LAND USE CLASSIFICATION

SYSTEM (LUCS) - INSTRUCTIONS

Document number: 01 Date: Monday, April 12, 2021

Prepared By Kirk Brown, Chris Muir, TO Chan

LUCS Instructions 2021

Table of Contents

LAND USE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (LUCS) - INSTRUCTIONS 1

1. Background 3

2. Objective 4

3. System Notes 5
3.1 Limitations 5

4. User Guide 7
4.1 Website & Login Details 7
4.2 Navigating the LUCS Interface 7
4.3 Map Layers 8

5. Selecting a property for the testing phase 9

6. Contractor Feedback 10

7. APPENDIX 1.0 1

LUCS Instructions 2021

1. Background
The Valuer General (VG) has committed to the Joint Standing Committee to deliver
a land classification system to assist in consistency of rating and taxing valuations
for rural property valuations. Building on the experience of GIS-based valuation
system demonstrated by the Office of the NZ Valuer General, the VG, Spatial
Services (SSNSW) and Frontier SI have collaborated to develop a Land Use
Classification System (LUCS).

LUCS is an integral part of government’s modernisation of the valuation system in

NSW. The benefits of applying the system include:

• improved accuracy and consistency with standardised classification of land types,

calculation of areas and slope;

• reduced valuation cost by minimising the duration and frequency of site visits;

• improved audit trail of the annual rural property valuation process;

• continuous improvement of valuation over time to support broad-base and

specialist valuation of a local rural property by adding relevant parameters to
refine the authoritative baseline values; and

• improved transparency of the valuation process and confidence in the valuation

system for rural landowners across NSW.

The LUCS project has progressed through the prototype and pilot stages and in
consultation with selected contract valuers and VGNSW where the classification
system and its delivery mechanism (the LUCS application) have been refined to suit
practical needs.

The project is now in its testing phase.

LUCS Instructions 2021

2. Objective
The testing phase aims to finalise LUCS as a common basis for rural land valuation.

As assumptions were made in determining the areas under each of the

classes/subclasses of land, VGNSW kindly request all valuer feedback to test the
logic and refine the algorithms for the LUCS classes.

LUCS Instructions 2021

3. System Notes

LUCS is designed to provide common, high level, consistent and accurate

descriptions of rural properties in NSW based on published authoritative statewide
datasets. The LUCS program draws from the following datasets:

• NSW Land Parcel Property Theme – Property

• NSW Administrative Boundaries (LGA)

• Digital Elevation (slope)

• Land and soil capability mapping

• Soils (Great Soil Group)

• Land use 2013 & 2017 (ACLUMP mapping)

• Tree cover 2019

• State Vegetation Type Map 2020 & April 2021.

3.1 Limitations

• LUCS is constrained by the accuracy and quality of the best data available, it
does not guarantee the precise location of each class/subclass down to the
hectare on site

• Properties <30ha in size do not have LUCS reports. However, classifications for
such smaller blocks can be compared to classifications on larger/neighbouring
blocks

• Classes and subclasses for areas <10ha are not shown on the map within the
subject property but are included in the total area of the property. These classes
and subclasses will be included when exported to excel

• Owing to the use of old State Vegetation Type Map data for areas east of the
Great Dividing Range, the vegetation cover for this area has some accuracy
issues. With the planned release of current data in April, the LUCS reports for the
coastal NSW areas will be updated by the second half of 2021. However, the
testing phase will include the whole of NSW

LUCS Instructions 2021

 • Sub-classification pixels may appear sporadic but are consistent across all
properties reflecting the scientific GIS software and logic at work in the
background. These sub-classifications are reference only and are combined to
identify the headline classification which is the primary LUCS outcome.

• Descriptions of headline classifications are indicative of the country type for the
geographic location/component in question only. The assigned $/Ha to the
classification will be indicative of the overall quality of the same classification from
one geographic location/component to another. For example- first class
cultivation in Gilgandra in the Central West (eg. wheat production) will generally
be inferior to first class cultivation in Cowra in Central West (eg. corn and
sunflower production)

LUCS Instructions 2021

4. User Guide

4.1 Website & Login Details

LUCS URL: http://lucs.staging.frontiersi.io/report
username: lucs
password: rogue-prompter-Boil

4.2 Navigating the LUCS Interface

Figure 1. Navigating the LUCS interface

LUCS Instructions 2021

4.3 Map Layers

Figure 2. Use of map layers to view LUCS classes and their relationship to the landscape

LUCS Instructions 2021

5. Selecting a property for the testing
phase

As part of the testing phase, we ask that contractors select a property or properties
in their contract area to provide some valuable insight as to whether the LUCS
classifications reflect what exists on the ground.

Please consider the below when selecting properties for the testing phase

• A property you are familiar with

• A property with a detailed worksheet

• A property which has previously had an objection

• A property with numerous classifications/varied country type

• A property which has recently sold.

LUCS Instructions 2021

6. Contractor Feedback

We would appreciate your feedback on the following:

• where headline classifications and sub-classifications are considered inaccurate

(see appendix 1 for detailed descriptions)

• distribution of slope subclasses is grossly different to that of the actual

landscape

• timber coverage described does not represent actual conditions on the ground.

LUCS Instructions 2021

Worked Example of Feedback from the Testing Phase
Please provide your feedback in the Microsoft Teams Spreadsheet. See below.

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/file/90277897-0CA7-4C6D-8C31-ECE780DD3F4C?tenantId=1ef97a68-e8ab-44ed-a16d-
b579fe2d7cd8&fileType=xlsx&objectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fnswgov.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2FLUCS%2FShared%20Documents%2FGeneral
%2FLUCS%20feedback%20April_May%202021.xlsx&baseUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fnswgov.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2FLUCS&serviceName=te
ams&threadId=19:856966b185fc456bad36d74f5ee4fe7d@thread.tacv2&groupId=379c821b-fd63-408e-9d80-566b0a14

We will add you with your email address to grant access to the file. Please provide your feedback in the spreadsheet in accord with the example below. Your
feedback will be saved automatically. Thank you for making the time to contribute.

LUCS Instructions 2021

7. APPENDIX 1.0

Headline Classes

• Creek/River flats – typically the most productive land located on/around the banks of a
river/creek producing high added value crops such as vegetables

• 1st class cultivation – land which can be cultivated every year producing moderate added
value crops such as wheat, canola, oats, corn, chickpeas etc

• 2nd class cultivation/improved pasture grazing - land which can only be cultivated during a
good season or pasture improved for grazing. Land is suitable for high stock rate grazing and
fattening with occasional cultivation for fodder production

• Open or lightly timbered native grazing – typically open/cleared grazing with a small portion
of scattered timber for stock shelter and/or wind breaks generally over gentle to moderately
sloping land suitable for medium stocking rates

• Moderately timbered native grazing- typically grazing land with a consistent medium cover of
vegetation generally over moderate to steeply sloping land suitable for low stocking rates

• Heavily timbered – typically grazing land with a consistent heavy cover of vegetation
generally over steep to very steeply sloping land suitable for very limited stocking rates. This
country is generally the least productive land reflecting a natural state with limited land
improvements with minimal/no economic value. However, given size and location this land
may be suitable as a lifestyle property/conservation/carbon credit scheme

Sub – classes

• “Soil” generic soil group descriptions that draw on scientific traits from above authoritative
dataset but designed for use by valuers

• “Slope” based on an agreed set of gradient constraints determining bands that reflect
potential rural productive capacity. These bands include <2% (level), 2-5% (gently sloping), 5-
12% (moderately sloping), 12-20% (steeply sloping), >20% (very steep)

• “Irrigation” generally reflects whether a property has irrigation in place or may have the
potential for access to irrigation

• “Timber” only for “Creek/river flats”; it notes if the flats in question have timber on it or not.

LUCS Instructions 2021