The National Mapping Council of Australia (NMC) and the Division of National Mapping (Natmap)

"The National Mapping Council of Australia and the Division of National Mapping : Two entities - One objective!" outlines the formation and roles of the Division of National Mapping and the National Mapping Council, as extant literature has confused their achievements.

Fifty years ago an insignificant rocky outcrop in the Northern Territory became the first calculated origin and centre of Australia. This location was then marked by a specially constructed rock cairn in which was set a bronze plaque indicating that this point was the Johnston Geodetic Station, also sometimes called the Johnston Origin. This article explains the importance of this point in Australia's survey and mapping history.

This article on Frederick Marshall (Freddie) Johnston, by Laurie McLean, provides the background to Australia's first Director of National Mapping.

The National Mapping Council in the news in 1945 - the agreement to form the National Mapping Council is reported in the media : Article 1 Article 2 Article 3
National Mapping's entry in the 1986/87 Annual Report for the Deptartment of Resources & Energy - possibly the last Federal recognition of the Division's existence!! (courtesy C.V.)

Dates, locations and attendance for all available National Mapping Council meetings.

Permanent Committee on Tides and Mean Sea Level
At its 37th Meeting in Perth during 18-20 September 1979, the National Mapping Council established a Permanent Committee on Tides and Mean Sea Level. Initially, the Committee consisted of a representative of the Flinders Institute for Atmospheric and Marine Sciences together with nominees of the Director of National Mapping and the Hydrographer, RAN as well as co-opted members from National Mapping Council member organisations and the Australian Association of Port and Marine Authorities.
The Committee's Circulars 1, 2 and 3 may be viewed via this link and a 1983 paper, by Gordon Homes, on the Committee's aims and activities is available here.
The Permanent Committee on Tides & Mean Sea Level (PCTMSL) is today a technical sub-committee of The Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM), with representation from national, state, port and scientific agencies engaged in the determination of tides and sea level.