NATMAP 1:250,000 scale legend

Relief Vegetation Hydography Offshore & Coastal features Boundaries

Roads Railways Road and Railway associated features Population centres Aircraft facilities Cultural features

RELIEF FEATURES

	Contour with value; Depression contour	Contours are lines representing an imaginary line on the ground joining points of equal elevation in relation to the Australian Height Datum. The 1:250,000 scale NATMAPs shown contours at intervals of 50 metres.
	Horizontal control point	A point on the ground determined by geodetic survey. Only prominent points are shown.
	Spot height/Elevation	A selection of spot elevations are made that best show terrain, change of slope and the high and low points. The highest spot elevation on the map is shown in large type
	Pinnacle	Significant tall slender spire shaped rock. May be labelled.
	Cave or sinkhole	The mouth of a subterranean chamber.
	Cliff	A high, steep, significant or overhanging face of rock. Only features higher than 25m are shown.
	Sand	Areas greater than 39ha predominantly covered by sand and devoid of vegetation.
	Sand dunes	Areas greater than 39ha where mounds of crescent shaped loose sand exist that are usually at right angles to the prevailing winds.
	Sand ridges	Sand drifts (longer than 250 metres) in long ridges tending parallel to and elongating in the direction of the prevailing winds. The average height of the sand ridges above the surrounding terrain is shown.
	Distorted surface	Area larger than 39ha characterised by fractures, joints, faults, gilgai or broken stone that is difficult or impassable for vehicles.
	Rocky outcrop	Area larger than 39ha of large rocks or boulders.

Craters may be shown as a labelled feature only.

VEGETATION

	Forest or scrubland	An area greater than 25ha with greater than 20% canopy cover of trees or scrub.
	Rainforest	An area greater than 39ha of dense mixed forest generally in excess of 25m high and having greater than 85% ground cover.
	Windbreak	A line of trees or scrub longer than 1.25km positioned to break the force of the prevailing wind.
	Pine plantation	Coniferous trees planted in an orderly pattern. Area is greater than 39ha.
	Orchard, Vineyard, Plantation other than pine	Orderly planting of trees, bushes or vines greater than 39ha.

HYDROGRAPHIC FEATURES

	Watercourse	A natural channel along which water may flow from time to time. The rainfall graph in the map marginalia is provided to assist map users to assess the likelihood of water.
	Canal or drain	An artificial watercourse used for inland navigation, irrigation or drainage.
	Perennial lake or Reservoir; Non-perennial lake	A lake is a naturally occurring body of mainly static water surrounded by land. A reservoir is a body of water collected and stored behind a constructed barrier (dam) for some specific use (i.e. artificial). Features that hold water for 1 whole year for at least 9 years out of ten are classed perennial. Reservoirs less than 39ha and lakes less than 6ha use the tank point symbol.
	*Bore or *well; *tank or *small dam; *Windpump	Man-made water and associated features. Only selected features are shown in some areas - see the Feature Capture Guide. Bore or well: a small diameter hole in the ground for the purpose of obtaining subterranean water by natural flow or mechanical pumping. Tank or small dam: a feature constructed on or below the ground for the storage of water. Reservoirs less than 39ha and lakes less than 6ha which do not lie on a watercourse may be shown using this symbol. Windpump: A tower fitted with a wind-driven pump. Where a windpump and other water features are situated together, only the windpump is shown as it usually has the greater landmark value.
	Waterhole or Spring	Naturally occurring water features. A waterhole is a natural depression which holds water, within a non-perennial watercourse or a non-perennial lake. Lakes less than 6ha in size which lie on non-perennial watercourses may be shown using this symbol. A spring is a place where water issues from the ground naturally (i.e. not in a watercourse or lake).
	Land subject to inundation	An area of land greater than 140ha regularly covered with floodwater for short periods.
	Swamp	An area of land greater than 156ha that is so saturated with water that it is not suitable for agricultural or pastoral use.

There are a number of features not listed above which may appear on the maps, including

• lock (an enclosure in a waterbody with gates at both ends to raise or lower the water level to enable vessels to pass from one level to another);
• rapids (an area of broken, fast flowing water in a watercourse, where the slope of the bed increases, or where a gently dipping bar of harder rock outcrops above the water;
• spillway (a channel or duct formed around the side of a reservoir past the end of a dam, to convey flood discharge from the watercourse above the reservoir into the watercourse below the dam);
• settling pond (shallow beds, usually segmented by constructed walls, for the treatment of sewage or other wastes, or used for aquaculture);
• waterfall (a sudden descent of water over a step or ledge in the bed of a watercourse.

These features have an accompanying descriptive label or are named features.

OFFSHORE & COASTAL FEATURES

	Saline coastal flat	A nearly level tract of land between mean high water and the line of highest tide. Area is greater than 39ha.
	Foreshore flat	Seabed or estuarine area greater than 39ha between mean high water and the lowest tide.
	Wreck	Visible wrecks, as well as submerged features which are a danger to shipping and those of historic significance.
	Lighthouse	Building or structure housing a light used as a navigation aid. Lighthouses are shown for their landmark value and may not be operational.
	Mangrove	An area of land greater than 39ha, between low and high water vegetated with mangrove plants.
	Reef; shoal	A reef consists of rock or coral exposed between mean high water and approximate lowest tide; a shoal consists of rock, mud or sand just below approximate lowest tide. Both features are visually prominent or a hazard to shipping. Reefs and shoals shown at 1:250,000 scale are greater than 39ha.
	Sea wall	Structure longer than 250m used to prevent erosion by the sea.
	Breakwater	A solid structure longer than 250m used to break the force of the waves to protect an anchorage.
	Wharf, jetty or pier	Structure used as a promenade or platform for loading passengers or cargo.
	Rock, bare or awash	A hazard to shipping

There are a number of features not listed above which may appear on the maps, including

• dry dock (a structure or basin providing support for a vessel and from which water can be removed so that the bottom of the vessel is exposed);
• boat ramp (a sloping construction to facilitate launching or retrieving vessels from water);

These features have an accompanying descriptive label or are named features.

BOUNDARIES

	State / territory border	Borders that do not follow physical features are drawn according to the surveyed monuments on the ground.
	International border	May be shown as the line of seabed jurisdictions. Refer to the Maritime Boundaries pages on the Geoscience Australia website. The line is thicker than the State Border line.
	Reserve area	Public land reserved for forestry, conservation of native species, fossils, aboriginal areas, historic mining areas etc. Information is provided by the relevant State authorities. Small reserves may be amalgamated to improve map legibility.
	Prohibited area	Area where permission is likely to be required for entry.

• Roads
• Railways
• Road and Railway associated features
• Population centres
• Aircraft facilities
• Cultural features