National Topographic Information Coordination Initiative (NTICI)

The framework under which a collegiate approach to topographic mapping of Australia will be undertaken is the National Topographic Information Coordination Initiative (NTICI). Through NTICI, ICSM’s Permanent Committee on Topoographic Information (PCTI) plans to develop, a whole of government approach to the collection, availability and maintenance of topographic information to meet the needs of governments and the public — adding value to the topographic layers of the NSII (National Spatial Information Infrastructure) whilst recognising the different but complementary roles and responsibilities of the spatial data agencies in the different jurisdictions.

Australian Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy

ICSM fully revised the existing standard for describing the spatial accuracy of digital data: Spatial Data Horizontal Accuracy Standard in 2009.

The original was developed in the 1950’s and revised in the 1970’s - the National Mapping Council’s Special Publication #3 (SP3), Standards of Map Accuracy (2nd edition, December 1975). This was a very simplistic standard which had not kept up with modern technology and expectations.

It must be noted however, that this new standard does not replace the vertical accuracy standard contained in SP3:

"Vertical accuracy, as applied to the contours of standard published maps shall be consistent with the criterion that not more than 10 percent of the elevations tested shall be in error by more than one-half of the contour interval. In checking elevations taken from the map, the apparent vertical error may be decreased by assuming a horizontal displacement within the permissible horizontal error for a map of that scale."

The Topographic Feature Catalogue

The Standardised National Feature Codes document describes a national standard set of feature codes and feature definitions for topographic data.  The document brings together a diverse group of data dictionaries and standards into a single amalgamated set of feature codes and feature definitions.  Where possible, ICSMs Harmonised Data Model (HDM) feature definitions have been used. 

Topographic Map Symbols

A set of nationally consistent topographic map symbols is available in pdf format.

The SCAR Feature Catalogue for Antarctica

This feature catalogue was developed by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre for international use under the umbrella of SCAR.  The catalogue is available as an online database at http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/ftc/.  It conforms to International Standard ISO 19110 - Feature Cataloguing Methodology.