"Consider some of Queensland's major projects such as the Cross River Rail, Queens Wharf Precinct, Clem 7 and Airport Link tunnels, Western Downs Solar Farm and the Peak Downs Coal Mine. Now, imagine the investments and risk management for these same projects if there was no certainty with the property boundaries." (Michelle Blicavs, CEO, Consulting Surveyors National)
Today, on the Global Surveyors Day 2021 let us take the time to reflect on the role that surveyors play in our society.
The surveyors who went on to do great things after they left the industry (think George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Clem Jones) are often pointed out but what about those who did great things while in the industry?
For example, and a little closer to home, is the often-unheard-of name Len Beadell. His career was dedicated to the construction of over 6,000 km of roads, opening up isolated desert areas of central Australia (1947 to 1963), and the completion of projects such as the Gunbarrell Highway, Woomera and Maralinga, generally with only his Land-Rover and a theodolite for company.
Projects such as Brisbane City Green Bridges, various upgrades to transport and utility infrastructure or the new residential estates across South East Queensland, may not be as famous as some of the projects mentioned above, yet they all require the same and a very high level of dedication and skill surveyors possess, such as:
· Strong theoretical knowledge of applied science and the practical know-how of its applications
· Ability to capture and translate existing physical world into accurate drawings and plans, as well as vice versa i.e.
· Ability to transform the designs and drawings of others into the real world projects
Without these skills, the physical world we live in today wouldn’t be possible. Think about your property. Who would you trust to confirm your fence is in the right position? Or to establish your legal titles and ownership of a property, to ensure the place that you call home is truly yours?
It is clear to see that surveyors do not simply “measure stuff” as the new CEO of the Consulting Surveyors National, Michelle Blicavs, said at this month's surveyors' meeting.
"...it is surveyors who provide the backbone and certainty to a trillion-dollar industry, giving certainty of property boundaries on which all improvements and development rely.”
Through 3D technologies and laser scanning, surveyors have created a new level of interaction and understanding for all players in our industry, and they continue to lead change and innovations in development.
For Wolter Consulting Group, it is safe to say that a day never goes by for all our teams (Planning, Environment & Sustainability, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture and Project Delivery), without collaborating with our Survey team on all our projects including communities, commercial, industrial, residential and infrastructure, to name a few.
Happy Global Surveryors Day to all the masters of measurement who have shaped and continue to shape the world around us!