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Watson Treasures

Watson has hidden joys that don't quite fit into the other categories we've listed here. Know one we've missed? Email us!

Watson Street Pantry - PL

Community Pantry

Watson has a community pantry for those doing it a little bit tough. Consider donating non-perishable food items or staples, or take what you need if you're struggling.

Starlight Restored - PL

Starlight Sign

Once upon a time Watson was home to a drive-in cinema. All that's left now is the Starlight sign, which was rescued by a community effort. When the cinema was redeveloped the apartment complex donated it to ACT Heritage, who commissioned a design firm to work on restoration. It is now placed adjacent to where it was, with ongoing heritage value as one of the few drive in movie signs of the era standing in its original location..

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Off Leash Dog Spaces

Dogs are permitted off-lead in the Watson Green Space (powerlines reserve) and on the primary school oval when not in use. Please remember the rules: Off-leash dogs must be under voice control of their owners. They must not run up to dogs on lead or people. Owners must clean up after their dogs, and take the bags away to dispose of at home.

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For more information on dog rules in the ACT, click here.

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Watson Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) Baseline

Andrew Hammond, a local Watson registered surveyor, has kindly shared the meaning behind those grey and yellow pillars in the Watson Green Space. These important monuments are used by land surveyors. 

 

The grey pillars are known as the Watson Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) Baseline and are used by surveyors to calibrate their instruments and check that they measure a true metre (or kilometre, since the entire line of grey pillars is 1000 metres long). Watson’s EDM Baseline is used by surveyors from all around the ACT and NSW to calibrate their instruments. 

 

How do we (the public) trust that when a surveyor says something is 123.456 metres long, that they have measured it accurately? Legal, and traceable metrology is how!

Traceability in measurement involves ensuring an unbroken chain of calibrations to primary measurement standards. Traceability helps ensure that measurements are comparable to each other and gives industry, researchers, regulators and consumers confidence in the accuracy of measurement results.

The line of grey pillars in the Watson Green Space is known as the Watson Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) Baseline.

Our Watson EDM Baseline is the closest one for many local surveyors - the Seaham EDM is in the Hunter Valley, the Eglinton EDM is near Orange. This means that surveyors from all over the ACT and many surrounding areas in NSW (think Goulburn, Cooma, Yass) use the Watson EDM Baseline. Surprisingly, one metre in NSW is the same as one metre in the ACT!

Every year you will see surveyors use these grey pillars to check that their total station instruments measure a true metre (or kilometre, since the entire line of grey pillars in the Watson Green Space is over 1000 metres long) when they do any work.

Surveyors shoot lasers to measure distances. If instruments don't meet the rigid standard they need to be fixed or cannot legally be used. Any errors or discrepancies with the published Government standard are expressed in parts per million (PPM) and must fall within the designated range. Note that 1 PPM = 1 millimetre of error over 1 kilometre - given the baseline is over 1 kilometre, we are detecting millimetre errors over that length. This is an impressive testament to the accuracy and precision of our expensive total station instruments.

Surveyors measure between the pillars to see what horizontal distance our instruments reckon it is. The pillars themselves have a VERY DEEP concrete footing so tend not to move much, or at all. However they can move a little - so each year the Government tells surveyors what the true distance is between each pillar.

Surveyors get a key (or pin number) to the padlocks on both the gate to drive into the Watson Green Space, as well as the locks on the lids of each pillar. They must book the Watson EDM Baseline before using it, to avoid clashes (surveyors being a fiesty bunch!)

https://www.planning.act.gov.au/.../gene.../edm-calibrations

The bright yellow marker posts in the Watson Green Space are indicator posts for surface, or slightly surface survey marks. These survey marks, to which the yellow posts relate, are very stable. They have a precise location in latitude/longitude/height above sea level.

Survey marks are so stable because they are often driven deep underground to bedrock; the first picture shows the rules which suggest driving the rod nearly a full three metres down into the ground!

This precise location is the result of days and days of measurement over many years, with surveying instruments including total station and GNSS units (see photos). Lots of effort has been put into positioning and checking these survey marks, on the basis that they are not likely to move or be disturbed.

The survey marks can be seen of the ACTmapi website - there, one can obtain their precise coordinates for free.

Why are the pillars yellow? They're yellow to help us simple folk find the ground level (or below ground level) marks easily, and most importantly, quickly.

The marks can usually be found by looking for a depression near the posts, or in between two or three posts in they are clustered. The posts are numbered so surveyors know which mark is which.

The marks are protected by laws which fine individuals or businesses which tamper with them - please don't tamper with them as they assist surveyors to provide their service to the community by making sure things are done in the right spot, neighbours don't fight unnecessarily, and that useful public developments can occur.

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Stick Library

Down by the billabong where happy dogs swim among the abundant wildlife, locals have set up a stick library. Bring a stick, take a stick. Note that chasing sticks can lead to mouth injuries in dogs. Consider the risks.

Watson Community Association Inc

The Watson Community Association Inc. is an elected body with the responsibility of promoting inclusiveness in the suburb of Watson ACT.

© 2024 by Watson Community Association Inc.
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Unless otherwise noted, photos on this site were taken in Watson by local residents and are used with permission. Copyright remains with the photographers.

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