Terralink

Page URL:	http://www.terralink.co.nz/newsroom/press_releases_archive/2003_archive/9_october_2003.htm
Date Printed:	Friday, 10 September, 2010

Kiwi Support Gets OZ Mapped 9 October 2003 Terralink International Limited has played a significant part in the successful completion of the latest 1:250 000 (250k) scale series of topographic maps and GIS data by Geoscience Australia, the federal government mapping agency. Terralink International, competing as a panellist contractor from the beginning of the project, has completed 154 of the 513 maps in the series. To give perspective to the size of the task, the NZ equivalent map series has just 18 maps. This new map series was completed in six years and for the first time since 1968 all 7,660,000 square kilometres of the entire continent have been mapped to a consistent map and data specification. Australia's first national topographic map coverage commenced in the late 1940s and took 20 years to complete. The reality of a seamless digital map of the Australian continent is now one step closer with the completion of this project. One continuous database of mapping information, not limited by individual map boundaries, will go live on the internet early next year to provide users with their specific combinations of themes and geographic extent. Here in New Zealand we have enjoyed the benefits of seamless mapping of our country since 1999 and the first digital data was available in 1996. Seamless mapping enables a 'point of interest' to be positioned in the centre of a map, rather than on the edge or in a corner which annoyingly requires 2 or sometimes 3 maps to give good coverage of the area. "Terralink International's expertise in handling GIS software, data and satellite imagery provided a competitive advantage when seeking appointment to the Geoscience Australia panel and over the last year we have formed a partnership with Aspect North on this panel," says Jane Handley, Satellite Imagery Manager, Terralink International. The mapping work was completed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, was often complex and required to be completed to stringent quality standards. Satellite imagery was used as the main source for the capture of land cover, new topographic features and environmental changes.