Sumatran mapping project DPR/TV/1497

A major Australian aid project was launched in Indonesian Sumatra last week with the arrival of a team of Australian Army surveyors. Stores for the operation were shipped from Singapore aboard the Army's freighter, the John Monash. Among the cargo unloaded at the southern capital of Palembang was oil and fuel, vehicles, refrigerators, pumps and general ordnance. The supplies will be used by the surveyors during the next four months as they map thirty thousand square miles of the island. An advance party of thirty arrived in Palembang, which will be the surveyors main base camp, last month and prepared for the arrival of the team. Code named "Operation Gading" the project is part of a long range plan to survey the whole of Sumatra to produce larger scale maps. The maps are needed by Indonesia for the planning of hydro-electric schemes, irrigation projects, trans-migration schemes and other national projects. While stores were being unloaded from the John Monash, the team of surveyors arrived at Palembang airport by Hercules transport. They were met by Indonesian survey officers who will work alongside the Australians. The Indonesian surveyors will take an active part in the project and will receive on the job training on specialist survey equipment. Also identified: Major Tom Moyes, skipper; OIC Major Ted Laker of South Strathfield, NSW.