this country has not the capacity to embark on research into new 
techniques, therefore a keen watch is kept on the development throughout the world of 
new mapping methods and in particular aero-triangulation, so that the most suitable and 
economical methods available may be used. 
W.M. Fraser 
Commission IV 
General 
The most significant factor of Australian Photogrammetry during the past 4 years has 
been the creation of no fewer than 12 additional private offices, besides a marked expans- 
ion in the facilities of all previously established offices. 
New equipment introduced includes:— 
3 Universal plotting instruments 
21 precision plotters 
65 topographic plotters 
6 stereocomparators 
14 orthophoto systems 
11 aerial cameras and 
2 rectifiers 
Various automatic print processing facilities, a substantial inflow of automatic X — Y plot- 
ting instruments, the increasing use of colour photography and the Australian development 
of a laser type terrain profiling recorder are further evidence of the active nature of the 
photogrammetric sciences. 
The underlying stimuli for such an expansion can be traced to:— 
The increasing tempo of the National General Purpose 1:100 000 and 1:250 000 
topographic mapping programme. 
An unprecedented mineral exploration programme, culminating in large civil 
engineering, town and regional planning developments. 
The planned introduction of metric measurement in 1972 and the consequential 
requirements to review the whole cadastral mapping operation. 
To adequately trace the underlying effects of each of the above it should be under 
stood that, in respect to cadastral and special purpose topographic mapping, each Austral- 
ian State is autonomous. In respect to the National General Purpose Topographic Mapping 
programme, the responsibility rests with the civil and military mapping offices of the 
Commonwealth. 
The co-ordination of this programme is achieved through the National Mapping Council of 
Australia, which includes both Commonwealth and State government representatives.