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The objectives of these Regulations are—
to provide standards of measurement and accuracy of certain surveys; and
to provide requirements for the connection of certain surveys to existing surveys, permanent marks, and the survey control network; and
to provide forms, procedures, standards and other matters relating to surveying and the co-ordination of surveys.
These Regulations are made under section 22 of the Survey Co-ordination Act 1958.
These Regulations come into operation on 19 May 2024.
The following Regulations are revoked—
the Survey Co-ordination Regulations 2014[1];
the Survey Co-ordination Amendment Regulations 2015[2];
the Survey Co-ordination Amendment Regulations 2018[3].
In these Regulations—
AHD71 means the Australian Height Datum 1971, the national height reference system based on mean sea level zero observed from 1966 to 1968 and propagated across the continent through traditional levelling observations between permanent marks;
cadastral survey means a cadastral survey within the meaning of the Surveying Act 2004;
electronic plan means a survey plan prepared in an electronic format or medium other than as specified under the definition of a standard plan;
GDA2020 means the Geocentric Datum of Australia 2020, the national, three‑dimensional co-ordinate reference system based on the International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2014, held fixed at the reference epoch of 1 January 2020 and referenced to the Geodetic Reference System 1980 ellipsoid;
GNSS means Global Navigation Satellite Systems, being the generic term for describing satellite-based positioning systems;
MGA2020 means the Map Grid of Australia 2020, the system of horizontal co-ordinates derived from the Universal Transverse Mercator projection of the GDA2020;
place has the same meaning as in the Geographic Place Names Act 1998;
registered permanent mark means a permanent mark registered in accordance with regulation 10;
Registrar has the same meaning as in the Transfer of Land Act 1958;
standard plan means a survey plan in a form that is—
printed on paper; or
in a form or medium other than paper that is a representation of a paper plan;
survey control network has the same meaning as in the Surveying Act 2004;
survey control network mark means a survey mark that forms part of the survey control network that is a permanent mark or a primary cadastral mark and has adjusted MGA2020 co-ordinates;
Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations means the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations 2015[4] and any subsequent or amended version of those Regulations;
Surveyor-General means the office established under section 40 of the Surveying Act 2004;
the Act means the Survey Co-ordination Act 1958.
A permanent mark established under the Act must be—
of a durable, permanent and stable construction and material; and
in the form of—
a monument in Schedule 1; or
if such a monument is not practical, any other survey monument as adopted or authorised by the Surveyor-General in accordance with section 15 of the Act.
A permanent mark established under the Act must be registered in accordance with regulation 10.
A permanent mark established under the Act must be in a location—
where it is least likely to be subject to damage, disturbance or removal or to constitute a hazard; and
that facilitates horizontal and vertical connections to existing and future marks; and
where it is readily identifiable and easy to find; and
that provides the most stable location available.
If a box-cover is used to protect a permanent mark, it must—
be constructed of durable and permanent material; and
be constructed in a rigid manner enabling the maximum protection that is practicable to be afforded to the permanent mark; and
be set centrally over the permanent mark with the top of the cover flush with the ground or surface on which it is set and the base not less than 50 millimetres above the top of the permanent mark.
If a marker post or indicator is used to locate or protect a permanent mark, the marker post or indicator must be placed vertically in the ground where it does not constitute a hazard, not less than 300 millimetres from the centre of the permanent mark and independent of any medium in which the permanent mark is set.
Permanent marks on surveys of 1000 metres or more in length must be placed so that no 2 marks are more than 1000 metres apart unless an alternate distance is specified or approved by the Surveyor-General.
A surveyor or proper officer responsible for the establishment of a permanent mark must—
ensure that a separate sketch plan for the permanent mark is prepared; and
forward the sketch plan to the Central Plan Office within 60 days after the establishment of the permanent mark.
A surveyor or proper officer who locates an existing permanent mark that is not a registered permanent mark must—
ensure that a separate sketch plan for the existing permanent mark is prepared; and
forward the sketch plan to the Central Plan Office within 60 days after the location of the existing permanent mark.
A sketch plan must—
be set out in a notice that is certified by the surveyor who established or located the permanent mark confirming—
that the information in the notice is correct; and
that the permanent mark was established or located on the ground by the surveyor in accordance with these Regulations; and
that the connecting measurements and observations were made by the surveyor in accordance with these Regulations; and
show the type or description of the permanent mark with sufficient connections to the nearest road intersection, buildings, fences, poles, survey marks, survey monuments or other permanent marks to enable the future location of the permanent mark and the recording of the mark on plans; and
show all cadastral boundaries as broken lines, unless the boundaries have been verified by a licensed surveyor; and
show a connection to either the nearest property boundary or named street or road; and
specify MGA2020 Easting and Northing co‑ordinates and associated zone for the permanent mark; and
indicate the existence of any marker post, indicator or box-cover; and
specify the parish name and registration number for the permanent mark allocated in accordance with regulation 10; and
be capable of legible reproduction by photographic or other methods.
A surveyor who for the purposes of the Act obtains additional connections to an existing permanent mark or surrounding features must ensure that a supplementary sketch plan is prepared and forwarded to the Central Plan Office within 60 days after obtaining the additional connections.
The supplementary sketch plan must be set out in a notice that complies with the requirements in regulation 8(3).
On receipt of an application, the Surveyor-General must ensure that each permanent mark—
is assigned a parish name and registration number; and
is registered at the Central Plan Office.
A surveyor or proper officer must—
apply for a permanent mark registration number prior to lodging a sketch plan at the Central Plan Office; and
include the parish name and registration number of the permanent mark on the sketch plan or the supplementary sketch plan.
For the purposes of section 16 of the Act, if a permanent mark is removed in accordance with that section, the responsible surveyor or proper officer must—
wherever practicable, notify the Surveyor‑General before the removal; and
if required by the Surveyor-General—
relate the permanent mark horizontally and vertically to adjacent survey monuments and survey marks before the mark is removed; and
ensure that connections conform to not less than the standard of precision of the survey used for establishing the recorded position of the permanent mark;
if required by the Surveyor-General, the responsible surveyor or proper officer must—
establish a new permanent mark in accordance with section 6 of the Act to replace the mark that was removed; and
prepare a sketch plan for the replacement mark in accordance with regulation 8;
if a replacement mark is not established, the surveyor or proper officer must notify the Surveyor-General in writing within 60 days after the removal of a permanent mark giving the particulars of the relationship between the permanent mark removed and a permanent mark in the vicinity;
if a replacement mark is established, the surveyor or proper officer must notify the Surveyor-General in writing within 60 days after the replacement of a permanent mark giving particulars of the relationship between the permanent mark that was removed and the replacement mark.
For the purposes of section 5 of the Act, a notice of intention to commence a survey or a notice that a survey has commenced must set out the following particulars—
the date on which the survey will be, or was, commenced; and
the location and extent of the survey; and
the type of survey; and
the name of the department or public authority; and
the name of the surveyor or proper officer responsible for the survey; and
any other particulars relevant to the survey.