Historical information

The Army School of Survey was formed at Balcombe, Victoria in 1943 but later relocated to Bonegilla near Wodonga.

The Australian Survey Corps had a proud history. It was raised as a unit of the Permanent Military Forces on July 1st 1915.
Of the three officers and 17 other ranks who constituted the Survey Corps in 1915, all but three enlisted in the AIF and saw service in France, Belgium, Egypt or Palestine. The Corps entered World War 2 with nine officers and forty one other ranks. Its total strength reached a peak of 1,700 personnel with 5,500 men and women being engaged on mapping tasks during the war period.

In 1948 the Australian Survey Corps was granted the prefix ‘Royal’ in recognition of its service during World War II.

From the 1950s until its disbandment in 1996, members of the Corps undertook extensive geodetic surveys and mapping operations in all mainland states of Australia as part of the National Mapping Program as well as in Papua New Guinea. This included important work with the establishment of the Snowy River Hydro Scheme and the Woomera rocket range,

The School of Military Survey moved to Bonegilla in 1965 when it also adopted ‘Wandering the Kings Highway’ as the Corps marching song. The School was responsible for training all RASVY personnel in Topographical Surveying, Cartography, Photography, Printing and Illustration. The School also trained Service and Civilian personnel from other agencies and countries, as part of Defence Co-operation Programmes

The School moved into the newly developed Latchford Barracks in November 1982.

Due to some military restructuring some of the roles of played by the Corps were taken over by civilian organisations or reverted to the Royal Australian Engineers and on the 1st July 1996 the Royal Australian Survey Corps was disbanded.

Significance

This item is significant because it captures images of Bonegilla near Wodonga and the important role it played in both the history of migration to Australia and also the Australian military.

Physical description

A framed sketch depicting a variety of buildings at Bonegilla when it housed the School of Military Survey.

Inscriptions & markings

Titles beneath different images
At bottom - The School of Military Survey, Bonegilla, Victoria January 1933 - December 1982