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Project grids and calculations

Our custom grids and calculation tools

Landgate provides custom project grids and some calculation tools that can be used for design and construction setout in a plane coordinate system. 

Project grids provide a Transverse Mercator (TM) based standard for the interchange of data for engineering, surveying and mapping projects. Within a project grid, the distance between two points on a plan will be the same as the ground distance to a defined tolerance of 20 parts per million (some height limits apply).

This makes the project grids ideal for engineering applications, facilitating the use of plane coordinate calculations for design and construction set out.

Download the WA project grids spreadsheet that includes all grids’ parameters.

Conversion tools and calculations

The Geodetic calculator spreadsheet includes Landgate’s and Main Roads WA’s project grids conversions tools. The spreadsheet contains macros that must be enabled. The code is not locked and can be used without restriction. Users are reminded to always verify results before use.

Geoscience Australia provides geodetic calculation information and tools which allows for coordinate conversions (e.g. geographic to grid), geodetic calculations (e.g. bearing and distance) and more.

To transform coordinates from the Australian Geodetic Datum (AGD66 or AGD84) to the Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA94 or GDA2020) refer to the ICSM GDA Transformation products and tools.

Project grid parameters

National map grids

The standard map projection associated with GDA2020 datum is the Map Grid of Australia 2020 (MGA2020). This Transverse Mercator projection conforms to the internationally standardised Universal Transverse Mercator Grid system.

Other national map grids include MGA94 associated with GDA94 datum, and AMG84 associated with AGD84. For national map grid details refer to Technical Manuals on the ICSM website.