The Western Australian Surveying and Spatial Information Conference, which has just concluded in Perth, has seen the biggest ever attendance in its 14-year history and, for the first time ever, featured two streams.
Organised by SSSIWA, the conference featured a much wider range of topics and networking opportunities than in previous years, and also included an exhibition component for the first time, allowing sponsors to showcase their wares and connect directly with delegates.
Mining and engineering surveying delegates had the opportunity to demonstrate to a wider range of professionals their great skills and network with a diverse range of spatial professionals, as a separate stream catered for the resources sector.
“We have had over 200 delegates attend the conference over the two days,” said Eugene Brown, the organiser of the conference. “We have moved the conference from the university to a public place for the first time, we have had a second stream for the first time, as well as the exhibition booths.
“The feedback from the sponsors has been very positive, and I trust delegates have enjoyed the conference, too. We estimate around 30-40% of the attendees are from the resources sector. I think we have been able to provide the right kind and level of interest in the mix of presentations for delegates.”
With presentations ranging from historical topics such as “Mapping Colonial Northbridge and Creating a Historical GIS of Perth” and on re-surveying the Canning Stock Route, through talks on cadastral surveying, town planning and development, to technical papers on various aspects of engineering and mining surveying, as well as information on professional issues such as OH&S legislation, professional certification and “Is there a future for surveying?”, the conference catered for all interests.
One of the many thought-provoking presentations on new techniques and developments in the field were on GeoDesign, the merging of design and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology.
Esri Australia Western Australian business manager Tom Gardner said the concept – design within a geographical context – would help rewrite the book on community involvement in urban planning decisions.
“GeoDesign, underpinned by GIS technology, merges the creation of design proposals with simulations that show the impacts potential designs will have on communities, using location as a common element,” Mr Gardner said.
“GeoDesign can be used throughout a project’s various stages, but the good news for the community is that it can help foster greater participation and inclusivity in the public consultation phase.”
Mr Gardner said GeoDesign transformed traditional methods of stakeholder consultation from a linear process into an interactive one.
“When designs are traditionally released for public consultation, plans are usually displayed somewhere for the community to view, perhaps with a model or diagram of the design and some analysis in the forms of graphs or tables,” Mr Gardner said.
“While it’s a common practice, it lacks context and is unlikely to provide a clear view of the effects the development may have on wider aspects of the community.
“However, using GIS GeoDesign tools, we can play out multiple planning scenarios and immediately see the ramifications for areas of community importance such as employment opportunities, environment impact and public access to infrastructure.”
The next WASSIC is planned to take place in Perth in July 2012.
