Origins
The History of the Institution
From Then…
Surveyors have long played an integral role in building up towns, cities and communities, so it will come as no surprise that the history of the Institution of Surveyors Victoria dates back to the 19th century.
The prospect of the Institution was first raised in 1874, with the initial informal discussions highlighting the importance of achieving a uniformity of practice amongst members of the surveying profession. At a meeting held at Hockin’s Hotel on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne city on April 7th, the Institution was officially formed, with a code of rules approved and officers such as president and treasurer appointed.
In the course of the next year, the future of the ISV was assured as 45 more members were officially recognised and enrolled with the aim to achieve excellence within the profession.
This sense of excellence is encapsulated by the Institution’s official crest.
The crest was originally registered by The Institution of Surveyors NSW Inc in 1924. Divided into four quadrants, each element of the crest has symbolic meaning:
- An ancient Egyptian symbol for immortality sits in the top left quadrant with the phoenix, the symbol for rejuvenation
- To the right, the stars of the Southern Cross are set across the cross of St
- George, the national ensign of England prior to the union with Scotland
- An image of the globe prominently features the outline of Australia
- The pyramid symbolises geometry, which the asp that encircles it is often said to represent a key – suggesting the key to geometry
The crest is completed by a Greek motto, “Let no one without skill in geometria enter”.
…To Now
Today, the membership roll for the Institution of Surveyors Victoria contains hundreds of names, and the organisation itself is a respected and powerful industry body.
A few things have changed across the years. For one, the name, which was originally the Victorian Institute of Surveyors. The Institution of Surveyors Victoria has also expanded geographically to ensure that all members are adequately represented. As such, today the ISV has four regional groups: the Gippsland Group, the Glenelg Grampians Group, the Murray Group and the North Central Group.
However, for all that has changed, at its core the ISV mission remains as it was established on that day in 1874 – to maintain a standard of excellence across the profession.
Upcoming Events
PLATINUM SUSTAINING SPONSOR
GOLD SUSTAINING SPONSOR
SILVER SUSTAINING SPONSOR
SPONSORS
Find out more about becoming a surveyor.
