Comment: EOTopo

They have been sent the data - so they are working on the release asap.

The screen grab is not the EOTopo 200K maps, but EOTopo online - the "blobs" are cluster groups to advise you that more detail is available if you zoom in. This is an online feature only.

Hmm just wondering...
Why cant EO invent their own topographic rules??
I reckon change is well overdue.
Conventional maps are not that flash after all.
Many so called "current" maps are out of date and still use data from the 70s and 80s and earlier.
Im glad to see EO has finally addressed several major mapping issues most importantly the issue of recency. Maps being able to be updated by actual user input will eventually become far more accurate and useful - who knows what the future will hold.

The fact that certain EOTopo features are derived fro EO's own interactive system. Travellers and users of the site can actually add their own data to places and treks on ExplorOz.
This means means you can contribute to future updates and accuracy of EOTopo. I think this is unique in the mapping world - user refined maps.

Having used EOTopo now for close on 6 months, I don't have any of the problems you mention Andrew. I look forward to the latest update (and future ones) as it will make wikicamps obsolete.

Personally I think EO has done the job correctly. Recognition in the form of EOTopo being available on the HemaNavigator is certainly not to be sneezed at.

I am happy to give EO positive feedback if I find any inaccuracies because I know next time the map is released it will have been updated.

Similarly if I find handy free camps/overnight stops I can add them to the system, describe them, add photos and help out like minded fellow travellers - it all adds to the great community ExplorOz has become...

Wow!

1. Populated Place names should be in a type size in ratio to their importance, that is population IMHO
2. Yes my query was in relation to EOTopo Online as I assumed that EOTopo 200K 2015 would be the same. Today I received EOTopo 200K 2015 on a USB stick and I can now see that the maps are not the same. Is there a reason for this?
3. In EOTopo 2013 the place names Clare and Blyth are both in large bold type. In EOTopo 200K 2015 Blyth is still in large bold type but Clare has been reduced to non bold smaller type. This does not make sense and cast doubts over these maps usefulness.
4. I fully agree with Kerry W (WA) that as users we can and should do a lot to improve their accuracy by giving feedback based on what we see as we travel around. However Populated Place names should in a type size in relation to their population and not require users to have to report anomalies.

Hi Chris,
Glad to hear you've got your EOTopo200K now. Just wanted to clarify that the system logic of text name incremental sizes based on population size is already what EOTopo maps provides. This is a fully standardised Australiawide and is computer generated based on place type attributes.

The issue you've highlighted is that there is some legacy data issues in populated place "attribution" that might still crop up but this is easily managed in our system once we're alerted. There might be a few in regional areas but it is not widespread.

To explain further, the populated place data from Geoscience originally came attributed to two sizes only - and in any case the populations have changed since that data very much. We have added sub-attributes to each Populated Place to show a determination by size for Capital City, City, Town, and Suburb - we do feel we still need to add a further increment to show townships (smaller than towns).

There issue you've stumbled across in this particular example is where some Populated Places have not been allocated to their City/Town/Suburb feature so have a default attribution that makes them the same size as a "town" and there is also another attribute "Place Name" that is meant to be used for places where there is no population but was once a town, or a station but now has no population. Without this extra level of categorisation they show at the size of a "town". There is always going to be constant tweaking of this type of data but it is minor and minimal. All we need to do is get your alerts and we modify the attribute tag in the database for future updates to take on the correct attribute styling.

The example you highlighted yesterday was a case of those 3 towns all being attributed as different things, which I've now fixed in the data due to your report - excellent and thank you. This is exactly the way the audience can get involved!

Hi Michelle,

It is great to hear that I have "stumbled" across something that is "minor and minimal". I picked that area as they are places I have been to recently. As a random pick I figured it maybe some what representative of the entire map and are happy to hear from you that it is not.
Will be happy to pass on relevant information in the future.

A couple to start with are Melrose SA the name is absent and the towns on the Eyre Hwy west of Pt Augusta do not appear consistent.

Actually, no sorry whilst I've changed the source data, the EOTopo online map labelling doesn't update immediately of course, my mistake. That has to wait for a future update.

I now have the new stick! It is good to see all the updates coming to fruition. Specifcally Adelaide freeways and Hume and Hovel walking track to name two of personal interest.!