UNDERWATER 35 MM PHOTOGRAMMETRIC APPLICATIONS IN AUSTRALIA 
  
by John G. Fryer, Senior Lecturer 
Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying 
University of Newcastle, Australia 
Abstract 
Applications of non-metric 35 mm underwater cameras to obtain data for 
an offshore pipeline project and a long term study of coral ecology are 
presented. The former project uses an image splitting attachment to obtain 
stereoscopic half-frames whilst the latter uses a twin camera rig. The 
analytical techniques used to process the data are discussed. 
Introduction 
Two semi-government authorities in Australia are using 35 mm underwater 
stereophotography on a routine basis to monitor growth in benthic communities. 
Nikonos III cameras fitted with the 28 mm Nikkor lens are used either singly 
with an image splitting attachment to provide stereoscopic half-frames (Fryer 
and Elfick, 1981) or in twin-camera rigs (Done, 1981). Some photography of 
larger reef areas up to one hectare has been made with the wide angle Nikkor 
15 mm lens. 
The Hunter District Water Board (HDWB) is involved with pollution mon- 
itoring near its waste water ocean outfalls and in establishing a base-line 
study area prior to the construction of a 1.5 km major outfall pipeline 
(Pearson and Laxton, 1979). The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) 
is studying the ecology of coral communities on several different reefs in the 
Great Barrier Reef area. Monthly, quarterly and annual re-photography of 
selected sites has been in progress for more than five years with both author- 
ities. Detailed mathematical analyses of the stereo pairs have not been 
undertaken to a large extent by either, as qualitative assessments often 
suffice. The recent availability of computer algorithms and access to anal- 
ytical stereoplotters is allowing an increasing amount of numerical processing 
at both organisations. 
Pollution Monitoring 
  
The HDWB is responsible for the provision and maintenance of water supply, 
sewerage and drainage to approximately 375,000 residents along a strip of the 
coastal region of New South Wales, 100 km in length. Waste water is dis- 
charged into the Pacific Ocean at five locations and plans for a major ocean 
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