May 2007

• Geoscience Australia leads the spatial revolution

Geoscience Australia leads the spatial revolution

A national roads database, a system for assessing national risk from natural hazards, and a rare insight into cyclone behaviour are just some of the topics that Geoscience Australia staff will be presenting at this year's Spatial Sciences conference in Hobart.

The biennial conference theme for 2007 is The Spatial Sciences Revolution - Powering the Information Generation, and Geoscience Australia has no less than eight presenters representing the organisation.

Simon Costello, a manager in the National Mapping and Information Group of Geoscience Australia, talks about the increasing need for improved road and associated infrstructure information to meet the demands of national security, emergency management, critical infrastructure protection, transport management & safety, and tourism.

Simon's presentation, titled potholes, roadblocks, roundabouts and green lights, also highlights the increasing demand for more sophisticated information from the general public, being driven by the popularity of in-car navigation systems.

"This new technology leads us to recognise that a robust and (inter)nationally consistent approach to capturing, maintaining and distributing vital road information is now required for everyday users as well as government use," said Simon.

Other speakers include:
Neil Corby - Natural hazard risk research following Tropical Cyclone Larry
David Beard - Using 3D models for visualising geoscience information via the World Wide Web
Krishna Nadimpalli - National exposure information system for risk assessment

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