FromthePresident
LeonWilson,PresidentISV
TheISVSummerSeminar2025 startedtheyearoffwith presentationsaboutnew developmentsinGNSSandthe impactonthesurveyingindustry, updatesonactivitieswithinthe GeodesyspaceatSurveyorGeneral Victoriafocusingontheupdatingof surveymarkco-ordinatesforuse withinVicmap,boundary amendmentsandwhatisthemost applicableapplicationfrombotha surveyandlegalperspectiveand LandUseVictoriaupdates.
Twofunctionswerethenheldonthe rooftopattheofficeforouryounger andoldermembersbringingthem togethertonetworkandcatchupon newbeginningsandoldtimes. Thenexteventonthecalendaristhe ISVRegionalConferencefor2025 withtheprogramoutandthe programfullofgreatcasestudies,I lookforwardtoseeingallthose attendinginWangarattafromthe2 to4May.
TheISVBoardisworkingwiththe otherregionalgroupstocreatemini eventsinconjunctionwiththeir regionalmeetingstoassistin creatingstrongernetworkswithinthe localcommunitiesandmoreaccess toFPETpointsalongwiththeonline jointwebinarwithCSVprogrammed forJune2025.
FormanyyearsnowtheExcellencein SurveyingandSpatialInformation (EISSI)Awardshavebeenamajor eventintheNSWcalendar.Iam pleasedtoconfirmfollowingmuch consideration,theISVBoard unanimouslyagreedtocollaborate withACSVtohostanEISSIAwards nightinMelbourneonSaturday11 October.Categoriesandcriteriawillbe announcedincomingweekswiththis conceptplannedtoappearinall states,sothataNationalAwardsnight canbecomethenextgoal.
Allmembershiporganisationswork hardtostrengthenanddiversify sponsorshipofferings,these partnershipsareamajorfocusforISV. Weweredelightedtowelcomelaw firmsPriorLawandRedmanLynch andanewpartnershipwithACSIS FleetAustralia,youwillfindcontact detailsforthemallwithinthisedition ofTraverse.
TheinformationprovidedontheISV websiteisupdatedwhenrequiredand theBoardhasjustmadeavailable bothourCodeofEthicsandCodeof ConductonthePublicfacingwebsite. TheISVCodeofEthicshaslongbeena benchmarkforallLicensedSurveyors inVictoria. Themostimportantethic andwhatsetsISVandLicensed SurveyorsapartisʻAmemberʼs responsibilityforthewelfareand rightsofthecommunityshallcome beforetheirresponsibilitytothe professionofsurveying,tosectionalor privateinterestsortoothersurveyors.ʼ AllLicensedsurveyorsareregistered bytheSurveyorsRegistrationBoardof Victoriaandhaveadutytothestate andthecommunitytoensuregood titlesareissuedandtheCommunity andcadastreareprotected,itisnot justdoingwhatourclientwants. This isthesameformanyofthe stakeholdersinvolvedintheprocess, betheyCouncilOfficers,LandUse Victoriastafforserviceauthorities, theyaretheretoensurethesafety, amenityandongoingbenefittoall peopleinthecommunitynowandin thefuture.
TheISVBoardhasrepresentationona numberofimportantgovernmental andindustrydrivenbodiesandalong withourtwoSRBVrepresentatives,we havetwoDirectors,whoregularly attendmeetingswithLUV,actingasa conduitbothwaystoexpressideas andshareconcerns,thesearestarting togetresultsthroughopenand respectfuldiscussionontheneeds requiredtoimproveprocesses(refer tothearticleinthiseditionof Traverse). Themostnotablebenefitis theextraaccesspointsforoldlaw searchingwhichbenefitsothersinthe communityaswell. DrSusanWaltera historianfromBendigoisextremely excitedaboutaccesstotheoldlaw recordsforsearchinghistoricalfamily landrecordsinthecentralVictoria region. Theoldlawrecordsarealso beingusedbythehistorianstoassist withnamingforroadsandlaneways wherelocalindigenousnamesarenot available.
ArecentrequesttoLUVhasbeenfor theSubdivisionActUserGuide publishedinNovember2012tobe updateasitismoreten10yearsold nowandisagreatsourceof informationtoassistwithconsistency throughoutindustry. Ifmembershave anysuggestions,pleaseemailtheISV officesotheycanbepassedon.
Iwouldliketoremindeveryonethe Boardwouldlovetohearfromthose willingtocontributetoISVthrough suggestions,involvementandsupport. OnthisnotetheISVBoardis interestedtohearfromMembers,or viaMemberrecommendation, suggestionsforthevacantco-opted positionofPresidentElect.Itis imperativethatsuchaMemberserve foraslongaspossiblepriorto electionsandregrettablythecurrent Boardoptionshavebeenexhausted duetoexistingcommitmentsso expressionsofinterestarewelcomed viatheoffice.
TheMysteryoftheMelbourneChainStandardat MelbourneObservatory
RobertLewisJohnEllery,inaugural PresidentoftheInstitutionof SurveyorsVictoria,Directorofthe MelbourneObservatory,Government Astronomer,freshfromdirectingthe completionofthegeodeticsurveyof Victoria,withtheknowledgeofthe importanceofaccuratesurvey measurementsoversawthe constructionofachainstandardin 1876attheMelbourneObservatory. Thiswouldprovideanaccuratebase lineforthecalibrationofsurveyorʼs chainsforthenext100yearsuntilitwas inexplicablydestroyed.
Thefollowingextractandseparate mapprovidedbyBarryClarkfromdraft paper:NATIONALANDINTERNATIONAL HERITAGEIMPORTANCEOF MELBOURNEOBSERVATORY,27 January2025,BarryA.J.Clark,PhD. Throughouthiscareer,Ellerywas remarkablyquicktoadoptappropriate newtechnologysuchastelegraphy, chronometryandelectriclighting. This requiredfacilitywiththemeasurement ofphysicalquantitiesandcalibration againststandards.Extensivesetsof massandlengthstandards,French (metric)andimperial,wereobtained andused,alongwithnewerstandards suchasthoseofelectricalresistance (Ellery1871,p6). ).Elleryʼscontinuing interestinsurveyingledhimtohavea standardsurveyorsʼchaincalibration facilitysetupontheObservatorysitein 1876(thePermanentChainStandardseeGillespie2008).
collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/nZNmVW6n
Thiswasdismantledtogroundlevel betweenabout1970to1980, apparentlytoallowagravelroadto bemadealongsidethenorth-east boundaryfence. Thetwostone blockswithfiducialmarksthat representedtheexact22-yard(ca20 m)lengthofastandardchainwere seeninandretrievedfroma rubbledumpatthetimebyanASV member,whostoredthemwith otherASVpropertyatvariousplaces intheObservatorysite.
Inthe2010sthetwostoneblockswerein oneorotheroftheASVʼstwo/three storeroomsinGMTHouse. WhentheASVhadtovacatethoserooms priortotheirdemolitionaround2018, theASVhadnospaceavailableonsite. TheRBGVgenerouslyofferedtostorethe twoblocksandtwootherheavyheritage items.1Followingstaffchanges,theRBGV hassincerefusedtorecogniseASV ownershipofthefouritemsandreturn them.
OldMelbourneObservatory,Melbourne,fromGovernmentHousetower.1870-1875Photo lookingsouthwestwithAlbertParkLake,SouthMelbourneandPortPhillipBayinthe background. StateLibraryofNewSouthWales,ON4/Box36/no.9,https://
Thefootingsandothernearbysmalland ratherenigmaticheritagestructures survivedlongenoughtobeincludedinthe Observatoryʼs1995VictorianHeritage Registerentry. Soonafter,they ʻdisappearedʼduringconstructionofthe RBGVVisitorsCentreandassociated works,buttheyarestillincludedinthe Registrationentry.
1 Thesewerethemainbearingsofthe Observatoryʼs5-inch(125-mm)Troughton andSimmstransitcircle,whichwent missingatsometimebetween1885and 1946. TheyweregiventoW.E.L.Clapham asvaluelessin1946. Theyweregivento thewriterbyClaphamʼswidowin1962. Thewriterstoredthosebearingswithout knowingwhattheywereforaboutfour decadesfrom1962andthendonatedthem totheASV.
TheywerethenstoredasASVpropertyat theObservatorysite.Morerecentlythe RBGVhasclaimedownershipwithoutany evidenceandnoknowledgeoftheirorigin orfunction.
[Reference: GillespieR.(2008)Weights& measuresatMelbourneObservatoryin MuseumVictoriaCollections.Melbourne: MuseumVictoria.http:// collections.museumvictoria.com.au/ articles/1655]
Imagesandinformationrelatedtothe chainstandardarescant,howeverifyou orsomeoneyouknowhasinformationin relationtothewhereaboutsofthechain standardstonemarkerspleasecontact ISVon(03)93269227. Asmallrewardis onofferforinformationleadingtosafe returnofthestonemarkers.
NavigatingtheFuture
OvermanyyearsISVhasincurred significantexpensesinmaintaining anantiquatedISVwebsite.By2022 wewereleftwithanheftyIntangible Asset,thefunctionalityofwhichwas failingduetooutdatedcodingand links.Quickfixesandpatchesfor eventmarketingand communicationswasbecoming costlyandfrustrating.
Simultaneously,ISVhadnotmanaged todevelopaMembershipdatabase andsopaperandspreadsheetswere theorderoftheday. TheBoardreflectingonpossible productsandanswers,andin consultationwithrecentlyrecruited experiencedmembership organisationExecutiveOfficerinIan Thomasdeterminedthepathforward.
TheBoardconfidentlybitthe bulletandsignedasimple $12,000contractforanew combinedWebsite,Member PortalandAssociation ManagementSystem(AMS). The newvalueofthisIntangibleAsset (intaxationterms)willappearin ourFinancialRecordsuntilwe addanythingtothisintangible shopfront,
Proudlysponsoredby
PlatinumSustainingMember:C.R.KENNEDY
SilverSustainingMembers:Acsis,AcsisFleet,PriorLaw,RLW
GeneralSustainingMembers:LightwaveTechnology,Listech,TechRentals
RMITCapstoneResearchProjects
TheRMITBachelorofSurveying (Honours)degreeisa4-yeardegreein whichstudentsarerequiredto complete32subjectstograduate. Studentsundertakeavarietyof subjectsovertheseyears. Theseincludefundamentalsurveying andGISsubjectsinyear1,statistics, surveyingandleastsquaressubjects inyear2,appliedcoursesrelatedto cadastralsurveying,GNSSand geodesyinyear3andthenafinal yearthatcontainsseveralʻcapstoneʼ subjects.Capstonesubjectsare importantsubjectsthatconsolidate previouslearningsandchallenge studentstoapplytheirlearningto addressrealworldchallengesand problems.
Allfour-yeardegreesinAustralian universitiesarecertifiedaslevel8 (e.g.,honourslevel)inthehigher educationAustralianQuality Framework(AQF)bytheTertiary EducationQualityandStandards Agency(TEQSA)oftheAustralian Government.Studentsinalevel8 certifieddegree(e.g.theRMIT BachelorofSurveying)areexpected toundertakeelementsofresearchin theirstudy.WefacilitatethisatRMIT primarilythroughtwocoursesinyear 4.Thesearethesemester1Capstone Research(Design)subjectand semester2CapstoneResearch (Implementation)subject.Although notwiththesespecificnames,these twocourseshavebeendeliveredat RMITforoverthreedecades.
Whatdothestudentsdo?
Theaimofthesetwosubjectsisfor ourfinalyearstudentstoidentifyand addressaresearchproblemutilising theiracademicandpracticalskills. Theseproblemsmightbeone identifiedintheirworkplace(e.g., throughtheirworkexperience employment)orprovidedbyan academiconthestaffinGeospatial ScienceatRMIT.
Staffactasprimarysupervisorsover thesesemesters,butoftenindustry aresecondarysupervisorsoroffer valuablesupport.Insemester1, studentsundertakingCapstone Research(Design)workwiththeir nominatedsupervisor/stofirst identifyaresearchproblem(students arepresentlydoingthisfor2025).
Theythendeveloptheirresearchaims andobjectives,undertakeadetailed literaturereviewforcontextanddeliver proposedresearchaims,objectivesand methodologyforfeedbackassessment. Formanyyears,wehaveaskedour studentstopresenttheseproposalsto ourindustrypartnersforassessment, throughaconferencestyledposter sessionatRMITinJune.
Overthemid-yearbreakandearlyin semester2,studentstypicallycollect andanalyseanydatarequiredfortheir research.Thismayincludefieldwork datacollectiononsite,acquiringbigdatasetsfromvarioussources(e.g. OpenData,satelliteimagery,GNSS CORSdataetc)ortestingthe performanceofsurveyingequipment andnewtechnologies.Thesedataare thenrigorouslyanalysedusingscientific proceduresandgeospatialand surveyingsoftware.
Manystudentsalsodeveloptheirown codeforthispurpose.Inthesecondhalf ofsemester2,thestudentsthen communicatetheirresearchandresults bywritingapeer-reviewedstyled researchpaper(notethatsomeofthese papersareofhighenoughqualitytobe publishedinajournal).Thestudents thenpresenttheirresearchresultsto academicstaffandindustryatour annualpresentationsessionatRMITin November.
Howcanyoucontributeorget involved?
TheacademicsupervisoratRMITis primarilyresponsibleforsupporting thestudenttodeveloparesearch proposal,collectandanalyseany dataandcommunicatetheseresults throughapaperandpresentation. Nonetheless,inlinewithRMIT universityʼscommitmentfor studentsandstafftoengagewith ourindustry,youcanprovide supportandhelpinmanyways. First,yourattendanceattheposter session(attheendofsemester1) andpresentationsession(attheend ofsemester2)isgreatlyvaluedby studentsandstaff.Theseprovide studentswithimportantfeedbackon theirresearchproposal,the feasibilityoftheirproposed methodology,aswellasdeveloping importantsoftskills,suchaspublic speaking.Thedatesoftheseevents arebroadcastthroughISV newslettersandemails.
RMITCapstonePosterPresentationatRMIT.Staff,StudentsandIndustryguestsdiscussandcritique studentposters
2-4May2025
GatewayWangaratta
Newly Registered Licensed Surveyors
TheISVwouldliketocongratulatethefollowingnewlylicensedsurveyors whohaverecentlyachievedregistrationaftercompletingtheir ProfessionalTrainingagreements:
August2024
2147JesseGelfand
2148SebastianKapusta
2149MatthewBaker
2150BenjaminWhite
October2024
2151KadeEbert
November2024
2153AngusMcKenzie
2154DavidBell
2155GarethBarnes
March2025
2156TimothyDole
StrategicGrowthThroughFreshEvents
Awisepersononcesaid,ifyou wantyoungpeopletotalktoyou whenyouʼreold,talktothemwhen theyareyoung.AspartoftheISV BoardʼsfocusonourStrategicPlan 2024–2027,itcontinuestoback freshideasandachievableevent conceptsthataddressPillar1–Growth,withanaimtostrengthen Membershipnumbersatallstages ofthesurveyingjourney.
PortfoliossuchasYoung SurveyorsandEducation,both drivenbyDirectorsRileyUlbrich andBadenCoateshavebeena greatsuccess.Thefollowing eventscontinuetoattract Membersandnon-Membersalike andtheconversationsinvariably leadtoMembership,career
YoungSurveyorsTwilightSocial -Thebeginningofsomethingbig
discussions,introductions,and questionsaroundbecominga LicensedSurveyor.Questions aboutCoursechoicesandadvice arewelcomedbytheBoard Memberswhovolunteerforthese opportunitiesandthesenseof informalmentoringcanbevery rewarding.
WhatavistafromtheISVRooftopattheISVYoung SurveyorsTwilightSocialinearlyFebruary, bringingyoungsurveyorstogethertorelaxand networkontheperfectevening. ThisneweventattractedMembersandpotential newmembers,whoallenjoyedgreatconversations aboutsurveying,muchofitdrivenbyanexchange ofexperiences,projectsandideas,andallloving theview!Here'stothefirstofmanysuchevents!
ISVStudent-ledeventcontinuestoattractMembers
Itwasanothergreatturnoutforthe3rdannual ISVstudentledrooftopevent"Surveying& GeospatialNetworkingNight"thisweek. Organisedwiththestudentcommitteesfrom GSSA(RMIT)andMUGS(Universityof Melbourne),ISVisproudtobehostingthis regularopportunityforyoungsurveyorsto sharetheirexperiencesandnetwork.Seen hereisGeorgiaWebster,workingwith Surveyor-GeneralVictoria. Thiseveninghasturnedouttobean invaluableeventforstudentsandyoung professionalsoftenhearingfromrecently graduatedMembers,sharingtheircareer pathwaysandlearningswithcurrentstudents. Congratulationstobothhardworking committeesandabigwelcometoallthenew StudentMemberswhojoinuseachyear throughthisexcitingevent!
2025ISVCalendar
Wed 02 ISV Board Meeting Mon 14 ISV Rooftop Studentled Seminar 06-10 FIG Working WeekBrisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Wed 02 ISV Board Meeting Fri 11 ISV Gippsland Group Council Networking and Seminar event Fri 25 ISV Survey Expo –Encore St Kilda
02-04 Wangaratta Regional Conference - Gateway Wangaratta
Wed 07 ISV Board Meeting Fri 23 ISV/CSV Joint Seminar –Mooney Valley Racecourse
Wed 06 ISV Board Meeting November June
Wed 04 ISV Board Meeting Mon 09 King’s Birthday Public Holiday
Wed 25 ISV/CSV Joint Webinar Fri 27 ISV/ISNSW Murray Group Seminar, ACT
Wed 03 ISV Board Meeting Tue 09 Colin Middleton Luncheon
Wed 01 ISV Board Meeting FRI 10 Glenelg/Grampians Group Seminar & NetworkingRoxburgh House, Hamilton TBA ISV Annual General Meeting
*Calendar subject to change
Wed 5 ISV Board Meeting Nov13 ISV North Central EventNational Hotel Bendigo
Wed 03 ISV Board Meeting Fri 05 ISV Christmas Seminar & Networking - Manningham Club, Bulleen
TheISVGolfDaywasproudlysponsoredby:
OriginalsketchoftheblazethatMajorThomasMitchellʼsparty carvedattheircampsite(bysurveyorAlexIngram)-byRogerWhyte
SirMajorThomasMitchell (surveyor-generalofNewSouth Wales)andhissurveyassistant GranvilleStapyltonmadean expeditionfromSydneyto Portlandin1836.
SometimeagoIwasresearching oldsurveyinformationfroma CrownSurveybyAlexIngram(the localdistrictsurveyorbasedin Portland&Hamiltonfrom1870to 1905).Whilelookingthroughthe RedfieldbooksIcameacrosshis surveyinParishofYuppeckiar.
Onpage44itshowedasketchof thegumtreethatMajorMitchellʼs partyblazed(marked)ontheir returnexpeditionfromSydneyto PortlandinSept1836atLake ReposebetweenDunkeld& Glenthompson.Bythistimein 1877thetreehadbeenburntand onlypartoftheinscription remained.(SeepicturesofAlex Ingramʼsfieldbookbelow)
Mitchellʼspartyremainedatthis campsiteforsomeweeksfrom15th Sept1836torejuvenatethemen andbullocks.Mitchellheadedback toSydneywhileStapylton remainedwithmostofthemen.It isinterestingtonotethatthe originaldrawingofthetreein Ingramsfieldbook79hasbeen redrawndifferentlyinmanyofthe articlesIdiscovered.
ItwasdocumentedthatIngram diddrawacopyofhisoriginal.In thepublication“GRANVILLE STAPYLTON”byGregoryEccleston thetreeisamirrorimage. WhenIngramnextvisitedthe locationhefoundthatthetreehad beenremovedandthetrunkwith theinscriptionmovedtothe gardenat“BrieBrie”astation locatedbetweenDunkeldand Glenthompson.
Surveyor Alex Ingram Calculating a survey in 1901, supplied by Colin Hall.
AlexIngramʼsRedfieldbook79pages44&45
