Digital Twin revolutionises planning data for NSW

From Broken Hill to Newcastle and Bega to Ballina the NSW’s nation-leading Spatial Digital Twin will soon provide a 4D model for the entire State with a $40 million investment from the NSW Digital Restart Fund (DRF).

Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the NSW Spatial Digital Twin was an evolutionary leap when it came to shaping communities and boosting productivity allowing customers, developers and planners to see into the future.

“This investment will cement NSW’s position as the world leader when it comes to Spatial Digital Twin technology,” Mr Dominello said.

“This digital architecture makes it possible to visualise a development digitally before it is physically built, making it easier to plan and predict outcomes of infrastructure projects, right down to viewing how shadows fall, or how much traffic is in an area.

“In the last 12 months the Spatial Digital Twin has received 18 million requests for access to 3D datasets. We are creating a digitally cutting-edge State that will benefit from all the productivity advantages and job creation this technology brings.”

The Spatial Digital Twin brings together data sources from across government including spatial, natural resources and planning, and integrates it with real time feeds from sensors to provide insights for planners, designers and decision makers across industry and government.  

The Twin currently hosts virtual representation of eight high-growth council areas including the Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Penrith and Wollondilly. It will be rolled out across the State out over the next two years.

Minister Dominello said customers could now also access the information from the palm of their hand, with the Digital Twin accessible on mobile devices.

“By boosting access to the Spatial Digital Twin through smart phones and tablets, the NSW Government is making it easier for customers to collaborate and gain planning information about their streets, neighbourhoods, and communities,” Mr Dominello said. 

“This digital advancement delivers on the NSW Government’s commitment to make data more accessible for the people of NSW.”

The mobile-friendly version was delivered by the Department of Customer Service’s Spatial Services team in partnership with national science agency CSIRO’s data and digital research team Data61.

The Spatial Digital Twin forms part of the newly launched Live.NSW program.

The DRF investment in the Live.NSW program will include the development of a new platform, known as the Live.NSW customer platform, to deliver a simplified user experience which allows the community to search for information based on their needs and places of interest.

Minister Dominello said the Live.NSW customer platform would bring information together to inform people about local schools or a proposed hospital, creating a snapshot of what exists and what is planned.

“The Live.NSW customer platform can be used to inform life decisions like where to move based on school catchments, as well as improving engagement with Government planning and delivery,” Mr Dominello said.

“Live.NSW will be highly visual, interactive and easy to use, with customers able to search their suburb and check information available in their area that is relevant to their needs.

“Now, no matter where you are in the State, Live.NSW will make it easy for the community to see infrastructure and its impact before it’s built and ensure new projects keep the community at their heart.”

The Live.NSW customer platform will launch in early 2022.

The NSW Government has allocated $2.1 billion across four years to invest into digital transformation projects through the DRF.

The fund is administered by the Department of Customer Service and targets smart, simple technology solutions which create efficiencies for customers across the State. 

For more information visit Spatial Digital Twinlaunch map data.

State
NSW