Michael’s fieldwork experience in Nepal

Towards the end of 2025, Michael, one of our Vision Surveys cadets currently studying surveying, travelled to Nepal as part of a university field program.

It wasn’t a study tour in the traditional sense. It was fieldwork, just in a very different setting to what he’s used to. Over several weeks, Michael was based primarily at Kathmandu University and the Land Training Management Centre in Dhulikhel. While both locations were within town, the terrain was still steep and demanding.

The hiking came later, filling spare days and weekends exploring the surrounding mountains. Thankfully, those climbs were done without carrying full survey kits.

Applying learnt skills in a different setting

The group completed an integrated control survey using GNSS observations, total station traversing and digital levelling. The levelling component proved particularly challenging given the constant elevation changes and steep ground.

They also carried out contour and detail surveys using total stations, UAV photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning. Working across multiple technologies in the same environment required precision, coordination and careful planning.

Additional tasks included instrument calibrations and star observations, exposing the group to methods not typically part of everyday project work in Australia. For Michael, one of the biggest learning curves was working within a different datum and survey system.

“Even just understanding how their datums worked and how everything tied together in a different country was challenging,” Michael said. “It makes you slow down and really think about what you’re doing.”

While the equipment was familiar, the reference frameworks were not. That shift reinforced the importance of understanding the principles behind the process, not just the steps.

Working at altitude also brought its own challenges. Even routine setup felt different when you are operating on steep ground, with thinner air and constant elevation change. It required more awareness, more planning and more patience than a typical site.

Understanding surveying in a different context

The experience also gave Michael a clearer view of how surveying supports communities in Nepal.

In areas where infrastructure is still developing and terrain shapes daily life, surveying plays a direct role in enabling roads, land management and future planning. Seeing that connection outside of an Australian context made the broader purpose of the profession more visible.

It highlighted that while the principles of surveying remain consistent, their application must respond to the place and the people. Terrain, transport, available resources and community needs all influence how projects are approached.

For Michael, it reinforced that surveying is not one size fits all. The discipline travels, but it must adapt.

Growth beyond the technical skills

Outside of formal fieldwork, the group immersed themselves in the broader experience. Learning about Nepali culture and participating in traditional activities was a standout part of the trip. Michael immersed himself deeply in the culture as the local way of life added depth to the experience and made it personally meaningful, not just professionally valuable.

There were also high energy moments, including parachuting and zip lining, balanced with time spent exploring and building strong friendships within the cohort.

By the end of the trip, Michael had strengthened his technical capability, gained confidence working across different survey systems and broadened his understanding of how surveying operates internationally.

It was challenging, rewarding and a reminder that the profession can take you well beyond familiar ground.