## 4 An Integrated Suite of Geo-Visualisation Tools
### Case Study Application in South West Victoria  
Advancements in 3D virtual environment technologies offer an innovative way to explore real world environmental processes in order to manage resources. The virtual representation of complex phenomena and their information may benefit policy-makers, as well as a range of professional users including foresters, urban and regional planners, and landscape architects. In the following sections, the advantages of generating 3D virtual environments by using the integrated suite of geo-visualisation tools, which provides an interface to Landscape Object Library, have been explored and evaluated in the South West part of Victoria and some preliminary evaluation has been undertaken (Figure 8). These applications are not part of actual planning studies in the region, although the issues explored in each case are very real. They were chosen to interest particular clients within the government partners and to show the versatility of the system in the context of the rural landscape. The next challenge would be an urban application. Figure 7: Workflow of the Landscape Constructor system with other related technologies. Adapted from [PERSON] _et al._[17]. The study area is located approximately 215 km west of Melbourne, near the Grappian Ranges in the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority area. It is approximately 46,000 ha in size and contains various national parks. The elevation range is 185-802 m Above Sea Level (ASL). In Figure 8, lower left of the study area map shows the eastern boundary to the Grappian Ranges, which is a national park and comes under protected area [18]. The remainder of the area is arable land. Approximately 70% of the arable land, in the study area, is used for mixed farming and grazing practices. Approximately 20%, contains native hardwood and woody vegetation and approximately 20% of the arable land. The area is a national park and comes under protected area [18]. The remainder of the area is arable land. Approximately 70% of the arable land, in the study area, is used for mixed farming and grazing practices. Approximately 20%, contains native hardwood and woody vegetation and approximately 20% of the arable land. Approximately 20% of the arable land, in the study area, is used for mixed farming and grazing practices. Approximately 20%, contains native hardwood and woody vegetation  
10% is used for other activities. In terms of non-endangered wildlife in the Grampians and the surrounding landscape, Kangaroos and Emus are quite common. On the other hand, Sugar Gliders, Bandicoots, Koalas, Wallabies, Black Cockatoo, Boobook Owls etc may be vulnerable or endangered [19]. Various data layers have been brought together to create the underlying geodatabase. The DEM is one of the most significant layers in terms of topography, whereas aerial photographs help to show the landscape homogeneity and heterogeneity in terms of land use type and cover. In addition, out of 16 ecological vegetation classes in the study area, the existing top ten (covering approximately 70% of the study area) were taken into consideration in order to identify the indicative vegetation cover. The vegetation density has been categorised and mapped as low, moderate and high. Soil salinity and surface water availability layers of the study area were also used. The soil salinity layer describes the salinity component with a scale of low, moderate and high, while the surface water availability layer is obtained via a classified satellite image and shows surface water locations. The reason for bringing together these spatial data layers is to enhance participants' understanding and thinking about the study area. In the present case, we show how the Landscape Object Library and the support of the integrated suite of geo-visualisation tools could be used to investigate a particular landscape planning scenario. In the past 200 years, many different Australian species have become extinct [20].