Online maps for NSW

[tom_brennan]

I posted a similar thing in the Tassie forum, but realised that I'd never actually posted the same for NSW, even though this has been running for nearly 5 years. I suspect that many NSW posters know, but for those who don't, I have an online mapping application for NSW.

https://maps.ozultimate.com/

At its simplest, it layers the topo maps and aerial imagery. It allows drawing routes, points, labelling, saving and sharing.

2021-02-12 17_11_23-NSW Bushwalking Maps.png (869.6 KiB) Viewed 17333 times

It's similar to SIXMaps, but it's easier to use and the key functions you use regularly are more accessible.

Layers: The map has two main layers: the NSW Imagery (Aerial Photos) layer and the NSW Topographic Map layer. Use the slider in the top right to transition from one to the other.

Load Files: Drag and drop GPX (from your GPS), KML (Google Earth) or GeoJSON files on to the map and they will automatically appear, or you can use the File Open icon.

Draw: Click on the respective icons to draw Lines, Polygons or Markers. These can subsequently be edited or deleted using the relevant Edit and Delete icons.

Add labels: Click on a feature, and box will pop up to add a label. The label will be visible when you hover over the feature.

Distance Calculation: When you have drawn a Line, the distance will pop up. If you subsequently edit the Line, the distance will recalculate. Useful for things like measuring the length of bushwalking tracks.

Area Calculation: When you have drawn a Polygon, the area will pop up. If you subsequently edit the Polygon, the area will recalculate. Useful for things like measuring the size of catchments.

Save to Computer: Use the various Save icons to download the features to your computer, in GPX (for GPS), KML (for Google Earth/Maps) or GeoJSON format

Share Link: Click on the Link icon to save the data you have loaded/drawn to the server, and create a link that you can copy and share with others

Hopefully it's useful to some.

[Zapruda]

Thanks Tom.

I’ve been using your amazing interactive maps for years. They are truly indispensable. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t use them.

[FatCanyoner]

This is a great resource Tom. Like Zapruda, I've used it extensively for years. It's handy to be able to draw out a rough route plan, or simply highlight key points, which can then be emailed to other group participants. The link function works great for this.
The ability to easily cross between topo and aerial photos -- including a blend of the two -- is also really useful when planning a route, especially in areas where the topo maps are less detailed.
The area calculation is brilliant for working out the catchment of a creek -- a particularly helpful tool for canyoners.
I've also noticed that when you share points with a link, it seems to stay working for a very long time. I can often find a map I've prepared earlier to answer a similar question.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

Also use this all the time. It's brilliant and the instant gpx export function is fantastic.

Sent from my SM-G977B using Tapatalk

[johnw]

Likewise Tom, love your work, I've used this for some time. A handy resource, it seems to render faster and is more stable than native SIX Maps.

[Lindsay]

Great stuff, thanks Tom

[tom_brennan]

I've also noticed that when you share points with a link, it seems to stay working for a very long time. I can often find a map I've prepared earlier to answer a similar question.

One thing I should make clear is that you should assume that anything that's saved via the "Share via link" button is publicly available. In practice, it's unlikely that anyone will access it, but I don't encrypt it. So someone can guess the link, and certainly anyone can access it.

If you don't use that particular function, then nothing else is uploaded/saved to the website. It's all done in your own browser. So if you have any sensitivity/privacy concerns, you're best off downloading anything you create to your own computer (GeoJSON or other format), sending the file(s) via email to the necessary people, and having them load it into their own instance of the tool.

[FatCanyoner]

One thing I should make clear is that you should assume that anything that's saved via the "Share via link" button is publicly available.

Good point about the potential (albeit small) of someone trying different link options to find shared links. I doubt I've every used it to share the detail of anything too sensitive, but good advice about how to do that securely.

On that note, I've often wondered whether you get curious occasionally and check out the maps people have shared. It would be an interesting way to get trip inspiration...

[tom_brennan]

On that note, I've often wondered whether you get curious occasionally and check out the maps people have shared. It would be an interesting way to get trip inspiration...

I had a look early on, to understand how people were using the link service.

However, I don't think I've looked at it now since 2017. Though now that I do look at the folder, there is a lot of data! Nearly 250MB. And a lot of duplicates. Presumably people who failed to copy the link the first time (or in some cases, the first 9 times ).

I should probably purge some of those...

[davidmorr]

Does this use the interactive SIX Maps data? If so it may be worth checking as SIX maps have replaced the old map with some new version that looks like a raster image. If you zoom out, it gets very blurry. Text is not even readable. The only way I was able to see all the contours was by zooming in so far that I could only see about 2km on a 27" screen. Here is a sample:

There is no way that is usable.

Edit: No, it does not use SIX Maps data. Whew!

[tom_brennan]

Probably the same issue as they had a few years ago
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=31436

If it hits the tiles I use, I'll contact them and get them to fix it! I don't care about the SIX Maps tiles, but ...

[davidmorr]

They appear to have fixed it. It looked rather like they were using raster images as the basis of the maps. As I zoomed out, it looked like some sort of compression has been used which average out of existence many of the line segments, as well as a good bit of the text.