Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications
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ItemThe Tarrawarra data set: Soil moisture patterns, soil characteristics, and hydrological flux measurements(AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION, 1998-10)Experiments investigating the spatial variability of soil moisture conducted in the 10.5 ha Tarrawarra catchment, southeastern Australia, are described. The resulting data include high‐resolution soil moisture maps (over 10,000 point measurements at up to 2060 sites), information from 125 soil cores, over 1000 soil moisture profiles from 20 sites, 2500 water level measurements from 74 piezometers, surface roughness and vegetation measurements, meteorological and hydrological flux measurements, and topographic survey data. These experiments required a major commitment of resources including 250 person days in the field, with a further 100 person days in the laboratory preparing for field trips and checking and collating data. These data are available on the World Wide Web (http://www.civag.unimelb.edu.au/data/).
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ItemAdverse possession of Torrens land: Parliamentary inquiry strays out of bounds( 1998-12)Current Australasian (including Victorian and NSW) schemes regarding adverse possession of land are reviewed in light of a Victorian Parliamentary committee Fences Act inquiry report, due shortly, which may recommend adoption of NSW practice with respect to adverse possession.
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ItemDevelopment of spatial data infrastructures: lessons learnt from the Australian digital cadastral databases( 1998)Over the last few years governments at state and national levels have given much attention to spatial data infrastructures (SDIs). The development of SDIs is driven by the business needs of and technological developments to support both the government and the rapidly expanding spatial information industry amid myriads of political decisions. The growth in SDIs in many developed countries worldwide is paralleled by a move to economic rationalism and micro-economic reform, both of which have had a major impact on the role of spatial data infrastructures. This paper uses the State of Victoria as a typical case to analyse the interaction of the forces that have shaped the development of SDIs in Australia, particularly the critical digital cadastral databases (DCDB), and to highlight some generic trends and lessons learnt in managing SDIs in the context of economic rationalism.
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ItemLand administration, information technology and society( 1998)Land administration reforms into the future are likely to be influenced by: • Society's changing priorities • Globalization • Information technology revolution The latter is an important tool in delivering land information systems that support society's changing needs. However, technology also has the potential to dominate rather than serve society. The challenge will be to harness the information revolution to support land administration reform that addresses society's needs. This paper outlines the evolution of the humankind to land relationship with a view to demonstrating the changes in society that highlight user-needs for information technology. The paper will address this issue in two parts: First, whilst the economic imperatives have and always will drive reforms to land administration systems, western society in particular is experiencing a phenomenon of measures to formally temper those economic imperatives with concern for sustainable development, the environment and social justice. Second, information technology has the potential to greatly assist those processes. From society's perspective, what are the existing capabilities of and concerns about this technology? How do these fit with land administration trends for the future?
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ItemDigital lodgement of cadastral survey data in Victoria( 1998)The current system of land registration has been in place for over 130 years and in that time very few changes have been made to it, despite substantial changes in society. Whilst this system does still fulfil its purpose of providing guarantee to title, an upgrade is necessary for several reasons. These include reducing the cost of the system; extending the applications and marketable uses of registered cadastral survey information; improving overall efficiencies of lodgement, registration, examination and use of cadastral survey information; and ensuring that the system can take full advantage of developing technology. The development of a digital environment to manage land information, in particular, cadastral data, seems to be the most logical solution. The digital concept has already been embraced by many areas of the land information industry, however the lodgement of cadastral survey data is still basically a manual process. In the future it is possible that surveyors may lodge all plans to the local municipality, the Land Titles Office or even directly into a digital cadastral database in a digital format. This concept is known as digital lodgement and forms the basis of the paper. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire sent to all consulting surveyors in Victoria regarding their views on digital lodgement of cadastral survey data. It also reviews responses from various Australian states on current initiatives towards the digital lodgement of cadastral data, and briefly outlines the main issues to be considered.
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ItemLessons from the evolution of western land administration systems( 1998)The purpose of this paper is to outline the evolution of western land administration systems with a view to determining what lessons can be learnt as well what are likely to be the future trends in the relationship of humankind with land. This paper will outline the evolution of western concepts of land and property, from the tribal period through feudalism, the industrial revolution, capitalism/socialism and the current Kenyesianism/Privatisation phase. Examples will be given of the interrelationship between socio-economic changes, the dynamics of the humankind to land relationship and the legal/administrative infrastructure. The paper identifies some lessons on the development of land administration systems: 1. The relationship between humankind and land will always be dynamic. The current western trend towards tempering economic imperatives with more community-based concerns is likely to lead to a new cultural approach to land. 2. The direction which that dynamism takes is dependant on the society's priorities. 3. The extent to which a society can successfully achieve its objectives depends in part on the tools available to achieve those aims. "We have the technology" does not mean anything until our society determines its preferred relationship with land into the future. 4. Appropriate legal and administrative infrastructures are crucial to the process of delivering the changes demanded by society. These infrastructures include the social, economic and political processes. 5. Further research is required to determine the right direction for the relationship of humankind to land and the appropriate legal and institutional infrastructures for the 21st century and how this is to be achieved.
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ItemA cadastral model for low value lands: the NSW western lands experience( 1998)The operation of the cadastre in the semi-arid lands of Western New South Wales has remained relatively unchanged since settlement. The existing system is proving expensive when compared to land value and unable to cope with current economic, environmental and social issues. This paper examines the problem of sustainable resource use and how the introduction of a Multi-Purpose Cadastre can provide a more certain future. The development and use of a consistent spatial framework, comprehensive datasets and new rules and procedures for boundary definition and demarcation are proposed as improvements to the existing cadastral system.
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ItemCadastral reform and the future of the surveying profession( 1998)By understanding history and current international developments which are impacting on society, and by relating these to cadastral trends, it is possible to visualise the future of the Australian land surveying profession. In achieving this objective it is necessary to describe the changing relationship of humankind to land and how that has affected and will continue to affect the future role of surveyors. The paper also reviews world trends, influences and initiatives, particularly those undertaken or highlighted by the United Nations and World Bank. These not only confirm the importance of land surveyors in a modern society but also provide an indication of the future role of the surveyor. The paper also describes the joint United Nations and International Federation of Surveyors International Workshop and Conference in 1999 concerned with land tenure and cadastral infrastructures to support sustainable development for the next millennium. This workshop and conference will result in a joint UN/FIG Declaration which again will assist the surveying profession to chart its future. Importantly this initiative is being driven by surveyors. These world trends allow us to have a better understanding of future cadastres which, together with a review of the development of the Australian surveying profession over the last 150 years, permits a look into the future at the challenges facing the profession, as well as understanding the opportunities available to it.
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ItemCadastre and land management: a report of Commission 7 activities 1994-98( 1998)This paper reviews the activities of Commission 7 (Cadastre and Land Management) for the period 1994-98. It highlights activities such as annual meetings, annual symposia, the Commission's three working groups and identifies some of the key individual activities of the Commission such as the production of the Statement on the Cadastre and the joint UN-FIG Bogor Declaration on Cadastral Reform. The presentation also reviews the extensive Commission 7 program at the Brighton Congress which includes presentation of 66 technical papers, two technical tours and Commission 7 business meetings.
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ItemDesign and implementation of a Geographic Information System for the General Practice sector in Victoria, Australia( 1998)Background: This paper details a collaborative research project, which developed a Geographic Information System for two diverse administrative areas of general medical practitioners in Victoria, Australia. The study is one of a small number of initiatives in the use of geospatial information and application of G.I.S. technology to the health sector in Australia. Context of the setting of these Divisions of General Practice is given, depicting the role of Divisions in improving the health of the Australian population. An outline of the role of data and information technology in the improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency in the operations of these Divisions of General Practice is detailed. Methods: The paper will describe the methodology of the pilot project, which was aligned to the Divisions' needs and future directions. Data sources were a combination of routinely collected demographic, health and roads network data sets from local, state and federal. Additional data was collected by questionnaire, profiling general medical practices. Results: Rationale for the selection of the Internet as the preferred method of presenting the GIS prototype is described. A range of data analysis will be demonstrated depicting the role of this integrated information in the identification of strategic decision making and of further research possibilities. Conclusions: This project demonstrates the potential of a GIS to assist in decision making in local health areas with its ability to answer spatial questions and understand spatial relationships. - Routine collection of morbidity and treatment information at the general practice level would enhance data quality at the general practice level. - The methodology and outcomes of this project are serving as a springboard to broader interest in the uptake of GIS in the health sector, given the diversity and widespread location of the population.