Postcode Search bringing up caches 15km away!!

[GJMMelb]

Hi,
I did a postcode search on Werribee (3030) and it is bringing up caches in Caroline Springs and surroundings (about 15km away)

I was wanting to see what caches are in the area where our friend lives (I live in the Eastern Suburbs so dont know any over there)

I know I could just look on the google map but I wanted to see which ones were recommended.

Thanks

GJMMelb

[caughtatwork]

Postcode search is CLOSEST not RESTRICTED TO.

[GJMMelb]

Postcode search is CLOSEST not RESTRICTED TO.

But there are caches closer to Werribee than Caroline Springs and Burnside and Deer Park ect

The top 4 listed for 3030 (Werribbe) are Burnside 1.11km, Deer Park 1.61km, Caroline Springs 1.75km , Ravenhall 2.01 which just doesnt make sense lol
GJMMelb

[CraigRat]

There isn't one central point for any postcode given the dataset we have, making it not the best thing to use for a search.

You can set up a query using their approx lat/lon that only returns recommended caches that might better suit your needs.

[GJMMelb]

You can set up a query using their approx lat/lon that only returns recommended caches that might better suit your needs.

Ok I will do that too but I have now done a search using the WORD "Werribee" rather than the postcode of Werribee and it has now given me a list of caches in Werribee. I wanted to see which ones were recommended, but also the others as well, so I could check them out and as I said I knew I could do it from the GC map but thought this would be easier ...

There isn't one central point for any postcode given the dataset we have, making it not the best thing to use for a search.

It appears that the data for Werrbee's postcode might be about 15kms away from the actual postcode lol - given that it's saying the CLOSEST ones are Burnside 1.11km, Deer Park 1.61km, Caroline Springs 1.75km , Ravenhall 2.01 etc lol

Anyway thanks for the advice of doing a query

GJMMelb

[caughtatwork]

There are 4 locations with a postcode of 3030. It's not just Werribee.

Code: Select all

3030 Chartwell 	VIC 	-37.74 	144.65
3030 Point Cook 	VIC 	-37.91 	144.73
3030 Werribee 	VIC 	-37.89 	144.66
3030 Werribee South 	VIC 	-37.96 	144.63

When you use a postcode the first one out of the database is Chartwell, which is closer to Caroline Springs.
If you search on Werribee you get a lot closer.

(Or do as CraigRat suggests).

[GJMMelb]

There are 4 locations with a postcode of 3030. It's not just Werribee. OHHHHH that's tricky!!

Code: Select all

3030 Chartwell VIC -37.74 144.65
3030 Point Cook VIC -37.91 144.73
3030 Werribee VIC -37.89 144.66
3030 Werribee South VIC -37.96 144.63

When you use a postcode the first one out of the database is Chartwell, which is closer to Caroline Springs.
If you search on Werribee you get a lot closer.

(Or do as CraigRat suggests).

Thanks C@W and CraigRat - yes doing a search with the word "Werribee" was successful!

I will also do the pocket query the day before we go as it might not be for a couple of weeks yet - waiting to hear on a day that suits our friend who has just started caching

I'll know in future to use the name of the suburb/place rather than the postcode lol
Thanks
GJMMelb

[CraigRat]

THe last time I tried to obtain some kind of concrete postcode boundaries for our Zones feature it was upwards of $2000 for the data, so we have to go with the very vague centroids that we have now (which is better than nothing, and also better than the postcode data at gc as of right now).....it's ok, but not ideal, and the thing we get the most questions about when it comes to search.

We'd be awfully greatful for someone to donate us a legally usable shapefile of the Australia Post designated boundaries.
If anyone has contacts within Aus Post who can clear it with someone for non-commercial use, we'd love you forever!

[GJMMelb]

THe last time I tried to obtain some kind of concrete postcode boundaries for our Zones feature it was upwards of $2000 for the data

WOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all you and C@W do!!

GJMMelb

[Chwiliwr]

THe last time I tried to obtain some kind of concrete postcode boundaries for our Zones feature it was upwards of $2000 for the data, so we have to go with the very vague centroids that we have now (which is better than nothing, and also better than the postcode data at gc as of right now).....it's ok, but not ideal, and the thing we get the most questions about when it comes to search.

We'd be awfully greatful for someone to donate us a legally usable shapefile of the Australia Post designated boundaries.
If anyone has contacts within Aus Post who can clear it with someone for non-commercial use, we'd love you forever!

It is a few years old but have you considered using the ABS Census POA dataset. It does have some problems in some areas as it was designed for the census. I wasn't able to find the license info for it so cannot say if it will cost for other than personal use.

[caughtatwork]

Gotta link?

[Chwiliwr]

Gotta link?

I had forgotten what a pain it is to use the ABS site.

This is the link to the download area that I originally got my data from.

http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf ... enDocument

[Nilbog_Aus]

I wasn't able to find the license info for it so cannot say if it will cost for other than personal use.

This data and most of the data on the ABS site is Creative Commons - by Attribution

I think those the same datasets that were imported into http://www.openstreetmap.org for suburbs and postcodes. They seem pretty good.

[Yurt]

As mentioned before nearly all the local GCA caches show up as being in a neighbouring suburb. No biggie but it's interesting to see a cache I placed in the heart of Pennant Hills (NW Sydney) not 100 m from the post office, being listed as Thornleigh the next suburb which starts some 800m away.

[CraigRat]

Urk.

I've processed the file and I end up with over 300mb of data for suburbs!!.....
We don't think performance hit the site will take will be worth the extra fidelity of the data, so we won't be using it at this time.