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Team Name:

Data Revolution


Team Members:


Evidence of Work

Croc-Spot🐊

Project Info

Data Revolution thumbnail

Team Name


Data Revolution


Team Members


Uday , Lukas M-M , Steve Pratt , Ruggie , Jack , Gabriel Rus , Jacob , Husan , Muhammad , Reece

Project Description


In the Northern Territory, crocodile encounters are a significant safety concern for both residents and tourists. Croc-Spot is a cutting-edge platform designed to tackle this challenge head-on, leveraging advanced technology and crowd-sourced data to enhance public safety and reduce the risk of crocodile encounters.

Crocodile encounters in the Northern Territory pose a significant risk to both residents and tourists. Current monitoring systems are limited and often fail to provide timely, actionable information.

Our vision is to revolutionise crocodile safety by leveraging cutting-edge technology and crowdsourced data to create a dynamic, real-time monitoring platform that enhances public safety and awareness.

We propose Croc-Spot, an innovative platform that combines live streaming, AI-driven recognition, and crowdsourced reporting to provide real-time updates on crocodile activity. By engaging users to interact with live footage and report sightings, we create a comprehensive and interactive safety tool.

Croc-Spot is an innovative web-based platform designed to enhance crocodile safety in the Northern Territory. It provides real-time monitoring through multiple live streams, AI-powered recognition, and crowd-sourced data. Users interact with live footage, report sightings, and receive timely alerts about crocodile activity in high-risk areas.

By integrating live streams with advanced AI technology and crowd-sourced input, Croc-Spot delivers precise information and boosts public awareness. The platform's interactive features and reward system drive user engagement and data accuracy. Partner with us to deploy Croc-Spot and revolutionise the protection of communities and tourists from crocodile threats.

Croc-Spot offers:
-Live streams of high-risk areas.
-AI-powered crocodile recognition.
-Interactive maps with real-time tracking and alerts.
-Crowdsourced data collection and analysis.
-Reward system for user engagement.

Croc-Spot is more than just a monitoring system—it's a proactive approach to public safety. By integrating real-time data, advanced technology, and community participation, we aim to create a safer environment and reduce the risk of crocodile encounters in the Northern Territory. Join us in making crocodile safety a top priority with Croc-Spot.


#map #nt #northernterritory #sms #croc #crocs #crocodile #da #data #dataanalysis #public #opendata #crocspot #crocsafety #crocodileawareness #publicsafety #wildlifemonitoring #airecognition #livestreamingsafety #crowdsourceddata #realtimealerts #crocprotection #crocencounters #touristsafety #communityengagement #wildlifeconservation #crocodiletracking #techforsafety #smartsafetysolutions #crocodilespotting #gamifiedsafety #tourism #government #livestream #click #interact #interactive #stories #territory #ai #culture

Data Story


Problem

The Northern Territory (NT) in Australia is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, diverse wildlife, and rich Indigenous culture. From the breathtaking Kakadu National Park to the iconic Uluru, it’s a place of awe and wonder.

In fact, for the year ending March 2024, the Northern Territory welcomed an impressive 1.646 million visitors, spending a combined $2.7 billion dollars [1]. Tourism is thriving, and the NT’s unique environment is a major draw.

But... there’s one attraction you might not want to get too close to.

The NT is also home to one of the largest populations of saltwater crocodiles in the world—powerful creatures that command respect and demand caution. Crocodiles pose a significant risk to both residents and tourists, and that's where our friend Steve comes in.

Steve likes to live life in the danger zone… but even he doesn’t want to bite off more than he can chew when it comes to crocodile encounters. Our mission was to create a solution that would enhance public safety and boost tourism in the NT, to allow Steve to continue living on the wild side… without too much danger!

Data

To develop a solution for thrill-seekers like Steve—and for the safety of all tourists and locals—we had to first dive into the data. Our journey started by analysing data from the Northern Territory Government, Tourism NT, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and Tourism Research Australia (TRA).

Data: Tourism

Being an Adelaide-based team, we first wanted to understand the scale of tourism in the Northern Territory:

Examining the NT regions

Statistical Areas (SAs) Level 2 - 2021 from ABS Allocation Files

SA2 data was used to gain various levels of location data for the Northern Territory, to allow location analysis at different hierarchical levels and in combination with supplementary data.

Tourism Regions – 2021

Used to identify locations at the SA2 level that are tourist regions in the Northern Territory and that we may wish to undertake further research into and promote within Croc-Spot.

Territory Stories

The NT’s Territory Stories website was an invaluable resource for discovering the local news and stories related to the Northern Territory for this project. It was particularly useful for finding stories about tourism in the NT, for instance, the following sites provided insights into Katherine’s unique attractions, Darwin’s vibrant cultural scene, and the community events in Borroloola. Additionally, stories from Nhulunbuy highlighted the region’s cinematic appeal. These stories were included in Croc-Spot to promote tourism in these regions thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Individuals and businesses involved in the tourism industry

Table 2 ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY, Local Government Areas, 2011, 2016-2023

The data contained a plethora of information which was filtered on businesses in different industries in the Northern Territory (NT). 19 local government areas (LGAs) were identified in the data for the NT. The 6 dominant LGAs were individually represented and the remaining were grouped into an Other category. From this data the proportion of businesses in tourism related industries from different LGAs in 2020 was evaluated, with Darwin representing the majority of businesses across all selected industries. This assisted us to gain insight into the tourism business count across regions.

Proportion of businesses in tourism related industries from different local government areas in 2020

TABLE 8. INDUSTRY OF EMPLOYMENT BY SEX BY STATE AND TERRITORY

This data was used to extract the total number of people employed in different tourism related industries in NT in 2021, and to identify the dominant industries amongst these. The data for the industry of employment was split by sex by state & territory. For sex, the data was split into three categories which were males, females and persons. The data was aggregated for the three categories to get the overall employment numbers. The data was then filtered on the Northern Territory to get the total number of people employed in different tourism-related industries in the NT in 2021.

Number of people employed in different tourism related industries in the NT in 2021

Building a service provider inventory for Katherine, Darwin, Nhulunbuy and Borroloola to integrate into our web solution

We gathered multiple datasets of service providers, provided by the NT government:

-NT Tourism General Services Provider List July - December 2020
-NT Tourism Food and Drink Provider List July - December 2020
-Free WiFi User Count by Hotspot Jul - Dec 2020
-NT Tourism Free WiFi Traffic by Hotspot July - December 2020
-NT Tourism Free WiFi New-Return User July - December 2020

We consolidated these into a categorised format based on different types of service providers. The data was filtered by key cities, including Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Borroloola. Unnecessary or outdated information was removed, and we verified that the service providers were still in operation, given that the original data dated back to 2020. This consolidated data acts as an inventory of service providers that is included in Croc-Spot to promote tourism in these regions, thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Inventory of service providers in Darwin, NT

Data: Crocodiles

Then we delved into existing crocodile survey data to understand the current landscape of crocodile sightings and captures - with the reported sightings integrated into an interactive map within Croc-Spot.

Building an interactive map of crocodile sightings within our web solution

Crocodile Monitoring Survey 2021-2022

The dataset containing crocodile sightings was initially reviewed and cleaned. This process involved identifying relevant fields such as species, sighting dates, and geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). The data was then organised by year and month to allow for temporal analysis. Additional steps included mapping sightings to specific locations using a heat map to visualise high-density areas.

Crocodile Location Heat Map

Crocodile Location Heat Map

Species breakdowns were summarised to provide insights into the types of crocodiles encountered most frequently.

Crocodile Species Breakdown

Historical sightings can be used to inform placement of monitoring equipment. This data is also the source for the interactive map generated within Croc-Spot, ideally the underlying map data is updated as this resource is refreshed and in unison with user reporting sightings, to ensure accurate insights.

NT Crocodile Capture Zones and Daily Count

The month and year values were extracted from the date values present in the data, and saved into their own columns, to provide the ability to analyse over different time intervals. The data was then uploaded as a SQL table to allow aggregation of crocodile captures at various combinations of location and time levels. This aggregation was undertaken using GROUP BY statements and the COUNT function. The MIN and MAX functions were also used to identify the date range covered by the dataset, which was 21/01/1998 - 06/09/2024 inclusive. Graphs were generated to show for the period 1998-2024:

Count of crocodile captures based on species from 1998-2024

Count of Crocodile Captures per Region during 1998 - 2024

Count of Crocodile Captures per Year and Region during 1998 - 2024

Count of Crocodile Captures per Year (1998 - 2024)

This allowed us to gain insight into the current landscape of crocodile captures in the NT and observe trends over time. We used this data to inform the location of the cameras used for the live feeds in Croc-Spot : Katherine, Darwin, Nhulunbuy and Borroloola.

Solution

We developed Croc-Spot—an all-in-one web solution designed to enhance safety while promoting the beauty of the Northern Territory. This platform provides live video feeds from crocodile hotspots - strategically chosen based on crocodile survey data - and turns safety into a gamified experience, while also encouraging education of nearby activities and attractions.

If you spot a croc, just click! Click a croc, rack up Croc Points, and unlock awesome rewards! You can use points to customize your profile with cool skins or even redeem them for physical prizes like tourism activity vouchers in the NT. Maybe you’ll unlock the elusive golden croc—a true badge of honour!

And while you’re keeping an eye on those crocs, why not explore more of the NT? We’ve integrated Territory Stories and local tourism info relevant to our camera locations.

Our interactive map is constantly updated with user-reported sightings. New crocodile sightings trigger SMS alerts and voice calls to nearby residents and tourists, warning them of the croc’s location and providing real-time, life-saving information. With just one click, people can check the exact spot where a croc has been seen and make informed decisions. It’s safety, with a digital twist.

Thanks to Croc-Spot, Steve can keep living on the wild side… without too much danger!

Stay alert, stay aware, stay safe with Croc-Spot. Your ultimate tool for crocodile safety in the Northern Territory.

Visit Croc-Spot today and start your adventure—safely!


[1] https://tourismnt.com.au/system/files/uploads/files/2024/Combined_snapshot%20YE%20Mar%2024.pdf


Evidence of Work

Video

Homepage

Project Image

Team DataSets

NT Crocodile Capture Zones and Daily Count

Description of Use The month and year values were extracted from the date values present in the data, and saved into their own columns, to provide the ability to analyse over different time intervals. The data was then uploaded as a SQL table to allow aggregation of crocodile captures at various combinations of location and time levels. This aggregation was undertaken using GROUP BY statements and the COUNT(*) function. The MIN() and MAX() functions were also used to identify the date range covered by the dataset, which was 21/01/1998 - 06/09/2024 inclusive. Graphs were generated to show for the period 1998-2024: -Count of crocodile captures based on species -Count of crocodile captures per region -Count of crocodile captures per year and region -Count of crocodiles per year and month. This allowed us to gain insight into the current landscape of crocodile captures in the NT and observe trends over time.

Data Set

NT Tourism Free WiFi New-Return User July - December 2020

Description of Use This was one of multiple datasets we gathered of service providers, provided by the NT government, that we consolidated into a categorised format based on different types of service providers. The data was filtered by key cities, including Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Borroloola. Unnecessary or outdated information was removed, and we verified that the service providers were still in operation, given that the original data dated back to 2020. This consolidated data acts as an inventory of service providers that we will include in our web application solution to promote tourism in these regions, thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Data Set

NT Tourism Free WiFi Traffic by Hotspot July - December 2020

Description of Use This was one of multiple datasets we gathered of service providers, provided by the NT government, that we consolidated into a categorised format based on different types of service providers. The data was filtered by key cities, including Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Borroloola. Unnecessary or outdated information was removed, and we verified that the service providers were still in operation, given that the original data dated back to 2020. This consolidated data acts as an inventory of service providers that we will include in our web application solution to promote tourism in these regions, thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Data Set

Free WiFi User Count by Hotspot Jul - Dec 2020

Description of Use This was one of multiple datasets we gathered of service providers, provided by the NT government, that we consolidated into a categorised format based on different types of service providers. The data was filtered by key cities, including Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Borroloola. Unnecessary or outdated information was removed, and we verified that the service providers were still in operation, given that the original data dated back to 2020. This consolidated data acts as an inventory of service providers that we will include in our web application solution to promote tourism in these regions, thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Data Set

NT Tourism Food and Drink Provider List July - December 2020

Description of Use This was one of multiple datasets we gathered of service providers, provided by the NT government, that we consolidated into a categorised format based on different types of service providers. The data was filtered by key cities, including Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Borroloola. Unnecessary or outdated information was removed, and we verified that the service providers were still in operation, given that the original data dated back to 2020. This consolidated data acts as an inventory of service providers that we will include in our web application solution to promote tourism in these regions, thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Data Set

NT Tourism General Services Provider List July - December 2020

Description of Use This was one of multiple datasets we gathered of service providers, provided by the NT government, that we consolidated into a categorised format based on different types of service providers. The data was filtered by key cities, including Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Borroloola. Unnecessary or outdated information was removed, and we verified that the service providers were still in operation, given that the original data dated back to 2020. This consolidated data acts as an inventory of service providers that we will include in our web application solution to promote tourism in these regions, thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Data Set

Crocodile Monitoring Survey 2021-2022

Description of Use The dataset containing crocodile sightings was initially reviewed and cleaned. This process involved identifying relevant fields such as species, sighting dates, and geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). The data was then organised by year and month to allow for temporal analysis. Additional steps included mapping sightings to specific locations using a heat map to visualise high-density areas. Species breakdowns were summarised to provide insights into the types of crocodiles encountered most frequently. Graphical representations, such as bar charts and heat maps, were used to illustrate key findings, making it easier to identify patterns. ChatGPT was used to generate plots after the data was cleaned. Historical sightings can be used to inform placement of monitoring equipment. This data is also the source for the interactive map generated within our web application, ideally the underlying map data is updated as this resource is refreshed and in unison with user reporting sightings, to ensure accurate insights.

Data Set

Tourism Regions - 2021

Description of Use Used to identify locations at the SA2 level that are tourist regions in the Northern Territory and that we may wish to undertake further research into and promote within our web application.

Data Set

Combined (Domestic and International) Snapshot YE March 2024

Description of Use Using ChatGPT, we uploaded the Combined Snapshot YE March 2024 report to quickly access key tourism statistics for the Northern Territory. ChatGPT processed the data and summarised trends, such as overall visitation declines, increased visitor spending, and regional performance differences. This streamlined approach enabled us to efficiently extract and analyse relevant insights from the detailed report.

Data Set

Territory Stories

Description of Use The NT’s Territory Stories website was an invaluable resource for discovering the local news and stories related to the Northern Territory for this project. It was particularly useful for finding stories about tourism in the NT, for instance, the following sites provided insights into Katherine’s unique attractions, Darwin’s vibrant cultural scene, and the community events in Borroloola. Additionally, stories from Nhulunbuy highlighted the region’s cinematic appeal. These stories will be included in our web application solution to promote tourism in these regions thereby increasing the overall rate of tourism in the NT.

Data Set

Table 2 ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY, Local Government Areas, 2011, 2016-2023

Description of Use The data contained a plethora of information which was filtered on businesses in different industries in the Northern Territory (NT). 19 local government areas (LGAs) were identified in the data for the NT. The 6 dominant LGAs were individually represented and the remaining were grouped into an Other category. From this data the proportion of businesses in tourism related industries from different LGAs in 2020 was evaluated, with Darwin representing the majority of businesses across all selected industries. This assisted us to gain insight into the tourism business count across regions.

Data Set

TABLE 8. INDUSTRY OF EMPLOYMENT BY SEX BY STATE AND TERRITORY

Description of Use This data was used to extract the total number of people employed in different tourism related industries in NT in 2021, and to identify the dominant industries amongst these. The data for the industry of employment was split by sex by state & territory. For sex, the data was split into three categories which were males, females and persons. The data was aggregated for the three categories to get the overall employment numbers. The data was then filtered on the Northern Territory to get the total number of people employed in different tourism-related industries in the NT in 2021.

Data Set

Statistical Areas Level 2 - 2021 from ABS Allocation Files

Description of Use SA2 data was used to gain various levels of location data for the Northern Territory, to allow location analysis at different hierarchical levels and in combination with supplementary data.

Data Set

Challenge Entries

Crocodile Watch: Enhancing Public Safety

How can crocodile monitoring data be leveraged to create solutions that improve public safety and reduce the risk of crocodile encounters in the Northern Territory?

Go to Challenge | 19 teams have entered this challenge.

Boosting Tourism in the Northern Territory

How can data be leveraged to create innovative solutions that boost tourism in the Northern Territory, attract more visitors, and/or enhance their cultural experience?

Go to Challenge | 25 teams have entered this challenge.