CeCC a finalist in Annual Victorian Spatial Excellence Awards

29 August 2008

CeCC was announced as one of the finalists in the 4th Annual Victorian Spatial Excellence Awards.  Winners were announced at gala dinner in Melbourne on Wednesday 17th September 2008.

This year's awards this were particularly focused on showcasing Melbourne and the regional environment through imagery and sound.

CeCC's entry focused on their recent Corrangamite CMA - Spatial Data Online project.  Following is a short description of the project:

University of Ballarat Interoperative Web-Based GIS Service

In the Corangamite CMA Salinity and Soils program alone there have been many tens of gigabytes of spatial data assembled into graphical information systems (GIS) datasets and models by organisations working in the Corangamite region. While collaborating organisations, including CSIRO, University of Ballarat (UoB), State Government research agencies and consultants, have developed highly useful spatial datasets these are generally only available internally within organisations.

While end users have a growing interest in accessing environmental data the distribution of datasets via CD-ROM and the installation of required software have proved problematic. Users with low technical skills often have trouble with CD-ROM applications where software installation or other work is required. The raw data is also available from the CD-ROM providing little control over intellectual property. A web-based alternative has been seen as a logical extension to provide for dissemination to a wider audience.

The main driver for the UoB Interoperative Web-Based GIS Service has been the difficulty of getting the most current NRM data and relevant information into an environment where it can be shared with and accessed by catchment managers, researchers, consultants, municipalities, government agencies, community organisations and members of the general public. There is not only a growing demand for organisations like the Corangamite CMA, Colac Otway Shire and UoB to provide effective access to the information they hold, but in certain instances also a legal requirement to do so.

Since 2006, the role of the UoB Geology Department and Centre for eCommerce and Communications (CeCC) has been to explore, through applied research and development activities, new opportunities for organisations such as the Corangamite CMA to collate, store, disseminate and maintain spatial information. Central to this submission is a project which has focused on delivery of four key datasets from the Corangamite region through the UoB Interoperable Web-Based GIS Service.

For further information on CeCC and Spatial GIS please visit https://www.cerdi.edu.au/FedUniSpatial