NRS-21954 | Aerial Photographs – Surveys for Sewerage Works [Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board]

Full description

The Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board (MWS&DB) contracted the Central Mapping Authority (Department of Lands) to produce aerial photographs of Sydney, Wollongong and the Central Coast. The Central Mapping Authority produced sets of aerial images of NSW for its own purposes in regular five to seven year cycles, but also conducted aerial photography flights for other agencies as ‘special orders’, such as this set. The images, which capture the natural and man-made features of the landscape at a point in time, were used by the MWS&DB’s surveyors to plan new sewerage works including treatment plants, ocean outfalls, sewerage mains and reticulation (pipelaying). The images supported analysis, background research and decision-making as well as being used for mapping, site location and surveying purposes. The photographs in this series were produced in 1965, 1966 and 1970. This series contains black and white aerial photographs taken in 1965, 1966 and 1970 of Sydney, Wollongong and the Central Coast. The images capture the natural and man-made features of the landscape and were used by the agency to plan new sewerage works. A single running number has been imposed on the items in this series because it was difficult to reconstruct the original order of the items. The original numbering system is one used by the Central Mapping Authority (Department of Lands) and relates to their control records for the master film, e.g. NSW1451 Run 4 frame 5099 PO 24041 Survey 41 Metropolitan Sewerage Plans Sewerage Ref. 1966 Key No 36 MWS&DB.

There is an alphanumeric film number with the prefix “NSW” followed by a three or four digit number (e.g. NSW1234). The film number is usually etched on the bottom left corner of each of the glass plates. Each film roll had content gathered in one run or flight. A flight report was created for each run. The related Key Diagrams plotted the runs in sets on a map, noting the location at which each image was taken. The run number was marked on the cover of the box the plates were originally housed in. Spatial Services holds index cards and reports which identify which runs on the film were done on behalf of MWS&DB. The frame numbers refer to the start and end frames on the film which relate to the target location being photographed on behalf of MWS&DB. Sydney Water has not been able to locate any records which explain the remaining control numbers. eg. P/O 19003 Survey 41 Cumberland Detail 1965 Key No 17 MWS&DB. The P/O number is possibly an order or job number. Cumberland likely refers to Cumberland County, which covers greater Sydney, as county boundaries have historically been used for surveying and registration of land titles. It's possible that the Detail and Key Number relate in some way to series of Detail Sheets (Sewerage Reference Sheets), which are survey records for sewer purposes, or use the same system of arrangement as these earlier survey records. See NRS-9941 and NRS-9942. All the records in this series related to Survey 41, which imply they are a survey of the same geographic area conducted in 1965, 1966 and again in 1970.