Contour and Detail Surveys in Austral

Contour and detail surveys across Austral and the South West Growth Area, where paddocks are becoming suburbs one estate at a time.

Survey tripod on the kerb of a new estate street after rain

Local Knowledge

Austral is flat to gently sloping former farmland on the Cumberland Plain. Large lots, farm dams, mature trees and old rural sheds all have to be recorded before earthworks start, and on flat ground small level differences decide how a site drains.

Timing matters here. Surveying the parcel before the earthworks start gives you the only accurate record of the original surface, which is what volumes and lot grading are later checked against.

We work throughout Leppington, Middleton Grange, Kemps Creek and the wider South West Growth Area.

Council Requirements

Liverpool City Council, working inside the South West Growth Area framework, wants detailed contour and level data for rezoning and engineering approvals. Plans must reference Australian Height Datum and show existing levels clearly enough for lot grading and stormwater design.

For engineering approval the levels have to be dense enough to model the surface properly, not just spot heights at the corners.

Property Types

Englobo land, new estate lots, former rural acreage, house-and-land packages, civil development sites.

FAQs

Do dams and old sheds need to be on the plan?
Yes. Anything that affects earthworks or has to be demolished gets picked up and located.

Does a flat site still need contours?
It does, and more than people expect: on flat land the fall is small, so the levels have to be right or the drainage design will not work.

What do you need for a rezoning application?
Existing surface levels across the whole parcel, referenced to AHD, which is what the civil engineer designs the lot grading from.

When should the survey happen?
Before earthworks. Once the site is stripped the original surface is gone, and with it the baseline your volumes are measured against.