When you’re managing a construction or infrastructure project in Australia, engineering surveys are the backbone of your plans. But obtaining accurate, reliable data is not always easy. As a person involved in property development, civil works or local infrastructure, you should be aware of what potential pitfalls a wait and how to steer clear of them.
Here are five everyday problems in engineering surveys that one usually encounters throughout Australia, and some practical tips to assist you in avoiding headaches.
1. Erratic Weather and Ground Conditions
You would know all too well how severe and unstable Australia’s weather is. Rain, heat, strong winds, even dust, each of these can cause surveying work to go awry in so many different ways.
- Following rain, wet or soft ground is difficult to establish instruments and can nullify reference points.
- Direct sunlight causes equipment, personnel and measured surfaces to heat up, subtly compromising accuracy.
- Direct sunlight can create harsh shadows or overload sensors.
- Wind can cause tripod-mounted instruments to swing or displace foliage blocking line-of-sight.
These are regularly referred to as a big headache for field surveying.
Tip for you: Always include buffer time in your planning schedule for “weather delays.” When scheduling your site access, favor dry seasons or windows of anticipated calm conditions. Employ protective covers or shaded stations for apparatus. Select instruments with self-leveling or vibration compensation where applicable.
2. Incomplete or Outdated Existing Records
Many engineering surveys rely on historical maps, cadastral data, or previous surveys. But those can be outdated, incomplete or outright off the mark.
You might discover missing boundary monuments, conflicting legal descriptions, or terrain that’s changed (e.g. earthworks, erosion, landscaping). In extreme cases, you’ll find conflicts between old plans and what’s on the ground now. Survey2Plan outlines that relying blindly on old surveys is one of the top mistakes.
In land surveying literature, common errors often stem from overlooking these discrepancies.
Tip for you: Commission a fresh baseline survey even if you’ve got documentation. Use multiple data sources (GIS, satellite, prior surveys) and cross-check them. Engage a surveyor who will validate reference points in the field, not just depend on desk-based data.
3. Encroachments, Easements and Hidden Constraints
You may think your land is entirely yours. But easements (rights for utilities, access tracks, services) or neighbouring encroachments frequently lie in wait undetected until end-of-inspection. These physical and legal limitations can completely change what you may build or how you deal with drainage, utilities or access.
Most surveying problems result from not seeing them beforehand.
Tip for you: Request your surveyor to conduct a review of title search and examine local authority records. Require surveying for underground services, registered and unregistered easements, right of way, and overlays such as flood zones or bushfire buffers. Document and locate all the constraints upfront so your design or build can respond.
4. Levelling, Height Datum & Vertical Errors
A less apparent but equally important challenge is vertical accuracy, correct elevations. In Australia, surveyors will talk about the Australian Height Datum (AHD), which is a national datum for vertical levels. However, that system has documented inconsistencies, offsets, or distortions, particularly over large areas.
If your surveyor does not calibrate instruments properly or does not take geoid models or local corrections into consideration, you may end up with misaligned roads, failed drainage gradients, or structural problems. Most land surveying error lists include that boundary and elevation are common offenders.
Tip for you: Ask your surveyor to use the right tools and methods for matching GPS height data with Australia’s official height system (AHD). Make sure they double-check results, set up backup reference points, and clearly record all height levels used on site.
5. Communication, Misinterpretation & Human Error
With good data and intelligence, human error remains a leading cause of problems. Miscommunications between the surveyor, engineers, architects, and you can create misunderstandings regarding reference points, tolerances, deliverables, and coordinate systems.
Poor coordination or assumptions (by other professionals) are frequently listed by surveying professionals as causes of errors.
Tip for you: Have early alignment meetings to explain coordinate systems (e.g. local grid vs global), level datum, deliverables (point formats, formats, tolerances). Request regular interim checks instead of a single final handover. Look for a surveyor who reports results in understandable, usable formats (plans, 3D models, annotated deliverables).
Bonus Challenge: Rapid Technological Change
It’s important to mention that surveying is a quickly evolving profession. There are new geospatial technologies, remote sensing, LiDAR, UAVs, and software displacing conventional workflows. Some survey companies are unable to adapt to these changes, so there is a higher chance that they use legacy techniques.
You might lose out on efficiency or have integration issues in the future (e.g. in clash detection or BIM workflows) if your survey team is not up to date.
Tip for you: Select a survey partner that remains up to date with developments. Ensure your project includes digital deliverables and workflows from the very beginning.
Conclusion
These five challenges – weather, old data, legal restrictions, vertical precision, and communication (and tech changes) are ones you need to anticipate, plan for, and mitigate when ordering engineering surveys in Australia.
You don’t have to do this on your own. At Territory Surveys our skilled team knows the quirks of Australian terrain, cadastral systems, height datums, and actual-world limitations you must contend with. We work closely with you, engineers and architects to recognise risk early, articulate succinctly, and provide solid survey information that enhances your success.
If you’re about to begin a project and want to make sure your survey phase is solid, I’d be happy to talk it through with you, no pressure, just clarity. Let’s make sure your next build starts on firm ground.
