(b) the Survey Co-ordination Amendment Regulations 2015[2];
(c) the Survey Co-ordination Amendment Regulations 2018[3].
5 Definitions
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—
(a) printed on paper; or
(b) 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.
Part 2—Permanent marks
6 Permanent marks
A permanent mark established under the Act must be—
(a) of a durable, permanent and stable construction and material; and
(b) in the form of—
(i) a monument in Schedule 1; or
(ii) 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.
7 Establishment of permanent marks
(1) A permanent mark established under the Act must be registered in accordance with regulation 10.
(2) A permanent mark established under the Act must be in a location—
(a) where it is least likely to be subject to damage, disturbance or removal or to constitute a hazard; and
(b) that facilitates horizontal and vertical connections to existing and future marks; and
(c) where it is readily identifiable and easy to find; and
(d) that provides the most stable location available.
(3) If a box-cover is used to protect a permanent mark, it must—
(a) be constructed of durable and permanent material; and
(b) be constructed in a rigid manner enabling the maximum protection that is practicable to be afforded to the permanent mark; and
(c) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) 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.
8 Permanent mark sketch plan
(1) A surveyor or proper officer responsible for the establishment of a permanent mark must—
(a) ensure that a separate sketch plan for the permanent mark is prepared; and
(b) forward the sketch plan to the Central Plan Office within 60 days after the establishment of the permanent mark.
(2) A surveyor or proper officer who locates an existing permanent mark that is not a registered permanent mark must—
(a) ensure that a separate sketch plan for the existing permanent mark is prepared; and
(b) forward the sketch plan to the Central Plan Office within 60 days after the location of the existing permanent mark.
(3) A sketch plan must—
(a) be set out in a notice that is certified by the surveyor who established or located the permanent mark confirming—
(i) that the information in the notice is correct; and
(ii) that the permanent mark was established or located on the ground by the surveyor in accordance with these Regulations; and
(iii) that the connecting measurements and observations were made by the surveyor in accordance with these Regulations; and
(b) 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
(c) show all cadastral boundaries as broken lines, unless the boundaries have been verified by a licensed surveyor; and
(d) show a connection to either the nearest property boundary or named street or road; and
(e) specify MGA2020 Easting and Northing co‑ordinates and associated zone for the permanent mark; and
(f) indicate the existence of any marker post, indicator or box-cover; and
(g) specify the parish name and registration number for the permanent mark allocated in accordance with regulation 10; and
(h) be capable of legible reproduction by photographic or other methods.
9 Supplementary sketch plans
(1) 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.
(2) The supplementary sketch plan must be set out in a notice that complies with the requirements in regulation 8(3).
10 Registration and numbering of permanent marks
(1) On receipt of an application, the Surveyor-General must ensure that each permanent mark—
(a) is assigned a parish name and registration number; and
(b) is registered at the Central Plan Office.
(2) A surveyor or proper officer must—
(a) apply for a permanent mark registration number prior to lodging a sketch plan at the Central Plan Office; and
(b) include the parish name and registration number of the permanent mark on the sketch plan or the supplementary sketch plan.
11 Removal and replacement of permanent marks
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—
(a) wherever practicable, notify the Surveyor‑General before the removal; and
(b) if required by the Surveyor-General—
(i) relate the permanent mark horizontally and vertically to adjacent survey monuments and survey marks before the mark is removed; and
(ii) 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;
(c) if required by the Surveyor-General, the responsible surveyor or proper officer must—
(i) establish a new permanent mark in accordance with section 6 of the Act to replace the mark that was removed; and
(ii) prepare a sketch plan for the replacement mark in accordance with regulation 8;
(d) 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;
(e) 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.
Part 3—Surveys
12 Notice of intention to commence new surveys
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—
(a) the date on which the survey will be, or was, commenced; and
(b) the location and extent of the survey; and
(c) the type of survey; and
(d) the name of the department or public authority; and
(e) the name of the surveyor or proper officer responsible for the survey; and
(f) any other particulars relevant to the survey.
13 Bearings of surveys
(1) A surveyor carrying out a survey for registration under the Act must use the appropriate zone of the MGA2020 indicated in Column 2 of Schedule 2 for the survey.
(2) For the purposes of a survey for registration under the Act, parishes shown in Column 1 of Schedule 2 are to be regarded as lying wholly within the zone indicated in Column 2 of Schedule 2.
14 Survey equipment
A surveyor must use and maintain survey equipment that—
(a) has been compared to a standard of measurement in the following units of measurement—
(i) for length—metres; and
(ii) for angles—degrees, minutes and seconds; and
(b) is capable of achieving the levels of precision required by regulation 7 of the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations.
15 Connections of surveys to permanent marks
(1) If connecting a survey to a permanent mark, a surveyor must—
(a) connect the survey to the mark in a manner consistent with regulation 7 of the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations; and
(b) unless connecting in a closed traverse, include at least one independent verifying check measurement.
(2) For a survey undertaken by a surveyor that is to be lodged with either the Registrar or the Surveyor‑General and connects to 2 or more permanent marks—
(a) the connections must be sufficient for the determination of bearing and distance between those marks; and
(b) appropriate bearings and distances must be shown on the field notes and the plan of the survey.
16 Connections of surveys to survey control network marks
(1) When required by the Surveyor-General, a conventional terrestrial survey must—
(a) be directly connected to 2 or more survey control network marks that are—
(i) properly verified as to position at the time of survey; and
(ii) at least 200 metres apart; and
(iii) subject to subregulation (2), within a 500 metre radius of the survey or a greater distance from the survey if the connection to the survey can be made by establishing no more than 3 instrument points from each survey control network mark; or
(b) be indirectly connected to the survey control network by connection to at least 2 survey or permanent marks in a survey already connected or proposed to be connected to the survey control network that are—
(i) properly verified as to position at the time of survey; and
(ii) at least 200 metres apart.
(2) Where connection to at least 2 survey control network marks within the parameters specified in subregulation(1)(a)(iii) is not practicable, a conventional terrestrial survey must be directly connected to survey control network marks in accordance with subregulation (3).
(3) A GNSS survey must be directly connected to at least one survey control network mark that is—
(a) properly verified as to position at the time of the survey; and
(b) the closest to the survey that is suitable for GNSS observation.
17 Plan forms
(1) Plans prepared by or on behalf of a department or public authority that are required to be forwarded to the Surveyor-General under the Act or these Regulations must be in a form that is either—
(a) a standard plan; or
(b) an electronic plan.
(2) The Surveyor-General may require plans to be in one or more of the forms referred to in subregulation (1).
(3) A standard plan must—
(a) comply with the requirements specified in regulation 18; and
(b) be signed in accordance with regulation 20.
(4) An electronic plan must—
(a) comply with the requirements specified in regulation 19; and
(b) be signed or authorised in accordance with regulation 20.
18 Standard plans
(1) A standard plan must—
(a) be drawn using conventional lines, letters, numerals and symbols; and
(b) display a north point indicating the basis for orientation of the plan which—
(i) must be either MGA2020 Zone 54 or MGA2020 Zone 55; or
(ii) where MGA2020 Zone 54 or MGA2020 Zone 55 are not able to be used, uses an alternate bearing datum; and
(c) display a scale bar and the scale of the plan also expressed as a representative ratio; and
(d) so far as is practicable, be drawn in conformity with standard map and plan systems related to MGA2020 and AHD71; and
(e) if the plan includes the name of a place, use the current geographic name registered in the Register of Geographic Names under the Geographic Place Names Act 1998; and
(f) conform to one of the trimmed sheet sizes listed in Schedule 3; and
(g) contain a new version number each time the plan is amended or altered; and
(h) contain the plan number.
(2) If a standard plan comprises more than one sheet—
(a) each sheet must be consecutively numbered; and
(b) the first sheet of the plan must be annotated with the following statement "Sheet 1 of [total number of sheets] sheets"; and
(c) each sheet must contain the plan number specified in subregulation (1)(h).
19 Electronic plan
An electronic plan must—
(a) contain a new version number each time it is amended or altered; and
(b) if the plan includes the name of a place, use the current geographic name registered in the Register of Geographic Names under the Geographic Place Names Act 1998; and
(c) contain the plan number.
20 Signing or authorising of plans
(1) The first sheet of a standard plan must be signed and dated by the surveyor who carried out or superintended the survey on behalf of the department or public authority.
(2) Each sheet of a standard plan must be signed and dated by—
(a) a licensed surveyor if the standard plan—
(i) is prepared by the licensed surveyor; or
(ii) is based on a cadastral survey; or
(b) the Surveyor-General if the standard plan—
(i) is prepared on behalf of the Surveyor‑General; and
(ii) is not based on a cadastral survey carried out for the purpose of making that plan.
(3) An electronic plan must be signed or authorised and dated by the surveyor who carried out or superintended the survey.
(4) A person signing a standard plan may use an electronic signature.
(5) A person signing or authorising an electronic plan may use an electronic signature or authorisation.
(6) By signing or authorising a plan a surveyor certifies that the plan and any related survey is accurate.
21 Classification of surveys and plans
(1) For the purposes of section 6(3) of the Act, the standards of measurement and accuracy with which a survey must be carried out are—
(a) the standards required by regulation 7 of the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations; and
(b) the requirements set out in subregulations (2) and (3).
(2) A surveyor must certify the survey plan or field notes, or both if applicable, as to the accuracy or classification of the survey.
(3) For plans produced by a department or public authority, the responsible proper officer must ensure that the classification of the plan is indicated by a double letter for graphical precision, a numeral for contour precision or a combination of both, if applicable, as set out in Schedule 4.
22 Form of Central Plan Register
For the purposes of section 8(1) of the Act, the Central Plan Register must show the following information—
(a) the particulars of each plan or survey that has been forwarded to the Surveyor-General under section 7 of the Act;
(b) the location of any plan recorded under section 8(1) of the Act.
Schedule 1—Permanent survey mark types
Regulation 6
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Schedule 2—MGA2020 Zones
Regulation 13
Column 1<br>County or part of county
Column 2<br>MGA2020 Zone
All Parishes in the counties of—
Anglesey
55
Benambra
55
Bendigo (except Parish of Tarnagulla)
55
Parish of Tarnagulla
54
Bogong
55
Borung
54
Bourke
55
Buln Buln
55
Croajingolong
55
Dalhousie
55
Dargo
55
Delatite
55
Dundas
54
Evelyn
55
Follett
54
Gladstone
54
Grant (except the following Parishes in the County of Grant)
55
Parish of Ballarat
Parish of Bungal
Parish of Bungaree
Parish of Buninyong
Parish of Clarendon
54
Parish of Kerrit Bareet
Parish of Korweinguboora
Parish of Lal Lal
Parish of Moorarbool West
Parish of Warrenheip
Grenville
54
Gunbower (except the Parish of Benjeroop)
55
Parish of Benjeroop
54
Hampden
54
Heytesbury
54
Kara Kara
54
Karkarooc
54
Lowan
54
Millewa
54
Moira
55
Mornington
55
Normanby
54
Polwarth (except the following Parishes in the County of Polwarth)
54
Parish of Angahook
Parish of Boonah
55
Parish of Tutegong
Parish of Wensleydale
Ripon
54
Rodney
55
Talbot (except the following Parishes in the County of Talbot)
Schedule 4—Classification of plans under regulation 21(3)
Regulation 21(3)
Classification of graphical precisionPlotted positional error of any point not to exceed
AA 1 mm
90% of all points shall be correct within one half of the maximum positional error indicated.
BB 2 mm
CC 3 mm
DD Any lesser precision
Classification of contour precisionInterpolated elevation error of any point not to exceed
1 One contour interval
90% of all interpolated elevations must be correct within one half of the contour interval(s) indicated.
2 One and one half
contour intervals
3 Two contour intervals
4 Any lesser precision
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Endnotes
1 General information
See www.legislation.vic.gov.au for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.
The Survey Co-ordination Regulations 2024, S.R. No. 31/2024 were made on 14 May 2024 by the Lieutenant-Governor as the Governor's deputy, with the advice of the Executive Council, under section 22 of the Survey Co‑ordination Act 1958, No. 6388/1958 and came into operation on 19 May 2024: regulation 3.
The Survey Co-ordination Regulations 2024 will sunset 10 years after the day of making on 14 May 2034 (see section 5 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994).
INTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)
Style changes
Section 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.
References to ILA s. 39B
Sidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression "(1)" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.
Interpretation
As from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:
• Headings
All headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after
1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.
This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.
See section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).
• Examples, diagrams or notes
All examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).
• Punctuation
All punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after
1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.
See section 36(3B).
• Provision numbers
All provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after
1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).
• Location of "legislative items"
A "legislative item" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.
• Other material
Any explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).
2 Table of Amendments
There are no amendments made to the Survey Co-ordination Regulations 2024 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.
3 Explanatory details
Reg. 4(a): S.R. No. 39/2014 as amended by S.R. Nos 44/2015 and 190/2018. ↑
Reg. 5 def. of Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations: S.R. No. 43/2015 as amended by S.R. No. 189/2018.
——
Table of Applied, Adopted or Incorporated Matter
The following table of applied, adopted or incorporated matter was included in S.R. No. 31/2024 in accordance with the requirements of regulation 5 of the Subordinate Legislation Regulations 2014.
| **Statutory rule provision** | **Title of applied, adopted or incorporated document** | **Matter in applied, adopted or incorporated document** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regulation 5 (definition of ***AHD71***), regulation 18(1)(d) | Roelse A., Granger H. W. and Graham J.W., 1971, The adjustment of the Australian levelling survey 1970–1971, National Mapping Technical Report No. 12, 2nd edition. Canberra, Department of National Development | Whole |
| Regulation 5 (definitions of ***GDA2020*** and ***MGA2020***) | National Measurement (Recognized-Value Standard of Measurement of Position) Determination 2017 dated 11 October 2017 and registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 13 October 2017 | Whole |
| **Statutory rule provision** | **Title of applied, adopted or incorporated document** | **Matter in applied, adopted or incorporated document** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regulation 5 (definitions of ***MGA2020*** and ***survey control network mark***), regulations 8(3)(e), 13(1), 18(1)(b) and (d), Schedule 2 | Technical Manual published by the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, version 1.7 dated 26 October 2021 | Whole |