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Geodetic Network Upgrade


Through the Federal Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), $65m will be invested in the National geodetic network over the next 5 years (2007-2011). The strategy includes 90 new Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) – 26 in WA, 3 Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) sites/upgrades – 1 in WA (Dongara), Gravity facilities/upgrades and a data analysis centre. The strategy will be funded through NCRIS, plus significant contributions from other agencies including Landgate.

Globally this infrastructure will be the single most important contribution to geospatial instrumentation in the Southern Hemisphere and nationally the single largest injection of funds into Australian geodesy ever. Data from this infrastructure will support research in the areas of continental deformation and seismic monitoring, water vapour and atmospheric modelling for improved weather forecasting and sea level variation. This in turn will lead to better decision making in the fields of hazard management, environmental protection and resource development. The infrastructure will also form the basis for a future continent wide real time positioning system with applications in surveying and mapping, precision agriculture, vehicle navigation and tracking, location based services and speed limiting systems.

Landgate has developed a Geodetic Strategy to guide the next five years and beyond and has secured funding and resources for the rollout of 26 CORS sites across the WA. The sites will be pillar constructions – the type of pillars is yet to be determined. WA has six existing pillared sites, these being at Karratha, Dongara, New Norcia, Gnangara, Christmas Island and West Island on Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

The proposed network configuration will include sites at or near the Australian Baseline Sea Level Monitoring Project Tide Gauges of Broome and Esperance and an east west transect at about the latitude of Perth. The remainder of the sites will cover the most seismically active, populous and resource rich regions of the State at a density of approximately 200km. Landgate will be working very closely with other government agencies and industry to maximise the value of this investment in State infrastructure. The proposed rollout schedule will commence in 2007 and be completed by 2011.

For more information about this exciting initiative, please refer to the AuScope Investment Plan or contact us.
Western Australian Land Information Authority