During the last 18 months the Northern Territory Geospatial Reference System (NT GRS) has seen important developments. This includes - an expansion of its multi-purpose GNSS CORS network, commencement of construction for a very long baseline interferometry observatory, and initiatives in strategic planning and the resourcing for the operation of this fundamental geospatial infrastructure.

More specifically, the NT Office of the Surveyor General (OSG) has restructured the Survey work unit, improved GRS policy and formalised agreements with various organisations. Such initiatives have laid the foundations for the future and will enable the scientific and core business objectives of the NT GRS to be achieved at the local and national level.

Technical improvements relating to GNSS infrastructure and the increased coverage of mobile / digital communications in the NT region has also facilitated the OSG to overcome operational obstacles, with respect to the installation and construction of GNSS based stations throughout the Territory.

This paper will describe the above changes that were encountered during the development of the NT GRS since 2008. It will provide an insight into the issues that were experienced during this period, and outline how such issues were managed by a government office with limited resources, and a small base economy. The paper will also present a ‘users perspective’ technical analysis of a real time positioning service that uses the raw GNSS data streams supplied by the existing NT GNSS CORS network.