2026-09-03 –, Conference Management Room1
Large infrastructure projects rely on complex spatial analysis. This presentation explores how an open-source GIS stack—centred on QGIS, PostGIS and GeoServer—can support corridor planning, environmental assessment and spatial data integration in infrastructure organisations.
Large infrastructure projects such as rail corridors and high-voltage transmission networks involve complex spatial decision-making across hundreds or thousands of kilometres. Route selection, environmental impact assessment, land acquisition, terrain modelling and stakeholder engagement all depend heavily on geospatial data and analysis.
In practice, many infrastructure projects are delivered using proprietary GIS and engineering software stacks. However, the open-source geospatial ecosystem has matured significantly in recent years and now provides powerful tools capable of supporting many of these workflows.
This presentation explores how open-source GIS technologies can support the planning and delivery of large-scale linear infrastructure projects. Drawing on practical experience from major Australian infrastructure initiatives including rail corridor development and long-distance transmission line planning, the talk examines the spatial challenges these projects face and how open-source tools can address them.
The session will highlight how technologies such as QGIS, PostGIS, GRASS, Geoserver and GDAL can support tasks such as least-cost corridor modelling, environmental impact analysis, land tenure assessment and large-scale spatial data integration.
The presentation will discuss the opportunities and limitations of open-source GIS within infrastructure environments and consider where it complements specialised engineering tools rather than replacing them.
Attendees will gain a practical perspective on how open-source geospatial technologies could support infrastructure projects at regional and national scale.
Key open source software mentioned in this talk include:
- QGIS
- PostGIS
- GRASS
- Geoserver
- GDAL
Mike Gresham is a geospatial professional with over 20 years’ experience applying GIS to large-scale infrastructure, environmental assessment and spatial data management projects across Australia and New Zealand. His work focuses on supporting the planning and delivery of complex linear infrastructure such as rail corridors, transmission networks and resource developments. Mike has collaborated closely with engineers, environmental scientists and project planners to integrate spatial data into decision-making processes. He is particularly interested in the growing role of open-source geospatial technologies - including QGIS, PostGIS and Geoserver - in supporting infrastructure planning and spatial analysis.