Surveying covers a very broad range of activities, mostly without any legislation directly covering it. Activities such as geodesy, GIS and the management of spatial information are largely, if not entirely unregulated from the legislative perspective.

They are of course subject to stringent technical standards and are often covered by best practice guidelines issued by organisations like ICSM (the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping).

The major exception is cadastral surveying; that is, the surveys that define the boundaries of land parcels. In Australia, land administration (including cadastral surveying) is generally a state responsibility with the major exception being native title.

Each state has set up its own system for managing cadastral surveying and cadastral surveyors. Consequently there are differences between states. These can be as minor as differences in terminology to significant legal differences, for example, in the approach to adverse possession of land.

However, on balance, the differences are minor. Cadastral surveyors are currently regulated in all states by statutory boards known as Surveyors Boards. Prior to being registered by Surveyors Boards to carry our cadastral surveys, surveyors require further practical training after graduation.

The Reciprocating Surveyors Boards, a committee that has representation from all the Surveyors’ Boards in Australia and NZ, has minimised many of the differences in approach between the States.