User guide

Introduction

The VVG portal contains extensive information on nearly 300,000 bores across the state of Victoria.  These instructions are a quick guide on how to use the map. Please be aware that the system is regularly being refined and updated and these instructions will be updated from time to time.

Note: If you have an Apple Mac, find out how to navigate the portal here. 

Quick guide to get started

Navigation instructions

There are several ways to navigate around using the map interface, your pointer device (mouse) and your keyboard.

• Double-click on the map to zoom in
• Click and drag to pan around the map
• If your mouse has a scroll-wheel, you can use this to zoom in and out.
• Hold the SHIFT key down and draw a box on the map to zoom into the specifid area.
• You can also use the '+/-' icons in the top left hand corner of the map to zoom.

User guide to mapping portal

Zoom in and out

There are multiple ways to zoom in and out:

• Zoom in and out:  scroll the mouse wheel up and down.
• Zoom in only: double left-click the mouse over the area you would like to zoom in.
• Zoom to a selection:  hold down the shift-key and left-click and hold the mouse button then drag a rectangle over the map area.
• Zoom buttons press the zoom in or out  button in the top left hand corner of the map (Figure 1).

Pan the map

• Pan/move the map.
  • Left-click and hold mouse button in the map area and drag the mouse in any direction.

Tip - Turn layers off to speed up navigation. The more layers you have turned on, the longer it will take for everything to load each time you zoom or pan.

Search by address

• Use the search box in the header section of the map portal.
• Start typing in an address. For specific properties, keep the format street number, street name, suburb in that order to ensure search is correct. 
• Results will be refined and displayed as you type, click the relevant address and the map will navigate to the chosen location. 
• Click X in top right hand corner of pop up window to exit. 

Turn layers on and off

• Layers are found in the folders on the right hand side of the map. To open a folder click on the + symbol. 
• To turn on a layer click the box next to the writing and a tick will appear.
• To turn off a layer, click the box again. 

Change map layer order

• Some layers will conceal / cover others. One way to remedy this is to reorder the layers, placing the concealing layer at the bottom.
• Click on TOOLS menu in the top right hand menu. 
• Layers appear in order, so the top layer will appear above the other layers. 
• Drag layers to reorder. 

Change layer transparency

• Ensure layer is turned on. 
• Activate the layer by clicking on the text adjacent to the 'tick'box.  This highlights the text. 
• Underneath the layer names will be 'Active Layer' and there will be a heading with 'Transparency' and underneath will be a slider bar. 
• Click on the bar and slide to the left to increase transparency and to the right to decrease transparency. 

Get more information on a layer

Query a layer

• Many layers are queryable by left clicking on a point, line or polygon (shape) on the map. 
• Ensure layer you want information on is turned on
• Click on layer text next to the tick box to ensure it is highlighted. This will make it your active layer. 
• Only an active layer can be queried. 
• To see if you can query it you will see underneath the layer names 'Active Layer'.
  • If you can query this layer, it will say in  blue 'Query mode: ON'. 
  • If this layer cannot be queried it will say in grey "Querying not available'. 

Metadata for layers

• To get metadata (i.e. more information) on this layer, click on the  next to the layer name in the 'Active Layer' part.
  • Metadata may include a description, the custodian of the data, the date the layer was created etc. 

Advanced search filters for layers

• Some layers allow additional search and filter options. 
• Ensure the layer is turned on (box is 'ticked').
• Click on layer text next to the tick box to ensure it is highlighted. This will make it your active layer. 
• If you can see a "cog"   icon in the active layer section you can click it to access these additional filters.

Change basemap

• Similar to Google Maps you can change from a map view to a satellite view and a hybrid view which is a combination of the two. 
• On the right hand corner of the map will be a box with GoogleStreets, VicMap, Vicmap IMAGERY and ESRI Imagery.
  • The layer shown on the map will be the layer shown in bold. 
  • To change the basemap, click on the text of the basemap you would like shown. 

Find the legend

• The legend for the currently active layer will be automatically displayed under the active layer section. 
• To view legends for other visible layers
  • Click on LEGEND menu located in the top right hand menu and the legend will pop up. 
  • This legend can be moved around the map and can be resized. 
  • The legend will show all layers that are turned on (excluding basemap). 

Measure area or distance

• Click on TOOLS located in the top right hand menu.
• At the bottom (may need to scroll) you will see 'Measure'. 
• To move to where you need to measure click on the hand symbol and pan to your site. 
• To measure the distance between two points click on the middle icon with the lines and a ruler.
  • Click on a point on the map where you would like to measure from and click the mouse twice at the end point. The distance will come up below the measuring tool icons. 
• To measure multiple lines together, turn on the middle measuring tool icon.
  • Click on the map your first measuring point and click once again where you would like the line to go. When you are finished double click your last point. The distance will come up below the measuring tool icons. 
• To measure an area, click on the right hand measuring tool.
  • Single click points on the map to create your shape and double click to complete your shape. The area will come up below the measuring tool icons. 
• To exit this function, click the 'Hand' icon.

Save a map view

• This allows you to save the current map view and layers as a link so that you can go back to it again without having to start over. This is also useful for sharing a link. 
• Click on SAVE in the top right menu.
  • Highlight the URL showing in the box. Then copy and save as bookmark or save elsewhere. 
  • Alternatively click on 'Permalink' and the link text will be shown in your browser URL bar. 

Print a map view

• This allows you to print a PDF of your current map view. 
• Click PRINT in the top right menu.
  • Give the map a title.
    • Choose portrait or landscape view. 
    • Choose A4 or A3 sizing. 
    • Click on Create PDF for printing and save the PDF in your desired location. 

Toggle menu on side on and off

• If you would like to unshow the 'Categories and Layers' on the right hand side of the screen, click on the icon under the +/- zoom icons in the top left hand corner of the map. 
• To make it reappear, click on the icon again. 

Querying the map for information

As the amount of data layers available on VVG has increased, the querying options have become more complicated. We hope to simplify this in the near future.

To query the map just click on the point of the map you are interested in, information related to that point will return information in the left hand side information panel. The type of information returned depends on the selected 'query mode'.

The 'query mode' selection buttons are located in the search panel on the left-hand-side of the map. These options allow you to change between different query groupings. The default query mode is 'Bores' which will query for bores within a 500 metre radius of a single mouse click on the map. Other query modes are listed below.

• Bores: This mode will query the DEDJTR (GEDIS), DELWP (Water Measurement Information System) and FedUni Bores within a 500 metre radius of the selected point.
• Drill Virtual Bore: This mode will query the Victorian aquifer framework (VAF) surfaces for their values at that exact pixel location. It works in two steps. The first returns Surface, Basement and Watertable information. You then have the choice to query the other aquifer surfaces identified at the chosen point.  
• Active layer: This performs a query on the active layer only (if one is chosen in the layer switcher).
• EPA Sites: This mode will query the three EPA Victoria Layers within the default 500m radius of the selected point. Audit Report Sites, Groundwater Restricted Use Zones (GQRUZ) and Priority sites. 

3D Visualisation

The 3D scene is a tool that allows you to see areas from the VVG portal in 3D.

• This includes aquifer layers, WMIS bores and surface elevation.
• There are many options for user customisation which are detailed in this user guide.