A UNIFIED mapping system that gives all 73 Queensland shires access to the same stock movements across the 72,000 kilometres of the state’s stock route network has won a major international award.
The initiative of the Natural Resources and Mines Department received a Special Achievement in Geographic Information Systems award at the world’s largest spatial information conference held in the US city of San Diego last week.
It was selected from an international pool of more than 100,000 organisations for the award at the annual Esri International User conference.
Minister Andrew Cripps hailed it as further proof that the state government “had a strong plan to grow agriculture and supercharge regional Queensland”.
“Our online stock route management system uses cutting edge technology to deliver real benefits to rural Queenslanders.
“The web-based system is unique in that it uses the technology to create a single, dynamic ‘smart map’ view of state government and council data.”
It’s this aspect that most impresses the CEO at the Blackall-Tambo Regional Council, Ken Timms, whose council has trialled the system over the past 12 months.
“We didn’t have it in time for the 10 or so drovers that came along when the season started failing, but we managed 10 agistment permits with it over a six month period so I’d say we really tested the system,” he said.
“It’s been a long time coming but finally we have the one system that means there are no nasty surprises for councils.”
In the past, councils weren’t always given much warning of proposed droving movements into their area.
Now, according to Mr Timms, everyone can see applications as they are added to the system, along with the proposed route.
“Their progress can be overseen by NRM personnel too,” he added.
“I’m sure it saved us money last year in the sense of having less ambiguity, and less toing and froing with applications and checking everything.”
Esri Australia managing director Brett Bundock said the department had used Geographic Information System (GIS) technology for more than 30 years to deliver significant benefits to the community.
“The Department of Natural Resources and Mines was an early adopter of the technology and has consistently proven to be one of the most progressive users of the platform in the government sector,” Mr Bundock said.
“In terms of GIS deployment, the stock route map represents a paradigm shift by delivering an unprecedented level of clarity and precision to support decision makers.”