This program aims to create a widely adopted standard across Australia and New Zealand for exchanging digital cadastral survey information between the survey industry and government land administration agencies.

With support from the Spatial Information Council (ANZLIC), ICSM’s land administration agencies are working together to develop a 3D Cadastral Survey Data Model (3DCSDM) and suitable exchange mechanism.

The 3DCSDM is a harmonised data model that accurately represents all aspects of cadastral survey datasets (including 3D) required by the nine land administration authorities in Australia and New Zealand. 

The cadastral survey datasets incorporate the information that would typically be provided to a land administration agency in the form of a ‘survey plan’. 

ICSM is looking to adopt the model and exchange mechanism as the future framework for implementation by jurisdictions.  Implementation will be up to individual jurisdictions. 

This work is intended to ultimately enable cadastral systems to be maintained through a fully digital supply chain.  This includes enabling surveyors who already operate with digital data daily to efficiently provide the information for lodgement in a digital package.

The first 3D CSDM project (2021-2022) was contracted to a consortium led by Surround Ltd who developed a conceptual and logical cadastral data model along with an associated Final Report .  

They also produced a Data Exchange Option Report and a recommendation to use JSON as the encoding standard.

Reference Implementation Project 2023

Following on from the first project, a second project has been initiated to exercise and test the model and the proposed JSON encoding mechanism.  The project will develop a reference implementation to test the mechanism for transferring 2D cadastral survey data.  The 3D elements in the model are not being tested in the same way but will be refined as part of this project.  

ICSM has again contracted Surround Ltd to undertake this work, which is planned to be completed in early 2024.

The project will involve close engagement with survey software providers to help ensure that the solution can be implemented consistently throughout all jurisdictions.

Additional Material

Media Statement: 10 May 2023 - Prototyping the lodgement of digital cadastral survey datasets.

FIG 2023 Paper: No More Survey Plans! Towards Fully Digital Cadastral Survey Datasets