About Cadastral Surveying

Cadastral surveying is the discipline of land surveying that relates to the laws of land ownership and the definition of property boundaries.  It involves interpreting and advising on boundary locations, on the status of land ownership and on the rights, restrictions and interests in property, as well as the recording of such information for use on plans, maps, etc.  It also involves the physical delineation of property boundaries and determination of dimensions, areas and certain rights associated with properties, whether they are on land, water or defined by natural or artificial features.

Cadastral surveys are generally performed to subdivide land into parcels for ownership under a land title and to re-establish boundaries of previously surveyed properties to determine the physical extent of ownership or to facilitate the transfer of the property title.

A surveyor, who is registered as a licensed surveyor under the Surveying Act 2004, is the only person authorised to perform cadastral surveys in Victoria.  The regulation of cadastral surveying reflects the importance with which Government holds Victoria’s cadastre.  The cadastre is a parcel-based system of property (land) administration.  It is comprised of physically delineated boundaries, being the extents of parcels or interests in parcels, and datasets containing the public record of the interests (ie.  rights, restrictions and responsibilities) in those parcels.  The government and community entrust licensed surveyors to maintain and protect the integrity of the cadastre, which underpins economic development through confidence in the property market.