Version 3.1

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.

Mapping tool instructions

The following instructions will explain how to draw polygon areas (borders around a specific land area)

for a project using Google Maps and determine the latitude and longitude of your general project

location. Existing polygons can also be loaded as an existing Google Earth (KML) file.

Browser Compatibility: This mapping tool is known to work with the following browsers: - Internet Explorer version 10 and above (Internet Explorer’s Compatibility View is not supported) - Chrome version 36 and above - Firefox version 17 and above If you experience any issues please ensure that you are using the latest browser version.

Contents

1. Launch the Mapping Tool ................................................................................................... 2

2. Navigate to the general area of interest using search or the zoom and pan functions ......... 2

3. Drawing a polygon area or multiple areas ........................................................................... 4

4. Modifying site areas and clearing the map .......................................................................... 5

5. Derive general latitude and longitude of project area .......................................................... 7

6. Saving mapping .................................................................................................................. 8

7. Advanced Features ............................................................................................................ 9

8 More information .............................................................................................................. 10

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1. LAUNCH THE MAPPING TOOL

The mapping tool launches from a link within your application form.

You can return to your mapping using this link at any time until you submit your application to

the department.

You will note the map opens in the basic map view which is

helpful in showing roads, creeks and property boundaries.

You may prefer to use the satellite image which can be

accessed by clicking the ‘Satellite’ button at the top right

side of the map. If you want to go back to the basic map

view at any time, click on the ‘Map’ button next to the

‘Satellite’ button.

2. NAVIGATE TO THE GENERAL AREA OF INTEREST - using search or the zoom and

pan functions

Search

Type a town or location into the search box in the upper left of the screen. The tool will suggest

a list of places based on what you type, and you can select the closest location by clicking on the

listed place.

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Zoom and pan to your area of interest

After the tool has taken you to the genreal area of your search, you can move the map in any

direction by ’zooming‘ and ’panning‘.

After selecting the hand tool at the top of the screen you can shift the image

side to side, or up and down by clicking and holding down the left mouse

button while on the image, and sliding the mouse.

You can also navigate using the ‘Pan’ Button in the top left of the screen.

You can zoom in on your area of interest by scrolling your mouse wheel, or using the zoom slide

bar (to the left of the screen).

Navigate to your area of interest by zooming and panning on the image.

Zoom in as close as you can to your area of interest so your mapping has the highest accuracy.

Zoom Slide bar –

use your mouse on

the slide, or on the

plus/minus symbols

Pan Button – use

the arrow buttons

for the direction

Pan by selecting

the hand tool

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3. DRAWING A POLYGON AREA OR MULTIPLE AREAS

Select the drawing tool at top of the map window

Your mouse will now turn into a cross symbol

Place your cross at a place where you want to start drawing and click the left mouse button to

make your first point.

Continue placing points around your area of interest until you get back to the starting point. To

finish your area, click back on your first point.

TIP: You can pan around the map whilst in draw mode by holding down the left mouse button

and dragging mouse, then release the mouse button to return to drawing.

Once you have created the polygon an

information window will appear (if you have

made a mistake at this stage, you can use the

‘Delete’ button to remove the polygon and

start again).

The information box gives you the area of the

polygon, and the perimeter length around it.

In the information window you will be asked

to add a title for the site and if your program

requires it, to select the project activities (by

clicking on the activity in the list) then click

the ‘OK’ button.

If you are doing more than one activity, you

can hold down the Control key on your

keyboard (Ctrl) and select multiple options

with the left mouse button, then click ‘OK’.

In the top right of the map the total area of all your polygons is shown.

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Area of this polygon Combined area of all polygons

After clicking ‘OK’ you can add another polygon area by following these steps again.

Click the ‘Save Mapping’ button in the top right of the screen to save your work. Once saved, the

map will be automatically submitted to the Department when you submit your application form.

You can return to the mapping tool to adjust your maps at any time, until you finally submit the

form.

4. MODIFYING SITE AREAS AND CLEARING THE MAP

If you need to modify a site area boundary you will need to use the hand tool and left

mouse button to click and drag the relevant white points. To make new points along the

boundary click and drag the semi-transparent (partly see through) points.

If you move any

semi-transparent point,

automatically more

points will appear for

you to add more detail

to your shape

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To undo the last point you dragged, click the back symbol. It

will appear every time you shift a point.

To edit a site polygon you have created, use the hand tool

and click the left mouse inside the polygon. After changes,

click ‘OK’ to confirm and close the information window.

Click ‘Cancel’ if you don’t want to keep any of the changes

you just made.

To delete a polygon click the ‘Delete’

button bottom left within the

information window. Beware – you

cannot undo this action.

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The ‘Delete All Polygons’ button in the bottom left of the screen is used to delete all existing

drawn areas and information. Beware - you cannot undo this action.

5. DERIVE GENERAL LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE OF PROJECT AREA

Your application form requires a general latitude and longitude of the project area. To do this,

right click approximately in the centre of your project area using the hand tool. If you have a

number of project areas, click in approximately the middle of the areas.

The latitude and longitude will appear in the search box in the top left corner. They are

separated by a comma. You can now copy and paste them back into the Application form in the

‘Location & Sites’ section.

Latitude Longitude

The ‘Delete All Polygons’

button deletes all the

mapped areas. Beware -

you cannot undo this action

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6. SAVING MAPPING

Incomplete polygons will not be saved, so before you save, make sure you have finished drawing

and that the information window is closed by pressing ‘OK’.

After clicking ‘OK’ in the information window, click the ‘Save Mapping’ button. You can save your

mapping at any time by clicking the ‘Save Mapping’ button. You can return to the mapping tool

to adjust your maps at any time, until you finally submit the form.

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7. ADVANCED FEATURES

Loading Google Earth KML files

Note: 1. This functionality is only available on Firefox browser versions 13 and above, or

Internet Explorer versions 10 and above. It should also work with most other

browsers if they are up to date.

2. Please make sure KML files only contain polygon areas.

What is a Google Earth KML file? See link for information

(https://support.google.com/earth/answer/148118?hl=en)

If you already have a Google Earth KML file of your site or multiple site areas, you can browse to

it using the ‘Load from File (KML)’ button in the bottom left of the screen. Browse to a KML file

on your file system and click ‘Open’ to load the KML file to the map.

Once loaded, use the hand tool method above to edit the information for each site. Any existing

information from your KML file can be edited if it is not correct. REMEMBER, after loading, or

editing, and pressing ‘OK’ you should press the “Save Mapping” button for your KMLs to be

attached to the application form.

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Loading Google Earth KML as text

Browsers that don’t support KML file loading will automatically provide white space below the map to

paste the contents of a KML file as text and load it.

If the ‘Load from File (KML)’ button is greyed out, this means your browser version doesn’t

support KML file loading. As an alternative method you will see a ‘Load from Text (KML)’ button,

which allows you to copy and paste KML text into the provided text area and load it to the map.

Firstly open your KML file in a text editor (e.g. notepad) and copy the full KML text and paste it

into the text box. Then click the ‘Load from File (KML)’ button to load the KML to the map.

Once loaded, use the hand tool method described earlier to click on each site and edit the

information box. You may find some existing information is loaded from your KML file into the

‘Title’ text box, you can edit this if it is not correct. REMEMBER, after loading, or editing, and

pressing ‘OK’ you should press the “Save Mapping” button for your KMLs to be attached to the

application form.

Download your polygons as a KML file

You can click on the “download” button to save your polygon/s as a KML on your local computer for

your own personal use or to share with others if you choose to do so. Your KML will be saved to your

browser’s designated download folder.

8 MORE INFORMATION

For more information or assistance using the mapping tool please contact the Department on

1800 552 008