Map tool guide

Weather stations and data

Station symbols are shown after you have selected the data type you want. Stations are represented by small square symbols.

When you zoom into the map, station names and additional place names become visible, and station symbols become larger and have a black or white centre dot.

Green symbols with a white centre dot represent open stations. Black centres and grey station names represent closed stations. To show closed stations, click the checkbox for "Closed" stations to the right of the map.

To view station details and links to the data you want, click a station symbol. Click on the links in the pop-up "balloon" to get the data or view more station details.

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Finding a location using the map

There are a number of ways to zoom into a closer map view, or move (pan) the map to show the area you want.

To zoom and centre the view on a location

• Capital cities: click the relevant red diamond symbol.
• Other areas: double-click your mouse near the location you are interested in. Double-click again to zoom in further.

Extra zoom and pan controls

You can choose other zoom and pan controls to adjust the map view if required.

Zoom options

• Double-click where you want to view.
• Click the plus or minus buttons or click and drag the slider button on the zoom controls.
• Hold down your "Shift" key, click and drag your mouse cursor across an area you want to enlarge.
• Use your mouse scroll button, if you have one.

Pan options

• Click, hold down the mouse button, drag the map, release the mouse button.
• Click the direction arrows on the pan controls.
• Click the "Overview" tab on the bottom-right of the map, then click and drag the red rectangle in the small overview map.

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Finding a location using the search form

• Enter part or all of a location name in the "Zoom to" search field, then click "Search".
• Select the town you want from the list of matching town names which appears below.
  This will zoom the map to that location and show a pin symbol on the town.

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Below the map

• The map scale and geographic co-ordinates corresponding to the mouse cursor position are shown below the map.
• The white area on the right displays useful tips and information related to your current view or selection.
  For example, when you select a weather station and data type, it displays graphs showing when data have been collected at that station.

 

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Short-cut menus

The short-cut menus above the map provide a quick way to jump to popular views. Click on the menu tabs to view the menu lists. Click on a listed item to go to that view.

The "Home" menu allows you to save a location. Firstly zoom to your location on the map, then, from the "Home" menu select "Set as home". Next time you visit, your "Home" view will load. Once set, you can also return to your home view by going to the "Home" menu then selecting "Go to home", or by clicking the "Start again" button near the bottom right side.

The "Go to" menu lists states and capital cities.

The "Bookmark" menu lets you bookmark your current map view. It also provides a link to your view that can be copied for emailing or other purposes.

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Map layers

Clicking the "Map layers" tab displays a panel of additional backgrounds and features that can be shown on the map.

The "Background" menu lets you select a map background, for example "Average annual rainfall".

"Features" can be selected to display details like "Places", "Roads", "Rivers". Click the checkbox to the left of a listed feature to display it.

Clicking the triangle buttons to the right of each "Feature" will make that feature darker or lighter. Making some features lighter can make the map easier to read when you have a lot of detail displayed.

The "Clear all" button allows you turn off all the Features.

At the bottom of the "Map layers" panel, the "Map layers metadata" link provides information about all the Backgrounds and Features.

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Printing

To print your current map view, click the "Print" link at the top right above the map. This will open the map in a pop-up window. Click the print button above the map or use your browser print controls to send it to your printer.

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Help

To "Help" link above the map links to the map tool guide. Other information pages are linked below the page title.

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Technical issues

If you are experiencing any technical issues using the map, please read the Technical help.

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