The Measure summer 2026

New Trimble Technology Lab launched at University of Otago

11 December 2025

Global technology company Trimble, together with their New Zealand distributor AllTerra, will provide University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka students with access to cutting edge geospatial hardware and software, valuable hands on experience and greater exposure to industry expertise.

The lab will feature 34 computer stations equipped with Trimble software, including Trimble Business Center, Trimble RealWorks and Trimble Connect, providing Surveying and Computing students with handson experience with industry leading tools. Hardware includes robotic total stations, GNSS receivers, data controllers and laser scanners. Field software includes Trimble Access and Trimble Perspective.

Vice Chancellor, Grant Robertson, says Trimble’s generous support in providing the resources to create the Lab will place Otago at the forefront of surveying and computing education. “It is an incredible placement which will give our students the skills and opportunities to become leaders in the technology and surveying sectors, and positions Otago as a forwardthinking and industry responsive University.

Chief Operating Officer at AllTerra Paul Miller says, “As a member of the Herga Group, whose origins date to 1888, AllTerra has longstanding ties to the University of Otago. With many Otago surveying alumni amongst our experienced team, we are committed to adding value to faculty, students, and the wider surveying industry in New Zealand.”

For decades, many Otago alumni have been professionally connected to Trimble and AllTerra. The establishment of the Trimble Technology Lab moves this to a new level of connection and support and will be gamechanging for students at Otago both in their education and as they move into the industry.

Rachel Harris, Editor

A major new policy framework has been announced by the Government that will undoubtedly see significant change to planning systems and the spatial sector in New Zealand.

At the time of writing, proposed changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) are underway. This will transform resource management through the development of two new bills, the Planning Bill, focussing on development and regulating how land is used, and the Natural Environment Bill which will focus on managing the impacts from the use of natural resources and protecting the natural environment.

The proposed reforms are intended to unlock regional planning and development, fewer consents and plans, and clearer consultation requirements. While protecting environmental outcomes, it will involve some ambitious timeframes for regulatory policy, and spatial planning within 21 months of enactment.

Spatial planning will involve 30 year regional spatial plans. This will identify growth areas, infrastructure corridors, and areas that require protection.

There is plenty to unpack and comprehend with the

Hydrographic Surveying

Collecting precise data of waterways has never been easier

new policy initiatives. This will certainly take some time for organisations and sectors to work through, with further in-depth information likely to be released in the public forum over the coming months.

The new framework is currently out for consultation via the select committee process with the new policy direction fully implemented by 2029.

In this summer edition of The Measure, we feature survey and spatial professionals working in diverse roles across the industry, from survey technicians to business professionals. There are some great insights into last year’s conference and a save the date for this year.

In our feature article, Taine Hallberg, Julian Maurenbrecher, Ethan Craig and Emily Tidey report on student research. Also successful stories and insights from the Royal New Zealand Navy at this year’s Australasian Hydrographic Society World Hydrography Day Seminar 2025.

Finally in our legal column, we examine Auckland City Council’s Proposed Plan Change 120 to rezone areas of residential land for greater intensification.

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The Measure Issue 120 Spring 2025

A publication of Survey and Spatial New Zealand Tatai Whenua.

ISSN 3021-551X surveyspatialnz.nz.org

EDITOR

Rachel Harris surveyingspatial@gmail.com

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In this Summer edition, we bring a vibrant and informative look at what is happening and evolving within the Industry. From a student graduating with excellence, to discussing the change in housing requirements. And of course the much enjoyed 2025 Christchurch conference. The Measure has it all.

6 CEO update

Ashley Church discusses rising membership and the steady progress setting us apart.

8 Survey + Spatial 2025 Conference

300 attendees at a glittering affair.

10 The rise and rise of the Technicians

A broad and capable group of technicians delivering competence in all areas.

12 Professional profile

We take a look at Louis Gray, a Land Surveyor currently steering land development projects.

16 Business profile

Seasoned survey professional, Jonathon Davis, shares his experience and insights of survey/ geospatial technology firm AllTerra.

18 World Hydrography Day Seminar

Charting the future, with insights from award winning researchers and the Royal NZ Navy.

26 Auckland’s Branch Historical Assets

Preserving items of historical significanceinstruments, documents and original paintings.

28 Proposed plan change 120

Understanding the PC120 and the proposal to rezone areas of Auckland residential land for greater intensification.

30 Business systems update

Are your business management systems state of the art or creaky wrecks?

32 New coordinates for the School of Surveying

An exciting new relocation to premises at Ōwheo, opening promising opportunities for shared research and collaboration.

34 Bright Yellow, Big Impact

Making waves in underwater mapping and set to become a familiar sight on NZ’s waterways.

35 A student’s path to success

Brayden Foote reflects on his four years of study, his achievements, support, and looking forward to the future.

36 Affordable global-flood risk mapping

Canterbury University researchers are using AI and open datasets to create affordable, accurate elevation maps.

Get in touch with the team at 84 Recruitment for a confidential chat.

The Momentum Keeps Measuring Up

Membership is up, Emerging Leaders is thriving, and conference another milestone. A profession progressing and evolving.

Ashley Church, CEO S+SNZ

There’s something quietly satisfying about watching a profession find its stride. Maybe it’s the sight of surveyors donning a black tie or an evening dress at a packed Te Pae conference – 302 of us this year, well above target. Or maybe it’s the small things: new members signing up, seasoned ones re-engaging, and a team that just keeps turning ideas into outcomes. Whatever the cause, there’s no denying it, the momentum is real.

Membership is now up over 1,600, but the real story is in the mix. Our pipeline is younger, more diverse, and more female than ever before – 59% of new members are under 35 and nearly one in five are women (up from just over 1 in 10 a couple of years ago).

That’s the kind of balance sheet that really matters. The last Emerging Leaders intake is thriving, and a new one is due to be installed in the next few weeks.

Certification is maturing nicely, and CPD participation remains strong. The hard yards of the past few years are starting to pay off.

Our Christchurch conference was another milestone – strong content, great turnout, and a new batch of surveyors attending one of these events for the first time. The new look brand and website

are bedding in, and The Measure itself has landed exactly as we hoped: sharp, modern, and reflective of a profession that knows where it’s headed.

Behind the scenes, the Incorporated Societies Act work is nearly done, meaning we’ll meet the April 2026 deadline with room to spare, which is a sentence you don’t hear very often in any organisation. Add to that a clear roadmap for membership, progress on awards and recognition, and you start to get a picture of a profession not just surviving, but evolving.

None of this happens by accident. It’s driven by members who care, volunteers who give, and a team that shows up – consistently. That’s what’s setting us apart right now: steady, visible progress backed by a bit of good humour and a lot of hard work.

So here’s to keeping that momentum alive. Come to a workshop. Nominate someone for an award. Tell your story, and let’s keep showing New Zealand that surveyors and spatial professionals don’t just measure the landscape; we help shape it.

Because from where I’m standing, the future of this profession is looking remarkably well aligned.

Survey + Spatial Conference 2025

Transforming

the Landscape

This year’s conference was a glittering affair at the spectacular new Te Pae conference centre in Christchurch. Over 300 attendees took part in this year’s event, with a large display of exhibitors across the surveying and spatial industries and an array of engaging speakers presenting under the theme of Transforming the Landscape.

The daytime sessions preceded the magnificent black tie GSI Awards evening. Attendees and special guests celebrated excellence in the survey and spatial professions, with an opportunity for networking among a wide range of industry colleagues.

The rise and rise of the Technicians

James Ball, Technicians Division Lead

Technician surveyors play a central role in delivering reliable, high quality surveying and spatial services across New Zealand, which provides essential field measurement, data processing, CAD drafting and technical support across land development, construction, infrastructure, and geospatial projects.

The Technician membership stream has been part of S+SNZ since 1988, following the enactment of the 1986 Survey Bill, which removed earlier membership restrictions under the Survey Act 1966. Many technicians were already members of the former New Zealand Technician Surveyors Association (NZTSA), founded in 1973. The inclusion of technician surveyors within S+SNZ formally recognised the value of their skills and contributions, and helped to establish a unified professional community for technical practitioners.

Today, the Technicians Division represents a broad and capable group of practitioners nationwide. Technician surveyors are involved in everything from construction set-out, topographic capture, as-built surveys, GNSS and total-station work, and laser scanning or UAV capture, through to CAD drafting, point-cloud processing, BIM workflows and spatial data management. Working alongside licensed cadastral surveyors, engineers, planners and geospatial specialists, they ensure that projects are delivered accurately, efficiently, and in line with required technical and regulatory standards.

A recent development for the profession is the introduction of a formal S+SNZ certification framework. This is the first of its kind in New Zealand and designed to

recognise competence in engineering surveying and land development engineering. Importantly, this pathway is open to experienced technician surveyors. Under the new national regime, eligible members may apply to become a Certified Professional Engineering Surveyor (CPESurv) or a Certified Professional Land Development Engineer (CPLDEng).

These certifications are assessed against clearly defined professional and technical competencies, encompassing engineering surveying, civil infrastructure set-out, land development design and oversight, quality assurance standards, and regulatory understanding. Successful applicants gain nationally recognised professional standing, and their names appear on a public register giving employers, clients, councils and asset owners confidence in the competence and accountability of certified practitioners.

The Technicians Division is currently the fastest growing division within S+SNZ, following significant revitalisation and leadership from Bruce Walker. His work has strengthened engagement, clarified the division’s direction, and helped elevate the profile of technician surveyors across the profession.

James Ball now steps into the role of Technicians Division Lead and is committed to building on Bruce’s foundations and continuing to grow the division as new technology, workflows and career pathways evolve. With increasing demand for skilled technical survey professionals, and rapid advancements in digital capture and spatial data, the Technicians Division is well positioned for continued growth and strong representation within S+SNZ.

Louis Gray, Everest Consultants Limited

In our Professional Profile this edition, we’re throwing a spotlight on young, up and coming survey professional, Louis Gray.

Louis is an Auckland based Land Surveyor with a Diploma in Surveying from Unitec Institute of Technology.

Communication is another vital aspect of our profession. Continuous, clear, honest, and precise communication is essential across the industry to ensure successful project outcomes and quality service delivery. Both verbal and written communication can be easily misinterpreted, leading to costly mistakes and delays, so maintaining consistency and clarity in every exchange is key.

Louis Gray

Louis is working towards his Certified Professional Engineering Surveying certification at Everest Consultants Limited. He is an active member of the Survey and Spatial New Zealand Young Professionals, Emerging Leaders Programme, Technician’s Division, and Engineering Surveying Leadership Team.

What is your current role?

Land Surveyor

What does your role entail?

Currently steering land development projects as a Land Surveyor at Everest Consultants. My role involves working independently and in team environments, combining technical precision with practical solutions to undertake survey work, civil design, and project consultancy to end to end site development.

How long have you been involved?

My work experience began over eight years ago in 2017.

What are some of the rewards and benefits in what you do?

Working in and outdoors. Being able to actively problem solve and think outside of the square which provides a strong sense of achievement. Working independently, and in a team with a variety of professionals to deliver client and stakeholder satisfaction. Evolving with new

technologies and outputs, and having the opportunity and supporting networks to develop professionally.

What are some of the challenges and learning experiences you’ve had?

Health and Safety - Field surveying can bring different challenges, some of which relate to tough weather conditions and challenging terrains. To stay prepared, I prioritise my fitness, keep my health and safety training current, and always follow Everest’s on-site safety protocols to ensure every job is completed safely and efficiently.

Communication is another vital aspect of our profession. Continuous, clear, honest, and precise communication is essential across the industry to ensure successful project outcomes and quality service delivery. Both verbal and written communication can be easily misinterpreted, leading to costly mistakes and delays, so maintaining consistency and clarity in every exchange is key.

What are some of your plans and goals for the near future?

Obtain my Certified Professional Engineering Surveying certification, strengthening both my technical capabilities and credibility. I’m committed to ongoing professional development and want to use that growth to support others in advancing their skills and future careers.

Get ready for our biggest and most inspiring annual conference yet.

9–11 September 2026, Cordis Hotel, Auckland

Join professionals from across land development and urban design, resource management, civil engineering, surveying (cadastral, hydrographic, and engineering), positioning and measurement, and the spatial/GIS sector for two days of insights, innovation, excitment and connection.

Set in the heart of Auckland at the Cordis Hotel, next year’s event promises an expanded programme, leading experts, hands-on learning, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

Mark your calendar, this is the industry event you won’t want to miss. More details and registration information coming soon!

9–11 September 2026, Cordis Hotel, Auckland

Jonathan Davis, AllTerra

This edition we’re taking a look at professional surveyors in the business world. A seasoned survey professional, Jonathan Davis shares his experience in the profession and his current role at survey/geospatial technology firm AllTerra.

What is your surveying experience /professional background?

When I graduated with a BSurv (Hons) from Otago in 1999, I had two job offers: one with a private survey practice in Auckland, and one with Trimble in Christchurch. I chose the latter. At the time I perhaps didn’t realise the significance of the decision to veer into the technology space. Starting your career at Trimble certainly looks nothing like the expectations you form about a career in surveying during four years at survey school in Dunedin. Participating in the development and release of technology platforms, like the S6 total station (2005), R10 GNSS system (2012), and SX10 scanning total station (2016), to name just a few, combined with a range of business focused roles, provided a hugely diverse range of technical, business, surveying and life experiences. Best of all it was a really

rewarding path. This included living in Stockholm, Sweden for five years and in Colorado, USA for ten years. In 2023, after more than 23 years at Trimble, I hopped over the fence and joined AllTerra, Trimble’s distributor in New Zealand. Since then, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed building new relationships and working closely with both old and new clients who are benefitting from Trimble technology every day.

What is your current role?

Segment Manager.

What does your role entail?

I lead all sales and marketing activity for the AllTerra business, including managing a team of consultants who deliver the latest Trimble surveying, geospatial, and construction technologies to our client base. A major part of my role is focused on events, from seminars and training through to industry trade events and customer experiences, such as our Auckland appreciation party. The Survey + Spatial NZ annual conference is a highlight, and I also enjoy attending several branch meetings each year, with Nelson/ Marlborough as my home branch.

How long have you been with AllTerra?

I started with AllTerra in June 2023. We are certainly not immune to the various economic headwinds of recent times, however we work really hard to support our customers and as a result we continue to see new opportunities open. In the 2.5 years I’ve been with AllTerra, the most frequent question I get asked is “How are other survey businesses going around the country?”, and recent trends should be encouraging for everyone.

What products and services do AllTerra provide?

We provide a really wide range of technology solutions into surveying, geospatial and construction. Trimble pioneered the development of commercial GNSS, robotic total stations, scanning, and machine control.

Those legacies continue full steam ahead today, but most important is the customer service and support we provide around the technology. In addition to providing the software eco systems that truly empower sensor technologies like GNSS, levels, total stations, terrestrial and SLAM scanners, hydro solutions, geotech sensors, augmented reality systems, machine control, we have a comprehensive hire fleet that includes all of these technologies too.

What are some of the challenges and rewards in what you do?

Probably the biggest challenge in the business is staying current across such a large range of technologies when there are new products and updates being released every week. We are extremely lucky at AllTerra to have 400+ Trimble staff just a block away from our office in Christchurch, including the Trimble Access development team and the APAC technical support team. If there wasn’t already enough Kiwi DNA in the products, being able to lean into Trimble for various kinds of help and support, means that we can operate locally at a scale that the New Zealand market just does not support. You have likely seen

one of the Trimble Access product managers, New Zealand surveyors Rob Koot, Luke Johnson and Melissa Harrington, presenting at a recent Survey + Spatial NZ event. The rewards come from making a difference to the person in front of you with technology solutions that I feel like I had a hand in bringing to market.

How did your background prepare you for this?

The B.Surv from Otago and 23 years at Trimble helped quite a bit. I am naturally curious, so I still get excited by new features and workflows, and bringing those to customers, both large and small, where I know they will make a difference.

What opportunities are available to graduates and industry professionals at AllTerra?

We have a lot of surveyors and other geospatial professionals in the business. That domain expertise is critical in being able to truly understand and help our customers and deliver a high level of customer service. If you are interested in learning the latest survey and construction technology, and want to be involved in some of the most exciting projects in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, please get in touch.

Charting the Future:

The 2025 New Zealand Region (NZR) of the Australasian Hydrographic Society (AHS) Seminar had everything, from cutting edge debates to student research and success stories, as well as insights from the Royal New Zealand Navy. Here’s what went down on the day:

Taine Hallberg, Julian Maurenbrecher and Ethan Craig with Emily Tidey

When Backscatter Bites Back Rhys Davies (Ocean Infinity)

Rhys Davies outlined Ocean Infinity’s engagement with the Kongsberg EM Backscatter Calibration Service, which aims to normalise backscatter. OI trialled the Service due to proposed HIPP specification changes that promote using manufacturer calibration tools where available. OI collected MBES data across various frequencies, pulse lengths and operating modes and sent it to Kongsberg, who generated a correction file.

Analysis showed little to no difference between the raw and ‘corrected’ backscatter. Additional challenges included file duplication, higher AWS storage costs and longer processing time, resulting in poor value relative to cost. Kongsberg Discovery has been receptive to feedback and is now implementing improvements.

USVs, Drones, and a Glimpse of Tomorrow Gary Chisholm

Veteran surveyor Gary Chisholm, who spent 35 years with Trimble before ‘sort of’ retiring, isn’t done with the industry yet. These days he’s excited about what’s coming: particularly uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and drones with LiDAR. Gary shared an impressive list of tech operating in New Zealand: NIWA’s Maxlimer, Customs and NZDF’s twin Bluebottles, Bay Dynamics’ USVs, and NASA backed drones hauling heavy LiDAR systems. The Waterways Centre even has a single beam jet boat USV, while local firms like Syos are making waves internationally.

While the tech is flashy, there was realism from Gary; Drone flight and USV run times, depth penetration, and the high cost of operations still limits their day to day practicality, in his opinion.

Women in Hydrography Scholarship

Amira Jain

Final year Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv) student, Amira Jain, shared how the AHS Women in Hydrography Scholarship opened doors (and her eyes) to the possibilities in this field. Along with seven other students, hosted by five different New Zealand based companies, the scholarship included travel, hands on experience, pay and mentorship. She spoke about how the weather became one of her biggest lessons, something she hadn’t considered to be as important in her career so far.

More importantly, she shared that the scholarship gave her confidence in a male dominated industry and inspired her to then promote surveying to high school girls as a career worth pursuing. After her presentation, the AHS was praised for investing in students, something questioners noted isn’t nearly as common overseas.

An Exciting Career Change

Julian Maurenbrecher

Julian Maurenbrecher, who is in his third year of a BSurv, offered a different student perspective, as he is in his 30s and retraining. He was drawn into surveying after working alongside surveyors in construction management and has now found hydrography.

Julian enjoys the mix of fieldwork and technology that he has used so far, including single beam echosounders and tide analysis.

This career shift has allowed Julian to keep upskilling, and he wishes more people knew about the blend of technology, practicality and problem-solving that surveying offers. His enthusiastic presentation was well received, with some clear career-path parallels being found amongst others in the room. It indicates that there are several potential avenues of future marketing for hydrography.

AGM, Awards and Looking Ahead

The seminar included the New Zealand Region of the Australasian Hydrographic Society AGM, which was led by the chair Brad Cooper.

There were updates on youth engagement activities, webinars, and confirmation that New Zealand seminars remain self-funded with strong industry sponsorship. Applause was given to Maurice Perwick, who has been with the AHS since 1989, and is retiring from his role as NZR Treasurer this year.

A great end to the meeting was the presentation of two prestigious awards. The 2025 AHS Award of Merit went to Dr Alysha Johnson for her work with AusSeabed, and the 2025 AHS Education Award presented to Meg Catley, for her honours project titled ‘Scanning the Horizon: Can Hand Held Laser Scanners Redefine Hydrographic Surveying?’.

Seabed 2030 Pacific Data Centre Update: Dr Sam Davidson, Earth Sciences New Zealand

Dr Sam Davidson from Earth Sciences New Zealand (previously NIWA), spoke at the seminar about the Seabed 2030 project and its aim to map 100 percent of the seafloor by 2030.

With more than 123 million square kilometres of ocean to map in just the Pacific, this is quite a challenge. The task is further compounded by the fact that over 80 percent of this area is more than 3km deep and includes the world’s four deepest ocean trenches.

Currently coverage in the Pacific is 23 percent, although more than 30 organisations have helped add 9 million square kilometres of both new and updated data in 2024. A resolution of 15 arcseconds is considered covered, although a depth based resolution system is planned for the future.

S-100 Enabling Ocean Action: Dave Crossman, IIC Technologies

David Crossman from IIC Technologies, spoke on the move to the new S-100 framework and the challenges associated with this transition. The S-100 framework aims to increase maritime safety, infrastructure development, and environmental management among other objectives.

It will accomplish this by introducing many new specifications for various real time data sets to enable smarter real time decision making. It will also increase the interoperability between data sets.

With this innovation there are also challenges which are currently being worked on. These challenges include the availability and coverage of data, as well as the production visualisation and automation tools presently available. The audience was advised to keep up with the changes as the S-100 phases are delivered.

Mean High Water Spring (MHWS) Coastline: Thomas Pouliquen, LINZ

The MHWS Coastline has been identified as one of 12 key datasets for resilience and climate change by LINZ. Thomas Pouliquen, used high resolution lidar DEMS, reduced to NZVD2016 combined with tidal harmonic analysis to produce separation values between NZVD2016 and MHWS around the country.

He then produced a coastline contour, which can be validated using high resolution satellite imagery to investigate cliffs, driftwood or vegetation lines.

This project had a vertical uncertainty of 0.2m and a horizontal uncertainty of 1m due to the limitations of the lidar surveys, particularly in vegetated areas such as mangroves.

The dataset needs to be actively maintained by LINZ as the coastline is constantly moving.

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Kapiti Marine Reserve Habitat Mapping: Hendra Febriawan

PhD candidate, Hendra Febriawan, is working on a habitat map of the Kapiti Marine Reserve. This could be used repeatedly for a multitude of different projects, embodying the ethos ‘map once, use many times’.

Hendra first used backscatter texture features and morphometry layers, which he then refined using an oceanographic model of the area. He checked his results against a ground truth survey conducted by NIWA in 2015, and discussed the effect of unstable gain during backscatter data acquisition on his model.

The next steps are to include sediment grain size features in his model, and further investigate machine learning techniques for classification. Ultimately, Hendra wishes to be able to predict the distribution of various marine species while investigating habitat sustainability.

Satellite Derived Bathymetry in New Zealand – from turbid to clear: Sanne Vaassen and Anne-Fleur van Leeuwen

PhD candidates, Sanne Vaassen and Anne-Fleur Leeuwen, shared their work on satellite derived bathymetry (SDB). This offers a way to conduct surveys cheaply, more frequently, and over larger areas. However, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and chlorophyll in the water column can cause challenges for SDB.

Sanne and Anne-Fleur collected field data to model how SPM varies with the tide and combined this with satellite data to produce bathymetry.

Preliminary results from Whangateau Harbour showed standard SDB depth errors of 0.5 to 1.5m. In future, they hope to produce a similar model for the more turbid Kaipara Harbour and ideally use these models to study infill and erosion in estuaries around New Zealand.

3D Coastal Mapping programme:

Dr Alysha Johnson

Dr Alysha Johnson shared this current LINZ project to map 40 percent of New Zealand’s coastline. The data will be used to model coastal hazards and inundation, and aid modelling on tsunamis and sea level rise.

It will be used by local and central governments to advise decisions on climate change adaptation. The mapped area is 200m inland from MHWS and seaward to 25m depth. The project primarily uses airborne bathymetric lidar, but also other techniques including multibeam echo sounding and satellite derived bathymetry.

Currently 20 percent of the designated area has been completed. When this project is finished, it will include a range of products such as DEMs, DTMs, intensity datasets, classified .las files, and aerial photographs.

Bluebottle USV: Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy introduced Tahi and Rua, the Navy’s new Bluebottle Beth 2.0 class, uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).

These 7.4m long vessels are designed for flexibility and ease of deployment, even from a standard boat ramp. They are powered by solar and wind, allowing for sailing speeds between one to three knots, with a maximum speed of six knots.

The RNZN’s longest mission to date lasted 42 days, but longer is planned. Discussions are underway with the manufacturer to enhance survey capabilities with echo sounding. Audience questions opened discussion on legal and operational considerations for USV. A broader discussion on risk management noted that the absence of onboard crew significantly reduces safety concerns.

HMNZS Manawanui – Final hours and subsequent salvage operations: Royal New Zealand Navy

The final presentation of the day focused on the grounding and subsequent salvage of HMNZS Manawanui, which collided with a reef in Samoa while travelling at 11 knots on October 6, 2024.

The audience were reminded that while this was a news item for many, it was a lived experience by some personnel in the room. A review of court findings underscored a concerning gap in ship based hydrographic survey capability within the Navy. This revealed a lack of practical experience and procedural guidance at the operational level, which had not been fully recognised until the event itself.

Following this overview, the incident timeline was presented which showed how quickly events unfolded. Only five minutes passed from initial reef contact to full grounding. The salvage operation was complex and carefully managed to avoid further environmental damage. It involved a mooring strategy using a barge and specialised float lines.

‘Til next time …

It was a full day of excellent presentations and a great chance to catch up. Thank you to the New Zealand Region of the Australasian Hydrographic Society for supporting student involvement. Not only does it help us meet hydrographers from all over New Zealand, it also shows us the different opportunities that could well be a part of our futures.

See you next year at Hydrospatial in Wellington!

Auckland Branch’s Historical Assets

Andrew Blackman

Earlier this year S+SNZ created a new Historical Committee. It is currently comprised of six members that are spread around the country, and its purpose is to preserve our long history. There are a great number of old assets, documents and information and there was a continuing risk of these becoming lost or forgotten.

Historic Instrument Collection

The Auckland Branch has a number of physical items of historical significance and the largest is the historic instrument collection, which was initially on display in the public search area of the Auckland Lands and Survey office.

This includes a collection of early theodolites, mostly dating from around 1880 to 1930. Where known, information about their histories including past owners, is also displayed in the large wooden display case the Branch had constructed for the purpose. Most of the instruments were donated by past Auckland surveyors.

Heaphy Watercolour Prints

There is also a book of prints of watercolour paintings that are the work of Major Charles Heaphy, VC, who lived from 1821 to 1881. This book is one of a numbered series that was published in 1981 by art historian, Anthony Murray-Oliver, to mark the centenary of Heaphy’s death.

A curious fact noted in the book’s introduction is that when it was published, it was the largest book that had ever been printed in New Zealand. The large size was chosen so that most of the paintings could be reproduced at one-to-one scale.

Major Charles Heaphy was an early surveyor, explorer, artist, soldier and member of parliament and his name is

Below

Original painting depicting ‘Surveyor’s Campsite near Mangaweka - 1890’

commemorated by the Heaphy Track in the upper South Island. Recently, some research into the book and the Branch’s link to Major Heaphy were undertaken. It emerged that prior to the creation of the NZIS, there was an earlier Surveyors Association in the Auckland Province. This was founded on 22 June 1865 and the founding Chair was Major Charles Heaphy. At some point in the 1980s the Branch had a little money from a project, and a decision was made to purchase the book of Heaphy prints. A glass display cabinet was also purchased and it initially joined the historic instrument collection at the Lands and Survey office.

Centennial Painting

There are also two framed paintings. The first is an original painting that was commissioned to celebrate the 1988 centennial of the Institute. The painting is dated 1990 and it depicts an early survey

Recently, some research into the book and the Branch’s link to Major Heaphy were undertaken. It emerged that prior to the creation of the NZIS, there was an earlier Surveyors Association in the Auckland Province. This was founded on 22 June 1865 and the founding Chair was Major Charles Heaphy.

camp in the bush showing the typical circumstances that early surveyors lived and worked in. On the back of the frame, it says ‘Surveyor’s Campsite near Mangaweka - 1890’. One hundred prints were made from the painting and a number can be seen in various surveyors offices around Auckland.

The artist is Ernest Papps, a noted New Zealand landscape painter. A senior branch member recalled that the artist added a survey camp to his recent original painting, using a photo from Links in the Chain, the original Archie Bogle book. The camp certainly looks very similar to the photo of a survey camp, now on page 60 of The Measure of the Man book. It is thought that the river shown is the Hautapu River, which joins the Rangitikei River near Utiku, south of Taihape. This correlates to the description of the camp photo in the book, which says Omatane, near the Rangitikei River.

The other painting is a print of a painting by Charles Blomfield, entitled ‘Bush Mill, Whatipu, 1881’. Charles Blomfield was an important 19th Century New Zealand landscape artist, who is best known for his paintings of the Pink and White Terraces. As a print this has less value and unfortunately, it is currently unknown how it came to be owned by the Branch.

When the Auckland LINZ office was relocated to Hamilton, a new home was required for all the items. They were then displayed in the reception area of various surveyors offices. They are all currently on display in the Auckland offices of CKL. The Auckland Branch is indebted to CKL for providing a great home for these historic items.

Proposed Plan Change 120:

Housing Intensification and Resilience (PC120)

Nicole Warner, Partner Glaister Keegan

PC120 – What is it? And how has it come about?

Auckland Council’s proposed PC120 is a change to the Auckland Unitary Plan that proposes to rezone areas of residential land for greater intensification. The key objectives of PC120 are to enable greater density in and around urban centres and to strengthen the management of natural hazard risks.

By way of background, PC78 (Auckland’s former intensification plan change, as required by the National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020) incorporated the Medium Density Residential Standards that were required at the time. Generally, this allowed three dwellings of up to three storeys to be built on most residential sites without the need for resource consent. In August 2025, the Government amended the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) to allow for greater intensification in town centres and around existing and planned transit routes. As a result, PC78 was withdrawn in part by Auckland Council and PC120 was notified.

PC120 is aimed at addressing the Government’s requirements to:

• Contribute the same level of housing capacity as was enabled by PC78.

• Create density within and around town centres which reflects the commercial and social activity of those centres.

• Enable building heights of at least six storeys within walkable catchments of the city/town centre zone and around existing and planned train and bus routes.

• Enable building heights of at least 10 and 15 storeys around certain train stations listed in the RMA.

These heights and densities must be enabled unless a ‘qualifying matter’ applies to a site which makes that level of development inappropriate.

Auckland Council is also focused on building climate resilient communities. As a policy response to the 2022 Auckland floods from Cyclone Gabrielle, PC120

introduces a new risk management framework based on the likelihood of natural hazards occurring and their consequences. The updated rules and hazard mapping impose stronger protection on risky land from natural hazards including flooding, landslides and coastal erosion.

What does this mean for us?

The changes made by the Government to the RMA and proposed by Council under the PC120 will undoubtedly focus future development on existing town centres, and in and around transport hubs. Multistory and high-rise buildings will become more prevalent. This type of housing can create a number of challenges from a planning and surveying perspective (practically, technically as well as socially). Considerable thought will need to be given to matters such as airspace, boundary discrepancies and potential encroachments, as well as the location of existing easements and covenants (which can overlap or be difficult to identify in already built-up urban areas). Shared spaces and communal assets will also become more prevalent as apartment style living increases and it will be important to consider and determine how these shared spaces/assets are owned and managed.

The new natural hazards regime will also change the way Council considers and assesses resource consent applications. Potentially, new subdivision and land uses will only be allowed where risk is considered tolerable or acceptable (making coastal development more difficult).

Mitigation measures will need to be implemented that avoid creating or worsening natural hazard risks on the site itself, as well as the surrounding land, infrastructure and environment. In particular, the impact of a proposed development on existing floodplains and overland flow paths will be carefully assessed, and on-going maintenance or upgrade works may be required by Council to ensure stormwater runoff and flood waters are adequately conveyed.

Are your business management systems state of the art or creaky wrecks?

Edward O’Leary, Abtrac

Heritage is always a tricky subject in modern cities with one person’s culturally significant building being another person’s eyesore. It’s useful to think about your business systems in the same way, and the role of heritage in achieving the best result for your business.

What is heritage?

The use of spreadsheets for your office and business management system is akin to the buildings that an architect might refer to as heritage. We have three options in considering where our kind of heritage belongs.

• The past, which is where the office project and invoicing system was created to fulfil a need at that time. This was a time before fast computers, the cloud and software packages, before apps and AI.

• The present, where that system has become surpassed by new, easy to implement technology. At the same time your business continues to maintain its significance as a well known and comfortable process that new employees pick up in the end, which the more established staff put up with out of habit.

• Then there is ‘the future’. The future inherits the present system, which is little different from the past system, and deems it sufficient for the business going forward. It has passed the test of time (if this was a building you would call it culturally significant), therefore no further efforts are spent investigating or investing in new project management systems.

The Bottom Line

As time progresses, the catalogue of unbilled hours and untracked projects grow. Much of this is contained within the profits while everyone remains blissfully unaware of the damage this is doing to the bottom

lines. However, as the business begins to take on more projects and collaborate on more ventures, as working remotely increases, and as staff numbers grow, you become increasingly aware that cash flow, reporting, productivity, and effective business management are critically lacking.

This raises a serious question around the cost of preserving systems that no longer perform. In financial climates, where bottom lines and profits are fundamental to survival, is it sensible to have a ‘but it’s what we have always done’ attitude, which puts convention before your business survival?

Implementing a new system is a major challenge and lack of time is the limiting factor in addressing it. The choice to preserve a heritage system will be at the direct expense of productivity and cash flow (both are essential for increases in profits in any business). Preserving the old system for convenience sake will develop into a habit that becomes unaffordable.

Upgrade, Update

That isn’t to say that there is no value in well known, already implemented office systems, but rather, that a successful business can’t have everything. You cannot continue to persevere with the old because it’s easier than implementing the new. You will not miraculously see the growth and business success that you want and need.

Running a business is fundamentally about making a profit, and whether the systems that you have in place make this happen. It should be the ultimate measure of their value. If a ‘heritage’ office system can perform to current software solution capabilities, then it remains appropriate and is more than a ‘museum piece’. However, this is not often the case without substantial, often complicated, levels of alterations and adjustments that will upset previous accounts and confuse any new staff that come into your business.

The irony is that ‘heritage’ office systems and their capacity for continued business use, will require

alterations, updates, and modifications to keep them performing. This is inversely related to their ‘heritage value’ (their convenient, traditional, well known, already established features). The more you try to update and expand your traditional system as your business develops, the more confusing and complicated they will become, and the more hours, then work will slip through the net.

Everything has a place

We are not saying that heritage systems have no place in your business. For example, the speed of production from CAD cannot replace the slower, thoughtful process of hand drawing, which allows for careful consideration. Rather, for everyday necessities essential to business profitability and good management – such

as time sheeting, invoicing, project management, disbursements, reporting, debtors, and team productivity – you will need a complete project management software solution. Systems should be evaluated on how well they get the job done, not preserved purely for convenience or because of other priorities. Today’s businesses compete on a constantly expanding playing field, that is at once local, national, and international. This ensures that your systems are operating efficiently. Making productivity as high as it can be will put you ahead of the pack.

Undeniably, by definition, heritage is about the past. The future of your business should be built through innovation and profitability. Now you need systems that respond to these needs.

New Coordinates for the School of Surveying

Richard Hemi, University of Otago Survey School

By the time this edition of ‘The Measure’ is printed, the School of Surveying will be unpacking boxes and moving into its new building – Ōwheo. Located on lower Union Street adjacent the College of Education, and across the road from the Otago Polytechnic, the building will provide a new home for the school, which it will share with the University’s School of Computing.

The name “Ōwheo” derives from the Māori name for the Water of Leith and translates to ‘The place of Wheo’, referring to a Kāti Māmoe chief whose village was located near the river’s mouth.

This move marks the fourth relocation since the school’s establishment in 1963. The original home in the old Archway building, shared with the School of Mines, was only considered temporary as expected enrolments grew. Within two years the school shifted to a refurbished bakery on Great King Street, supplemented by the ‘Red Barn’ across the highway, the former Dunedin North Technical School. These buildings served the school well, including hosting its first computer lab, a windowless room nicknamed the ‘Black Hole’, equipped with a single MDL computer boasting an impressive 256 kb of memory. Continued growth in the BSurv programme prompted a move in

1993 to the former Queen Mary Maternity Hospital on the northbound one way system. This site provided a number of advantages over its predecessor, outdoor teaching space, dedicated computer labs, larger lecture rooms, and convenient van parking. Some readers by students and staff may have good, or bad, memories of time spent on the roof taking observations from the survey pillars. Nevertheless, the building’s quirks, most notably the structural columns obstructing views in teaching spaces, will not be missed.

The Ōwheo Building, constructed in the 1990s, comprises approximately 4500m² across three levels and previously formed part of the College of Education. The School of Surveying will occupy a substantial proportion of the building with dedicated areas for staff offices, postgraduate workspaces, and computer laboratories. Shared seminar rooms and flexible teaching spaces will also be available. Owing to increasing enrolments, core lectures will be delivered in larger nearby university theatres.

While this arrangement may reduce the time students spend within the Surveying building itself, it is a necessary response to growing class sizes and the limited capacity of existing lecture rooms.

One immediate advantage of the move is the addition of two dedicated computer labs, which will significantly reduce the need for streamed classes. The larger 75 seat lab is a collaboration with Trimble through a new University of Otago partnership agreement.

This partnership will play an important role in ensuring the school can continue to deliver practical, technology focused teaching to an expanding student body.

Although the school will relinquish its current back field, it gains a new front lawn framed by cherry blossom trees, an attractive, if not ideal, environment for GNSS work. Logan Park, located just across Union Street will, however, serve as a convenient and suitable venue for many outdoor practical exercises. The school’s proximity to the School of Computing also opens up promising opportunities for shared research and collaboration in areas such as 3D spatial data, augmented reality, and virtual reality.

It is also hoped the surrounding neighbourhood will bring new energy. Previously located on the campus fringe, the school is conveniently close to George Street

although somewhat isolated. It will now sit within a lively education precinct bustling with students and flanked by cafés, food trucks, Unipol, and the Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The move promises to make the School of Surveying feel more connected to both campus life and the wider university community. While 2026 will see the introduction of a new student learning management system and a new timetable, it is hoped that teaching and related activities will continue with minimal disruption.

It is also anticipated that the May graduation function will be held in the new premises, and that July’s recruitment season will run much as it has in previous years. The school hopes to welcome industry colleagues through an on-site seminar series or workshop programme at some stage this year. The School of Surveying can now be found at Ōwheo799337mN, 418295mE and 2.6m (North Taieri 2000 and NZ Vertical Datum 2016). Nau mai, haere mai katoa.

Thanks to Paul Denys and Mark Smith’s article in the August 2013 Survey quarterly, and ChatGPT for assistance in preparing this piece.

Bright yellow, big impact:

WSP’s new survey vessel makes waves

You may see a small, bright yellow vessel gliding across Aotearoa New Zealand’s rivers and lakes in the months ahead. It’s a state of the art autonomous watercraft, the Apache 4 – just purchased by WSP for surveying the bottom of rivers, lakes, ponds, and more.

New Plymouth based team leader for surveying, Peter Troon, says the one metre long vessel is packed with advanced technology, including a multibeam echosounder that sends out sound waves in a fan shape to map underwater terrain.

“When it comes to underwater mapping, it doesn’t get much better than this,” he says.

Purchased from Chinese firm CHC Navigation, the Apache 4 is a significant new addition to WSP’s hydrographic surveying capabilities.

Maritime NZ approved, it’s been trialled on survey projects, including checking bottom contours around piles and pillars on Whanganui’s Dublin Street bridge.

Peter says the acquisition of the vessel was spurred by survey work for a client who maintains riverbed pipelines, and commissions surveys to check these aren’t becoming exposed after heavy rain and erosion events.

But the vessel opens a world of possibilities beyond

that such as; surveying bridge abutments after floods, looking at critical infrastructure in hydroelectric dams and lakes, and checking on the condition of small ports and jetties.

The benefits come down to improved health and safety and obtaining richer data. “Even putting a staffed hydrographic boat in locations can be risky. The new vessel does away with that. Think of it like a water drone – it just needs a land based operator.”

Peter says the vessel is a fast, efficient way of getting critical information for clients. It produces a below the surface 3D point cloud of bottom topography and can be equipped with extra sensors for other underwater surveying tasks.

“The complexity of the data outputs is one hundred times more than what we’ve had in the past. We’re working with CHC Navigation to get our survey team staff trained up.” There are plans to expand its use, including for a client that needs the underwater parts of ten bridges inspected.

As demand grows for precise underwater data to support infrastructure resilience and environmental stewardship, the nimble yellow vessel is set to become a familiar sight on the country’s waterways.

Measurement expert: A student’s path to success

Guy Frederick (Sciences Communications Advisor), University of Otago

When fourth year School of Surveying student Brayden Foote first heard about surveying, he had no idea what it involved. It was a casual remark from his dad’s friend who said, “You’re good at maths so why not try surveying?” which paved the way for what would become Brayden’s study path.

Now just weeks away from completing his Bachelor of Surveying, Brayden reflects on his four years of study as one big journey of discovery.

Throughout his degree, Brayden has explored a wide scope of surveying applications including cadastral property boundaries, subdivision, land development, hydrography (surveying the seabed), as well as law regarding land tenure and planning legislation.

An area Brayden connected with was the highly precise work associated with surveying for large scale

construction projects. He felt that one of the most rewarding aspects of the programme has been the 80 day work experience requirement that allows hands on exposure and mentorship. For Brayden this included a summer internship in Sydney and experience at Dunedin based TL Survey Services where he says he learnt so much.

“I’ve really enjoyed being part of a professional programme that’s included fantastic opportunities such as attending surveying conferences and making connections with people working in the industry.”

Making the most of his learning opportunities and studies has also earned Brayden several awards, including the Consulting Surveyors of New Zealand Prize, Turnbull Thomson Memorial Prize, and the Harrison Grierson Prize for Professional Values in Surveying.

This year he also received the Trimble Karahipi Hangarau/Technology Scholarship. This was established in 2024 by Otago with generous support from Trimble, a global digital technology company specialising in geospatial, construction, transportation, and agriculture solutions.

Brayden says the $7,000 scholarship has eased the pressures of his final year, allowing him to focus on his studies. “It’s been a huge help,” he adds. “And getting to know the team at Trimble has been a real bonus.”

“Brayden has been an absolute pleasure to teach and quick to learn surveying concepts across a wide range of topics. He made the most of all the opportunities and did a remarkable job as president of the student association whilst maintaining top marks in his studies,” said Richard Hemi, Professional Practice Fellow in the School of Surveying.

“I feel very fortunate to be in a degree where graduates are in such high demand,” says Brayden. “We had around 30 different companies present to us during recruitment time, and everyone in our year group has secured a job for next year. I’m really excited for our futures.”

UC innovation makes global flood-risk mapping affordable

University of Canterbury

University of Canterbury researchers are using AI and open datasets to create affordable, accurate elevation maps that will help communities plan and adapt to a changing climate.

Researchers Xiandong Cai and Professor Matthew Wilson, from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury’s (UC) Toi Hangarau Geospatial Research Institute, have developed a deep learning model called Joint Spatial Propagation Super Resolution (JSPSR). This uses AI to dramatically enhance global satellite elevation data.

Professor Wilson says the team’s goal is to democratise access to accurate elevation data. “AI allows us to achieve high accuracy and good spatial resolution using open satellite data that is accessible to everyone.”

High quality elevation data is essential for planning everything from flood modelling to infrastructure design, agriculture and renewable energy development. Currently, the most accurate option is Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), which provides exceptional detail. However, for many nations it is too expensive and logistically demanding, requiring specialised aircraft, equipment and technical capability.

Governments across much of Africa, Asia and the Pacific currently rely on basic global satellite elevation datasets that lack the fine scale detail needed for reliable modelling of landscapes and waterways.

Addressing this, JSPSR uses AI to generate high resolution, bare-earth digital elevation models using only open satellite data and modest computing power.

Early results show that the JSPSR model can deliver a tenfold improvement in spatial resolution, and around a 72 percent improvement in elevation accuracy, compared to the basic datasets. In addition, JSPSR delivers 1.05 m Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), vertical accuracy from 30m input data, and up to four times faster processing than the widely used Enhanced Deep Residual Networks for Single Image Super Resolution (EDSR) method.

“While not a replacement for LiDAR, JSPSR provides

far more accurate elevation information than current free satellite datasets at a fraction of the cost of LiDAR. This could transform flood-risk mapping and environmental planning for districts or countries that currently lack the resources to capture LiDAR data. Our ongoing work aims to further refine and validate the model so it can be applied reliably across global landscapes,” says Xiandong Cai.

Potential applications include:

• Infrastructure and Urban Planning: Flood-risk assessment, stormwater design, transport planning.

• Agriculture and Land Management: Irrigation modelling, erosion monitoring, precision agriculture.

• Environmental Monitoring and Climate Resilience: Sea level rise modelling, habitat mapping, carbon stock estimation.

• Energy and Renewable Development: Hydrological modelling, hydro site design, and renewable generation planning.

“By making high quality terrain data affordable and accessible, the UC team’s work supports global efforts to strengthen climate resilience, reduce inequalities and enable sustainable infrastructure development in regions that need it most,” says Professor Wilson. The project is part of UC’s expanding AI and geospatial research portfolio, which brings together experts across engineering, environmental science and computer science to solve some of the most pressing problems faced by humanity. Together, these teams are demonstrating how advanced AI methods can be applied for global benefit, turning complex data science into powerful tools for sustainable development.

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