PLEASE NOTE: There is a more recent version of this product which can be accessed via the link on the right hand pane. It has been widely recognised that Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data is a valuable resource for estimating the geometry of natural and artificial features. While the LiDAR point cloud data can be extremely detailed and difficult to use for the recognition and extraction of three dimensional objects, the Digital Elevation Model and Digital Surface Model are useful for rapidly estimating the horizontal extent of features and the height variations across those features. This has utility in describing the characteristics of buildings or other artificial structures. LiDAR is an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance from the sensor to a target area by illuminating the target area with light, often using pulses from a laser scanner. LiDAR has many applications in a broad range of fields, including aiding in mapping features beneath forest canopies, creating high resolution digital elevation and surface models. A Digital Surface Model (DSM) represents the earth's surface and includes all objects on it, while the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) represents the bare ground surface without any natural or artificial objects such as vegetation, structures and buildings. The Building Geometry Model (BGM) application is a Python-based software system, used to execute ArcGIS geoprocessing routines developed by Geoscience Australia, which can derive the horizontal and vertical extents and geometry information of building and other elevated features from LiDAR data. The Building Geometry Model algorithms were developed in response to the availability of LiDAR data for the development of exposure information for natural hazard risk analysis. The LiDAR derivatives were used to estimate building footprint areas, inter-storey heights across areas occupied by buildings, and eventually an estimate of gross floor area of different types of buildings. The design and development of the BGM application started in February 2012 as part of a natural hazard risk analysis project in the Philippines. Many of the examples of interface usage in this document contain references to locations and terms used in the Philippines. However, the BGM application has been designed to process data regardless of its geographic location. The object-oriented programming techniques and design patterns were used in the software design and development. In order to provide users with a convenient interface to run the application on Microsoft® Windows, a Python-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) was implemented in March 2012 and significantly improved in the subsequent months. The application can be either run as a command-line program or start via the GUI. The BGM application is currently benchmarked as Version 1.0 as it is still under development. This document is a user guide to the BGM GUI. It describes the main User Interface (UI) components, functionality and procedures for running the BGM processes via GUI.

The datasets contain spatial locations in point format as a representation of embassies, high commissions and consulate facilities/missions in Australia.

This point dataset contains the air traffic services centres in Australia.

Due to licence restrictions on the National Electricity Transmission Substations dataset, the metadata statement is the only information available for release. For further information contact clientservices@ga.gov.au The dataset held by GA contains the spatial locations for Electricity Transmission Substations in Australia in point format as a representation of the substation features.

GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 3 is a vector representation of the major topographic features appearing on the 1:250,000 scale NATMAPs. Data is arranged within specific themes. All data is based on the GDA94 coordinate system. The 250K transport data used in the National Map base map are seamless national datasets and cover the whole of Australia. The transport datasets have been updated since the GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 3 release.

This point dataset contains offshore Oil and Gas Platforms located in Australian waters that include infrastructure facilities for the extraction, processing and/or storage of oil and natural gas.

Note: A more recent version of this product is available. This dataset contains the high voltage electricity transmission lines that make up the electricity transmission network in Australia. For government use only. Access through negotiation with Geoscience Australia

Governments at the Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local level are committed to minimising the impact of natural disasters through a variety of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programs. Risk analysis is one of the processes undertaken to inform DRR decision making and policy development. It involves estimating the extent and severity of one or more natural hazards, understanding the location and characteristics of the 'elements at risk' from those hazards (also known as exposure) and modelling the vulnerability and response of those elements exposed to the subject hazards. Understanding the vulnerability of buildings is crucial in risk analysis activities, as damage to buildings can have significant direct and indirect impacts on individuals, communities, economies and the functioning of society at large. The development of quality spatially-enabled information is a key activity in the risk analysis process. After demonstrating a proof of concept in 2005-2006, Geoscience Australia has led the development of exposure information for Australia via the National Exposure Information System (NEXIS). Within NEXIS, currently available spatial and non-spatial data from various sources is routinely combined, reorganised for consistency, managed and supplied to stakeholders. The products derived from NEXIS enable risk analysis specialists and policy makers to access recent exposure information they require to analyse and assess the risk posed by the hazards in Australia. At the core of NEXIS is information about buildings. There are many challenges to developing and providing reliable information about buildings across the country. Through an offer of assistance from the ACT Government, Geoscience Australia has developed an innovative and rapid method to analyse and interpret cadastral data to estimate an important exposure attribute. This presentation describes the development of the method, the resulting benefits for exposure information in the ACT and outlines how cadastral data can improve DRR outcomes across Australia.

The dataset contains spatial locations in point format as a representation of Immigration Detention Facilities in Australia. Definition: Immigration detention centres primarily accommodate people who have overstayed their visa, breached their visa conditions and had their visa cancelled or have been refused entry at Australia's entry ports.

This point dataset contains the major desalination plants in Australia.