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Spatial Analysis Laboratories

The Spatial Analysis Laboratories (SAL) are a facility within the School of Earth, Atmospheric & Life Sciences (SEALS). The SAL specialises in geographic information science, technology and resources. SAL consists of three spaces, specialist staff and support for a range of geospatial software and location-aware data and equipment.

  • Toni O'Neill Spatial Research Lab
  • Map Library and Collaboration Space
  • Spatial Teaching Lab

There is no eating or drinking in the SAL computer labs and the UOW IT Policies apply.

If your water bottle can be securely closed, and you keep it closed, you may be able to make a case against immediate lab eviction. This is at the discretion of the relevant course coordinator / lab manager at all times.

SEALS teaches GIS using the ESRI ArcGIS software and Remote Sensing using ENVI. There are a range of other geospatial software products available to researchers within the School in TOL. If you would like to discuss the installation of new software for use in your teaching or research work, please contact the SAL Tech Staff.

SAL Research Project Support

If you are a School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences researcher, registering your project with SAL will enable SAL staff to provide advice and technical support that is relevant to your research activities.

Register online

Once your application has been processed, we will contact you to arrange a meeting to go over your data and technology needs. We recommend that you start thinking about metadata from the beginning of your project. Collecting the details for each of your critical datasets as you go is much easier than trying to remember what you did when you are writing your research up for submission or publication.

Once your project is registered, you have the option of completing a Project Support Plan. Through this process, we can:

  • arrange a shared folder for use by your research team
  • help you to identify which SAL resources you need and how to give your research the best chance of having them available when you need them
  • help you to order/access datasets for your research from external suppliers and government agencies
  • help you to identify which datasets might be of critical importance from your research
  • provide advice and tips on ways to manage your spatial data through the research process.

If you are not a SEALS researcher, we can only offer 'best effort' support. If we have data and your research meets the requirements of the associated data licence(s), we are happy to make what we can available. If you have a special request or need technical support we may not be able to meet your needs - especially not at short notice.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of a formal arrangement to secure SAL Support for your research project, please contact us.

Toni O'Neill Spatial Research Laboratory

The TOL (41.G03) is a specialist research facility that provides access to a range of applications that support geospatial research within the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences.

You can check out the available software on the SAL Portal and computers can be booked up to a week in advance using the Online Booking System. Machine bookings are limited to 3 hour blocks, longer bookings require consultation with SAL staff to ensure other users are not disadvantaged by extended usage of specific machines.

Antoinette Lyndall O’Neill (Toni O’Neill) 1945-1999

Toni O’Neill made a distinguished contribution in the early developments of the spatial sciences at UOW (Department of Geography -> School of Geosciences). Appointed for her dual expertise in the fields of Biogeography and Remote Sensing, Toni started work in the Department of Geography at the University of Wollongong in 1987.

A unifying thread of Toni’s research in Remote Sensing was her obsession with understanding why a response was observed, rather than simply characterising or applying the information. She taught an undergraduate course on the interpretation of satellite imagery and inspired keen Honours and Postgraduate students to undertake research on the natural environment, while also leading the Faculty of Science into the adoption of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). 

Spatial Teaching Laboratory

The STL is located in the Science Teaching Facility (43.G06) and and is a blend of a traditional "computer lab" space and a more flexible learning environment. When not booked for practical sessions, STL is available to students enrolled in STL subjects between the hours of 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. During these times they can work on assignments and complete any follow up practical work they wish to do. 

There is no ‘out of hours’ access to STL available.

ArcGIS is also available from the Student Computer Labs (17.105 & 17.110B) which have extended opening hours.

STL Demonstrators are only available to provide practical support during scheduled classes.

If you have a question about an STL practical outside of your practical session, please contact your course coordinator.

Technical staff located near these lab are not there to help you with enquiries about GIS and Remote Sensing. Screenshot error messages and include them in any emails to your Subject Coordinator or bring them to your next class.  Many error messages are data related in GISc and the error codes, in ArcGIS particularly, are decipherable with practice

SAL Spatial Data Repository

The Spatial Data Repository contains a significant array of spatial data that is available to SAL Registered Projects in support of non-commercial teaching and research activities.

A review of the holdings is underway that includes the production and release of a series of map-based metadata apps for searching the Repository.

There are currently three applications available: