Australian Tagging Guidelines/Utilities and infrastructure
Street cabinets
Electrical Cabinets
Kiosk Substation Transformers


Firstly tag as a street cabinet with man_made=street_cabinet + utility=power.
Most of these green kiosk boxes can also be tagged as power=transformer + transformer=distribution or transformer=minor_distribution. While in terms of the electricity network they are considered a "substation", in terms of tagging in OpenStreetMap a small distribution transformer would be tagged as power=transformer and not power=substation. Additionally include the ref=* and operator=*.
Low Voltage Network Pillar
<tagging information needed>
Firstly tag as a street cabinet with man_made=street_cabinet + utility=power.
State | Network Operator | Tags | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
NSW | Ausgrid
(Sydney) |
operator=Ausgrid operator:wikidata=Q4822750 |
|
Endeavour Energy
(Greater Western Sydney, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Illawarra) |
operator=Endeavour Energy operator:wikidata=Q5375986 |
||
Essential Energy
(regional NSW, selected areas overreaching into QLD) |
operator=Essential Energy operator:wikidata=Q17003842 |
Traffic Signal Controllers
New South Wales
For all cabinets listed below include:
- man_made=street_cabinet
- operator=Transport for NSW
- operator:wikidata=Q7834923
- emergency:phone:AU=131 700
- ref=*
CODE | Name | Photo | Cabinet Tags | Associated Feature Tags | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard controller | street_cabinet=traffic_control | highway=traffic_signals | 396![]() | ||
UPS | Uninterruptable Power Supply | utility=power |
UPS396![]() | ||
XR | Isolation Transformer housing | utility=power |
XR396![]() | ||
C | Traffic Camera controller | street_cabinet=traffic_monitoring | man_made=surveillance |
C1093![]() | |
V | Variable Message Sign controller | street_cabinet=traffic_control | traffic_sign=variable_message | V1411![]() | |
EC | Enforcement Camera | street_cabinet=traffic_monitoring | man_made=surveillance | EC7192![]() | |
Street art | tourism=artwork |
1880![]() | |||
TV | CCTV Controller Housing | TV497![]() | |||
M4E | M4 Smart Motorway Eastbound | M4E5029![]() | |||
M4W | M4 Smart Motorway Westbound | M4W5027![]() | |||
AGC | Automatic Gain Control | street_cabinet=traffic_monitoring | AGC02![]() | ||
VAS | Vehicle Activated Sign | VAS0076![]() | |||
CN.SPI | Custom Number (Saint Peters Interchange) | CN.SPI2![]() | |||
CN.INT | Custom Number (International Airport) | CN.INT![]() | |||
WGU | Wireless Gateway Unit[1] | WGU072![]() | |||
TMU | Traffic Monitoring Unit | street_cabinet=traffic_monitoring | TMU 000206![]() | ||
TC | Traffic Counter / Traffic Classifier | street_cabinet=traffic_monitoring | man_made=monitoring_station |
TC100005;TC100006![]() | |
TSS | Mobile Phone & Seatbelt Camera[2] [ citation needed ] | TSS013![]() | |||
TSS | Machine Learning Camera[3] | TTS 1408![]() | |||
OHDS | Overheight Detection System | OHDS 0034![]() | |||
WIM | Weigh In Motion[4][5] | amenity=weighbridge |
WIM850![]() | ||
CMS | Custom Message Sign | CMS0032;CMS0033;CMS0034;CMS0035![]() | |||
SGWN | Sydney Gateway Northbound | SGWN007![]() | |||
VW | Reversible Lane Controller[6] | street_cabinet=traffic_control | VW75B![]() | ||
WDE | Western Distributor Eastbound[7] | WDE1053![]() | |||
TDS | Traffic Detection System | TDS 8062![]() |
Others that exist (pending photograph):
- VMS - synonym of V
- SMS - Shutter Message Sign
NBN Co
The following are examples of NBN infrastructure.
These should be tagged with the following scheme;
- man_made=street_cabinet
- ref=* (examples: 2KTB-03-28-FNO-001; 2WAG-0101)
- operator=NBN Co
- operator:wikidata=Q6952833
- utility=telecom
- telecom=service_device
- telecom:medium=fibre
- telecom:medium:transition=yes (excluding FTTP FDH)
Telstra
Telecommunication Infrastructure
Examples of Telstra pillars
- man_made=street_cabinet
- ref=* (example: WGSO P6)
- operator=Telstra
- operator:wikidata=Q721162
- operator:wikipedia=en:Telstra
- utility=telecom
- telecom=connection_point
- telecom:medium=copper
- colour=gray
Telstra multiplexer
Tagged same as a regular copper pillar but with telecom=service_device
Australia Post
Australia Post road-side post boxes
- amenity=post_box
- operator=Australia Post
- operator:wikidata=Q1142936
- colour=* - red, yellow, etc
- ref=* - the reference number of the post box (if it has one).
- collection_times=* - the times at which mail is collected.
Australia Post post-relay box
- amenity=relay_box (optional as the tag is considered deprecated in favour of street cabinet tagging)
- man_made=street_cabinet
- street_cabinet=postal_service
- operator=Australia Post
- operator:wikidata=Q1142936
- colour=* - red, green, etc
- ref=* - the reference number of the post box (if it has one).
Payphones
Telstra Payphones
- amenity=telephone
- fee=no - all Telstra payphones are free to use.
- internet_access=no - Telstra payphone with no free wi-fi.
or
- internet_access=wlan - Telstra payphone with free wi-fi.
- internet_access:ssid=Telstra Air
- internet_access:fee=no
- operator=Telstra
- operator:wikidata=Q721162
- phone=* - the phone number of the payphone.
- ref=* - the reference number of the payphone.
- sms=yes - all Telstra payphones have sms function.
- payment:telephone_cards=yes - Telstra phone cards are the only way to pay for international calls. Other payment:*=yes tags are likely to be incorrect.
Water Network
See also Sydney Water
Wastewater (Sewer)
Ventilation shafts
![]() | Previously it was suggested to use man_made=mast + tower:type=ventilation + ( utility=sewerage or substance=sewage ) and this still exists in some locations https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/1YHR, however it is considered deprecated. |
Usually either tower:construction=guyed_tube or tower:construction=freestanding.
See also https://www.sydneywater.com.au/content/dam/sydneywater/documents/ventilation-shafts.pdf
- ↑ Roychoudhry, R. (2011-09-26). “Sydney CBD Emergency Evacuation System”. World Road Association. p. 13. ISBN 2840602679 .
- ↑ Transport for NSW, Media Release (30 Nov 2023). “Safety in focus as seatbelt cameras go live in 2024” .
- ↑ “Machine learning cameras”. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ↑ “Weigh in motion”. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ↑ “Heavy Vehicle Safety Stations (HVSS)”. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ↑ “Lane Management System (Tidal Flow)”. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ↑ “Western Distributor Smart Motorway”. 22 Jan 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.