Media Statements - Minister launches new land use map for Cowaramup-Margaret River area (with pic.)

2/11/00

Mines Minister Norman Moore today officially launched a land use map which will help the Margaret River region plan for the future.

The Cowaramup-Mentelle land use map has been produced by the Department of Minerals and Energy’s Geological Survey Division.

Mr Moore said the map was the first of its kind for the South-West region and contained information on soil types and landforms.

“Besides local government, the map will be useful to State Government agencies as well as the construction, viticulture and tourism industries,” he said.

“The map identifies construction resources such as gravel, sand and limestone. It also identifies potential hazards such as flooding and erosion, so that their impact can be taken into consideration at an early stage of planning.”

The Minister said land-use planners would also find the map helpful when determining the best areas for viticulture, other forms of agriculture, housing and tourism.

The map shows local variations in regolith, the blanket of loose material including vegetation and soil overlying bedrock.

It is part of a new series of regolith-landform resources maps being produced by the Geological Survey.

“To avoid land use conflict in the future, the regolith-landform resources series of maps will focus on fast growing regional areas,” Mr Moore said.

“By mid-2001, the entire cape-to-cape region will have been mapped and a number of maps covering the Geraldton area published.”

There will be a report and digital dataset on CD-ROM accompanying the map.

The CD-ROM contains the data used to compile the map, along with a self-loading version of the ArcExplorer software that enables users to view the map in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment.

The map, report and the CD-ROM are available from the Department of Minerals and Energy in Perth, by telephoning 9222 3333 or via the Department’s on-line bookshop at

http://www.dme.wa.gov.au

at a cost of $77 (GST inclusive).

Media contacts:

Hartley Joynt, Minister’s Office, 9321 1444

Greg Lawrence, Department of Minerals and Energy, 9222 3572