Glossary of terms

Virtual Museum

Glossary of terms

Aerial photography: Photography of part of the earth's surface, but is not rectified to account for differences in scale throughout the photograph.
Altitude: The vertical angle between the plane of the horizon and the line to the object which is observed. In photogrammetry, altitude applies to elevation above a datum of points in space.
Aneroid barometer: An instrument used to obtain heights above sea level by measuring atmospheric pressure. Since atmospheric pressure varies with the height above or below sea level, the height can be read directly from the height scale on the barometer.
Archaeological record: The archaeological record exists as a repository. Inside lie the decaying material remains of ancient beings and civilisations. As archaeologists approach their work, they encounter raw data from the archaeological record that serves as the source of their evidence to interpret.
ATS: The Automated Title System is the computerised legal register of freehold land, State tenure land and Reserve land in Queensland. The system also automates elements of the document receiving, lodgement, tracking and registration processes.
Australian Height Datum: The datum used to determine elevations in Australia. The AHD is based on mean sea level being zero elevation.
Azimuth: The horizontal angle measured from the meridian planes (a plane which contains the polar axis, being true north).
Baseline: A surveyed line usually several kilometres long. It is established with the utmost precision available at the time. Surveys refer to the baseline for coordination and correlation. The baseline accumulates distances throughout a triangulation network, extending to other baselines, providing further integrated control.
Beam compass: A drafting instrument used for drawing circles with a long radius. The point and scribe are separate units, mounted to slide and clamp on a long beam.
Bearing: An angle measured clockwise from a north line of 0° to a given surveyed line.
Bench mark: A permanent object, natural or artificial, displaying a marked point whose elevation above or below an adopted datum is known.
Blaze: A mark carved in a tree trunk at about breast height, signifying close proximity of a survey line
Cadastral: A Latin term from 'cadastre' referring to a registry of lands. Cadastral surveying is the process of determining and defining land ownership and boundaries.
Cadastral map: A map depicting land parcels and associated nomenclature.
Cartography: The art and science of the production of maps. This includes the construction of projections, design, compilation, drafting and reproduction.
Chart: Special purpose navigation maps chiefly used for nautical, aeronautical and mapping of the cosmos.
CISP: The Computer Inventory of Survey Plans is a database that provides current and historical survey plan information. It includes images of all survey plans registered in Queensland.
Clinometer: An instrument used to determine the angle of elevation or depression. A De Lisle's Pendent Clinometer was used by surveyors and engineers to set out slopes and gradients in the construction of paths, tracks and roads.
Compass: The magnetic compass has a pivoting magnetised needle that always points to magnetic north (geological features may influence readings). The compass circumference is divided into degrees from which a bearing of a chosen direction from magnetic north can be determined. A compass magnetic bearing must be converted to a grid bearing for plotting on a map.
Contour interval: The difference in elevation between adjacent contours as delineated on a map.
Contours: Lines joining points of equal height as shown on a topographic map. Contour lines that are relatively close together depict an area of steep terrain on the earth's surface.
Crown land: Land belonging to the reigning sovereign.
Datum: A mathematical representation that best fits the shape of the earth. Accurate mapping and coordinate systems must be based on a datum. A new datum known as the Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA) was introduced in 2000 to bring Australia in line with the rest of the world's coordinate systems. GDA is also totally compatible with satellite based navigation systems, for example Global Positioning Systems (GPS). The previous datum used in Australia was known as the Australian Geodetic Datum (AGD). However, this was restricted because it was defined to best fit the shape of the earth in the Australian region only. The change in datums had a major consequence to all coordinates. Both latitudes/longitudes and eastings/northings were shifted by approximately 200 metres in a north-easterly direction.
DCDB: The Digital Cadastral Database is the spatial representation of every parcel of land in Queensland. This is along with its legal Lot on Plan description and relevant attributes. It provides the map base for systems dealing with land related information.
Description of country: As described in the 1916 'Rules and Directions for the Guidance of Surveyors': "Country, whether undulating, broken, or rugged; timber, whether open, thick, heavy, or with undergrowth; scrubs, their character and situation, should be specially noted in field-books, as the rate of additional payment that may be allowed on such account is based on the information supplied".
EDME: Electronic Distance Measuring Equipment. This instrument measures distances using light or sound waves.
Elevation: The height above mean sea level.
ERTS: Earth Resources Technology Satellite. This was later renamed Landsat.
GDA94: The geodetic coordinate of latitude and longitude generated using GDA as the datum as at 1 January 1994.
Geocentric datum: A datum which has its origin at the Earth's centre of mass. This datum can therefore be used anywhere on the planet and be compatible with the same datum anywhere else on the planet.
Geodesy: The science and mathematical calculations of the shape and size of the Earth.
Geographical coordinates: A point on a map given as latitude and longitude readings. The values are given as degrees, minutes and seconds.
Geographic Information Systems: GIS is the spatial capture of themed data layers and the storing, analysing and displaying of the geographically referenced information. A GIS also includes the procedures, software, hardware, operating personnel and spatial data associated with the system.
Global Positioning System: GPS is a satellite based navigation system originally developed by the United State's Department of Defence. A GPS receiver calculates a position by measuring distances to four or more satellites of a possible 24. These orbit the Earth at all times.
Graticule: A network of crossing lines on a map representing parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude as defined by the projection.
Grid: A group of parallel lines that run perpendicular to another group of parallel lines to form a map coverage of squares.
Grid coordinates: A point on a map given as an easting and northing reading. The values are given in metres.
Grid north: The direction of the vertical grid lines shown on a topographic map. The difference between grid north and true north is referred to as grid convergence.
Gunter's chain: A distance measuring device composed of 100 metal links fastened together with rings. The length of the chain is 66 feet. It was invented in about 1620 by English astronomer, Edmund Gunter.
Hunter-gatherer: A member of a society who gains their subsistence in the wild on food obtained by hunting and foraging.
Hydrography: Features including rivers, streams, lakes, swamps and other water related features.
Hypsometric tinting: The use of different colours to signify changing elevations on a topographic map.
Latitude: The angular distance along a meridian measured from the Equator, either north or south.
LeClanche Cell: The cell consists of a glass vessel into which a zinc rod and a cylindrical pot of porous earthenware is placed. The earthenware pot holds a carbon plate. A mixture of equal parts of carbon and needle binoxide of manganese is packed around this plate. To set the cell into action, the glass vessel is nearly filled with a saturated solution of sal-ammoniac. A reaction takes place and a voltage of 1.46 volts is generated.
Lifeways: A term often used within the discipline of archaeology and denotes a customary way of living, or a way of life among people.
Lithography: This is based on the principle that water and grease don't mix. After an image is drawn on limestone with a greasy medium, the stone is dampened and ink is applied with a roller. The greasy image repels the water and retains the ink. Paper is then pressed onto the surface.
Lockspit: Trenches dug beside a peg or post along the survey lines from the corner of a subject parcel. An example clause taken from the 1916 'Rules and Regulations for the Guidance of Surveyors' states:
On each side of the split pegs, and distant about one foot, lockspits, three feet in length and six inches in depth, are ... to be dug in the direction of the surveyed line. On very stony lands, rows of stones placed in the direction of the surveyed line may be substituted for dug-out lockspits.
Log tables: A set of tables used to abridge arithmetical calculations, by the use of addition and subtraction rather than multiplication and division.
Longitude: The angular distance measured from a reference meridian, Greenwich, either east or west.
Magnetic north: The direction from a point on the earth's surface to the north magnetic pole. The difference between magnetic north and true north is referred to as magnetic declination.
Map: A representation of the earth's surface where constituancies and related nomenclature are portrayed to a specific format.
Map projection: A means of systematically representing the meridians and parallels of the earth onto a plane surface.
Map scale: The relationship between a distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the earth's surface.
Mark: An object, for example an imprinted metal disc, used to designate a survey point. It is usually associated with terms such as reference mark, azimuth mark or bench mark.
Material culture: A term that refers to the physical objects created by a culture. This could include the buildings, tools and other artefacts created by the members of a society.
Measuring scales: Measuring scales allow the user to represent a subject or drawing to a recognisable reduction or constant ratio of the actual or proposed size. Many early scales were made of silver, ivory, bone or boxwood.
Mercator projection: A conformal cylindrical projection tangential to the Equator. Rhumb lines on this projection are represented as straight lines.
Meridian: A straight line connecting the North and South Poles and traversing points of equal longitude.
Metes and bounds: The oldest known form of describing the perimeter of a parcel of land. The method of describing the boundary of a parcel of land in which the bearing and length of each successive line is given. Lines may also be described as following some apparent line, for example the bank of a stream.
MGA94: The Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates of eastings, northings, and zones generated from GDA94 are called Map Grid of Australia 1994 coordinates.
Mosaic: A number of continuous aerial photographs overlapped and joined together by way of 'best fit' to form a single non-rectified image.
Orthophoto: Aerial photograph images transformed using an 'orthophoto verification' process to remove distortions and capable of registering perfectly with cadastral data.
Overlay: Information recorded on a transparent medium, superimposed and registered to one or more other records.
Peg: Used to mark survey corners on smaller portions or acreage. The size of the peg was determined by the 'Rules and Directions for the Guidance of Surveyors' editions. These referred to various land acts of the time from the 1860s onwards.
Photogrammetry: The science of obtaining reliable measurements by photography.
Photolithography: The process used in a semiconductor operation, which transfers the pattern of an image held on a photomask, onto a flat substrate surface. It follows similar principles to conventional lithography.
PLI: The Property Location Index is a database which provides a link between the parcel identifier (lot on plan) and its location address. It is considered the point of truth for location addresses.
Rectification: The mathematical and calculated correction made to an aerial photograph to show its true ground position at a consistent scale.
Rhumb line: A straight line connecting two points on the earth's surface which cuts all meridians at the same angle. The line maintains a constant bearing.
RIME: The Resource Information Management Environment provides for the storage, management and dissemination of extensible digital topographic data held within the Department of Natural Resources and Water. It is a seamless, multi-scale environment covering Queensland.
Run: A large area of land in which squatters could depasture their stock without a lot of fencing necessary. Employed shepherds looked after various areas of the runs. Runs became consolidated pastoral holdings. Many of the runs were about 25 sq miles in area and later became parishes.
Sahul: This is the name given to the continent when Australia and New Guinea were a single landmass during the Pleistocene era. During this period, sea levels were approximately 150 metres lower than present levels.
Sandy Blight: A layman's term for chronic infection of the eyes with the trachoma organism, possibly leading to blindness. It is believed early European settlers brought the trachoma to Australia. Their poor hygiene evident in the low standard housing conditions, along with the dirt, heat and flies, caused the disease to become widespread. As living conditions improved, Sandy Blight in Australia had all but disappeared by the 1930s.
SCDB: The Survey Control Database is a computerised record of the State's geodetic survey control data. Surveyors place and connect to these survey control points. The geodetic network provides a spatial reference framework for all surveys.
Selection: Runs were subdivided into selections for farming, agriculture and grazing homesteads. After a period of yearly rental payments, the selector could often obtain freehold ownership.
SMIS: SmartMap Information Services is an electronic application that accesses, integrates and delivers (through the SmartMap interface) data available from many land-related datasets. These include ATS, DCDB, CISP, PLI, SCDB, Place Names and Aerial Photography Databases.
Spatial information: Data that has a geographical reference to a location on the earth's surface. This includes latitude and longitude co-ordinates, street address and lot number on plan.
SunPOZ: Developed within the Dept of Natural Resources and Water, SunPOZ uses Virtual Reference Station technology by bringing together GPS architecture, networked computers and mobile phone communications to output centimetre-accurate positions in real time.
Survey post: Posts used on corners of large rural size blocks of land or town section corners. They were sharpened to a point, buried in the ground and exposed approximately 3'6" out of the ground.
Theodolite: Instrument used by a surveyor for measuring horizontal and vertical angles.
Tindale, Norman: A well known Australian anthropologist born in 1900. He was the curator of anthropology at the South Australian Museum for over 30 years. He is remembered for his work with the Australian Aborigines where he undertook the task of mapping Aboriginal Australia into language and territory groups along with the recording of numerous Aboriginal genealogies.
Topographic map: A detailed representation of cultural, hydrographic relief and vegetation features. These are depicted on a map on a designated projection and at a designated scale.
Transverse Mercator Projection: A projection similar to the Mercator projection, but has the cylinder tangent at a particular meridian rather than at the equator.
Trigonometrical survey: A concise method of surveying in which the stations are points on the ground located at vertices of a chain or network of triangles. The angles of the triangles are measured instrumentally and the sides are derived by computation from selected sides termed as baselines.
True north: The direction to the Earth's geographic North Pole.
VRS: Virtual Reference Station. See SunPOZ
Weichsel glaciation: The last glaciation of the ice age. An ice age is known as a period of low temperatures in the earth's climate causing an expansion of the earth's polar ice sheets and mountain glaciers. There have been approximately four distinct ice ages during the earth's history.

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Mapping & surveying

Glossary of terms