This series consists of negative films of aerial survey photographs of Australia.

Further research would be required to clarify the early history of the films, and to confirm which Commonwealth agencies were responsible for their creation. However, it appears that from 1928, various RAAF squadrons conducted aerial survey photography on behalf of the Military Survey Section of the Army. The private airline company Adastra Airways was also contracted in 1942 by the Survey Mapping Section of the Department of the Army to conduct aerial survey photography during World War II. CA 990, RAAF Central Photographic Establishment (CPE), was set up in 1949 to be responsible for the storage, retrieval and reproduction of aerial and ground photography. It is not clear whether all films in this series were created by the RAAF and private airlines on behalf of the Survey Section of the Army, or whether CPE took over responsibility for commissioning the aerial survey photography on its establishment in 1949.

CA 1780, Division of National Mapping was established by 1957, and took over from the RAAF and the Army all aspects of mapping for civilian purposes. From about 1962, CPE transferred to National Mapping the aerial survey film in its custody which had no military significance, which included the films contained in this series.

The primary system of control is the film number. Two sets of film numbers run concurrently, one with a "MAP" prefix and the other with a "SVY" prefix. The MAP prefix is believed to stand for Military Aerial Photography and the SVY prefix is believed to stand for Survey Squadron. As the films in both runs were created over roughly the same chronological period, and neither relates to a particular geographical area, the reason for the two separate numerical runs is unclear.

Some film numbers also bear an "LVR" suffix, or some combination of these letters. The letters stand for left, vertical and right, and refer to the three separate cameras used simultaneously in the "trimetrogen" method of aerial photography. In order to cover a large geographical area in one flight, three cameras were used simultaneously, one photographing the ground directly below(V), one aimed towards the horizon on the right hand side of the aircraft (R), and another positioned on the left (L). The film MAP 3833LVR, for example, consists of three separate lengths of film, one from each camera, taken simultaneously and covering the same geographical area. The film MAP 2813L consists of only the film recorded by the left hand camera on a particular flight.

The secondary system of control is the superimposed container or reel number, used in addition to the film number. Two sets of container numbers run concurrently. At the time when the first batch of inactive aerial survey film was transferred to archival custody by CA 1780, Division of National Mapping in 1964 (now held in consignment B5424/2), each container in the accession was consecutively numbered from 1 to 3272. Two further accessions of aerial survey film from this series were later transferred to archival custody and are now held as consignments B5424/3 and B5424/4. The second run of container numbers which covers films in both of these consignments is part of the system used by CA 6717, Australian Surveying and Land Information Group (AUSLIG), and previously used by its predecessor National Mapping, to control all films brought into its custody. When a film was received by AUSLIG it was allocated the next available container number, regardless of the date of the photography, or the source of the film (eg. RAAF CPE, AUSLIG contractors). When films in these two accessions were transferred to archival custody the containers were not consecutively renumbered, as those in consignment B5424/2 had been, but retained the container numbers under which they had been held at National Mapping.

As one MAP or SVY number may be held in more than one container, both the film number and the container number are necessary to identify a photograph of a particular location.

The leader of most films is marked with the container or reel number, film number, area, range of frame numbers and date of filming. On some films, details of date, time, area, and focal length, type of camera, frame number and altitude are recorded automatically alongside each frame. On other films, only a frame number is entered on each frame, and other details are recorded on the leader. The films vary in length.

The frames vary in size from 12.5cm x 12.5cm to 22cm x 16cm.

The films include photographs of all states, with considerable gaps however, as archival holdings of this series are incomplete.

As at November 2008, control records for these films were held by Geoscience Australia. The flight line diagrams are also available online at the Geoscience Australia website.

The unregistered subsequent series referred to below represents the first system of film numbers introduced by National Mapping on its establishment c.1957. Films created by the RAAF and transferred to National Mapping's custody retained their original film number (i.e. "MAP" or "SVY" number), but were allocated a new National Mapping container number. Films created by National Mapping were given a film number with a "CA" prefix (Commonwealth of Australia), plus a container number. Further research would be required to clarify details of this system of "CA" film numbers.

Negatives held in consignment B5424/2 were originally transferred to archival custody in the form of nitrate base film. These have gradually been copied onto polyester film as part of the Australian Archives reprography program, and the original nitrate base negatives have been destroyed.

Negatives held in B5424/4 were previously part of accession series MP1847/1.

All items from B5424/7 and items with a 'CAH' prefix in B5424/8 have been converted to B6654 2010/00675230.

System of Arrangement/Control (cont.):

1) Film number:

a) Single number with "MAP" prefix plus suffixes

b) Single number with "SVY" prefix plus suffixes

2) Superimposed container/reel number:

a) Single number

b) Single number

Range of Control Symbols (cont.):

[In archival custody as at July 1989]

1) Film number:

a) MAP 1 - MAP 3833LVR (with gaps)

b) SVY 1 - SVY 1575 (with gaps)

2) Superimposed container/reel number:

a) reel 1 - reel 3272 [consignment B5424/2]

b) Container 1 - container 3290 (with gaps) [consignments B5424/3 and B5424/4]

Controlling Series- Unregistered (cont.):

[Unaccessioned series held in searchroom of CA 1727, AAVIC]

"Aerial Photograph Index"- nominal index to place names for aerial survey films of Australia held in

Australian Archives Accession MP1082, and Commonwealth Record Series A1103, B5424/2 (ex MP731), B5424/3

(ex MP1561), and B5424/4 (ex MP1847).

Controlling series unregistered

Held by CA 6717, AUSLIG,Vic: 1) Flight or key diagrams for aerial surveyfilms of Australia, plus corresponding 1:250 000 map sheets; 2) Numerical index to MAP films; 3) Numerical index to SVY films. [Subject to research] SEE FULL NOTE BELOW FOR CONTINUATION

Related series unregistered

Flight reports for aerial survey flights of Australia (held by CA6762, AUSLIG C.O., as at July 1989)

Subsequent series unregistered

by 1957: Negative films of aerial survey photography of Australia,
         single number series with CA prefix [subject to research].
         Held by CA 6717, Australian Surveying and Land Group, as at
         July 1989