GeoScience Victoria
GeoScience Victoria, formerly the Geological Survey of Victoria is a government agency responsible for mapping the geology of Victoria, Australia.
The Geological Survey was founded in the 1852 in the Victorian gold rush era, and proceeded to actively explore the state of Victoria for geological and mineral resources, discovering and mapping extensive gold, brown coal and petroleum resources. Originally a core element of the Mines Department, it was folded into the Department of Primary Industries [DPI] and renamed Geoscience Victoria in February 2004.
Victoria's mineral, petroleum, extractive and geothermal industries are managed by DPI. The DPI regulates the industries, promotes the development of the state's earth resources, maintains the earth resources database and provides scientific and strategic policy advice to government. The DPI also provides licensing, monitors environmental standards and reviews significant projects.
Following its move to DPI, Geoscience Victoria commenced a major and original program of research and remapping of the state, incorporating new understanding of the state's tectonic origins, producing a new series of seamless digital maps and a publicly available database of earth sciences data. In mid-2012, cuts to the Victorian public service announced by the Baillieu government resulted in almost half of Geoscience Victoria's staff being retrenched, as a result of which it lost the capability to undertake original research on a meaningful scale, and its 'mission' was redefined as no more than a source of government earth science data. It is now only able to mine data it already has.
External links
References
- GSV name change The Age
- The Age
- Beneath Our Feet – 150 Years of the Geological Survey of Victoria Department of Primary Industries
- – Troubled times at the GSV Epidote