South Australia plans to implement GDA2020

The South Australian Government is planning to implement GDA2020 as the operational datum for South Australia.

Australia’s location-based datasets currently align to the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94).  GDA94 is a system that allows locations on the earth’s surface to be identified through reference points and coordinates.  The datum is based on Australia’s tectonic plates which are moving 7cm per year in a north-easterly direction.  To ensure satellite positioning and smart device technology is accurate, Australia will be moving to the new official national datum GDA2020. 

Whilst SA Government GDA2020 implementation plans are still in development, it is expected that some datasets will be GDA2020 enabled by the end of 2018.  More information will be made available as we complete testing of our systems and databases.

The change not only affects the spatial sector, such as surveyors, but applies to all users of location-based data.  Industries that use location-based data may need to transition their own systems and processes to support GDA2020 data. 

To learn more about GDA2020 visit the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM) website.