Government Export Formats
TerraSitu can generate submission-ready export files formatted to the requirements of Australian government regulatory portals. Each export template is pre-configured for a specific portal and file format, so you can produce a compliant data package directly from your survey data.
Supported portals
The following portals have pre-built export templates:
| Portal | State / Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| AHIMS (Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System) | NSW |
| BioNet Atlas of NSW Wildlife | NSW |
| VAHR (Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register) | VIC |
| VBA (Victorian Biodiversity Atlas) | VIC |
| SARA (State Assessment and Referral Agency) | QLD |
| DPLH (Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage) | WA |
| EPBC (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) | Commonwealth |
| SPRAT (Species Profile and Threats Database) | Commonwealth |
| QLD Heritage Register | QLD |
| Tasmanian Heritage Register | TAS |
| SA Heritage Council | SA |
| NT Heritage Register | NT |
| EPA (Generic) | Various states |
| Planning Portal | Various states |
File formats
Depending on the portal and template, exports are available in:
- CSV — flat-file format for portals that accept tabular data uploads
- Excel (XLSX) — structured workbooks for portals with formatted submission templates
- Shapefile — spatial data format for GIS-based portals requiring geometry submission
- GeoJSON — open spatial format for portals accepting web-compatible geometry
The correct format is pre-configured in each template — you do not need to choose manually.
Generating an export
- Open a project and navigate to the Submissions tab.
- Open the submission you want to export data for.
- Scroll to the Government Export section on the submission detail page.
- Select an export template from the dropdown. Templates are filtered to match the submission's portal.
- Click Generate Export.
The file will download automatically. If no templates are listed, the portal either has no pre-configured template or the submission's portal is set to Other.
System templates and custom templates
All portals listed above include system-provided templates that are maintained by TerraSitu to match current agency requirements. These are available on all plans that include the Government Export feature.
Custom templates — allowing you to define your own field mappings, column headers, and output structure — are available on higher subscription tiers. Contact your account manager or visit the account settings page to upgrade.
Keeping templates current
Agency portal requirements change periodically. TerraSitu updates system templates when agencies publish new specifications. If you notice a discrepancy between a generated export and an agency's current requirements, contact support so the template can be reviewed and updated.