Updated: 02 Jun 2003

About MAPDATA

Geoscience Australia began capturing digital map data in the early 1970s, primarily for map production purposes. These data have a structure and graphical accuracy well suited to the reproduction of maps at the same or smaller scales to the source material. However, the data may vary greatly in quality depending on the method of capture and digitising specifications in place at the time of capture. These data are best suited to graphical applications and are often referred to as mapdata.

Mapdata products use the geometric objects of points and lines to provide map detail. Points are used to depict point map features or symbols, while lines are used to depict linear features such as roads and rivers or to delimit the boundaries of area features such as lakes and large buildings. The cartographic feature represented by the point or line is given by a feature code.

Mapdata are most suitable for use as a graphical backdrop but they can be used for more sophisticated GIS applications after some restructuring by the user.

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