The Export area allows you to export any area that has been defined by a user-generated mapped layer (for example, using Add to Map | Area or Import | Areas). You cannot export layers due to the licensing restrictions, but you can view all layers in an external application using WMS.


Export My Area


Exported areas can be re-imported later into the Spatial Portal if you wish to reuse common shapes, or used in external GIS products (such as Google Earth, uDig or Diva GIS).


The steps for exporting an area are:

  1. Define the area you require in the export
  2. Select the menu option Export | Areas
  3. Specify what format you want to use for the area
  4. click OK


Detailed explanation

1. Define the area or areas required in the export.

This can be done using Add to map | Area and defining a polygon of the area required, or one of the other various ways of defining an area. For example, mapping occurrences and using the Area of occupancy tool or adding an area via a layer with areas predefined.



2. Select Export | Areas


If you have a one or more predefined active areas mapped, then these will be available as an option to export, for example Mandurah, LOCALITY... or My Polygon.



Select one of the three area export formats:


Press the Next button. Results will vary depending on the format chosen.




Export Shapefile


Pressing the Next button produces the Shapefile zip.


Export Shapefile zip file


Shapefile Zip Contents

Shapefile Zip Contents


The Shapefile is an common open standard developed by ESRI that can be imported into many GIS products. The example below has been loaded in to uDig.


Shapefile loaded into uDig



Export Keyhole Markup Language (KML)


Pressing the Next button produces a zip file containing the KML file.


Export KML zip file



The KML file contained within the zip file.


An example KML file


The KML file is then available for loading into Google Earth or Google Maps or other software that accepts KML. See below for example.


KML loaded into Google Earth


Export Well Known Text (WKT)


Export WKT zip file


The WKT text file contained within the zip file.


Contents of the WKT file


The WKT is a very simple and readable text format that is also supported by a range of products. Two useful things about WKT are that the coordinates can be directly edited, and because it is simple text, it is likely to be compatible i.e. (read) well into the future.