Geomatics Division

The Geomatics Division is a part of the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics within the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. We have a strong industry reputation in terms of graduate attributes and are respected as leading impactful research and communicating this broadly with individual staff contributing in leading roles in national, regional and international professional and academic associations. 

Geomatics is an applied science and a professional discipline. As an applied science it involves an integrated approach to the measurement, analysis, management, and display of geographic and other spatial data. As a professional discipline, geomaticians have specialist skills, knowledge, and understanding in order to provide services that meet the needs of society and which that contribute to social and political stability, quality of life and the management of natural heritage and resources. Geomatics professionals may be involved in designing, conducting and managing activities relating to surveying, geography, geospatial information systems, land development and planning, land law and geospatial commerce.  Geomatics professionals use the latest satellite, laser, acoustic, and machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data and information technologies and are continually branching into new challenging areas of specialisation.

Graduates of geomatics may typically be found working in the following specialist domains: 

• Land and engineering surveyors are involved in property and infrastructure development. They locate property boundaries, create new ones, control the setting out of buildings, roads, dams and bridges in the correct locations on the ground. They may also be involved in land administration and ensuring that people have secure land rights. These professionals often work in both the office and on site using the latest technology in surveying to capture new spatial data. They use robotic and satellite equipment for this purpose. They may be involved in monitoring large structures over time to make sure that they are safe.
• Geoinformatics practitioners are involved in mapping, modelling and analysis using geospatial tools such as Geographical Information Systems, remotely sensed images from space, airplanes, and drones. They may also incorporate airborne laser scanning to create 3D models of cities, for example. There are many applications in preserving and managing our natural resources, mitigating risks such as those of sea level rise and global warming.
• Hydrographic surveyors work with offshore spatial data for mapping the sea bed and offshore infrastructure such as cables and pipes, and creating offshore diagrams for offshore rights to minerals and petroleum resources, aquaculture, electricity generation infrastructure etc.