The BYDA Digital Utility Portal (BDUP) is an industry-led initiative by Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) to modernise how utility information is accessed, shared and used across Australia.
What is BDUP?
BDUP is a secure, GIS-enabled digital map that brings together underground and overhead utility asset information in one place. BDUP provides fast access to utility data, allowing users to view all available utilities in one place, and download this data as a GIS or pdf file. The tool supports better project design and early identification of utility-related risks in the planning and design stage of a project. The POC (proof of Concept) was completed in 2025, and the Pilot area will cover Brisbane, WA and Greater Sydney.
Who is BDUP for?
BDUP has been developed for users working in the planning and design phase of projects, such as design engineers, planners, geospatial specialists.
It is not intended for excavation or ground-breaking activities, where the BYDA referral service remains essential for safe work practices to obtain plans and information before digging or excavating.
Why digital utility data matters
BYDA’s research shows that damage to underground utilities costs Australia more than $4.6 billion each year, driven in large part by fragmented, outdated approaches to sharing asset location information.
Evidence shows that providing earlier, clearer visibility of underground assets can significantly reduce risk, improve planning decisions, and lift productivity.
Current processes rely heavily on static PDF plans which are often difficult to interpret, inconsistent, and poorly suited to early-stage planning and design. Critical information is often hard to visualise, cumulative risk across multiple assets is difficult to assess, and opportunities to redesign or de-risk projects early are missed.
Digital, map-based utility data such as the BDUP addresses these limitations by providing clearer, more consistent visibility of underground assets earlier in the project lifecycle.
Get involved
For planning and design and other users:
Users can sign up for early testing of the BDUP Pilot in Western Australia, Greater Sydney, and Brisbane.
BYDA is also looking for users to participate in real-world case studies to test how BDUP supports live projects across different sectors. Reach out to [email protected] if you’d like to get involved.
For BYDA members (asset owners):
To bring the BDUP to life, we require asset location information from asset owners – the same data already provided through the BYDA referral service, in GIS format. We need members to commit to sharing that data and, for those in pilot regions, to work with us to get it live on the platform.
Start by finding out more about the benefits of contribution, the platform’s strong cyber security, and the straightforward steps to get your data in — starting with signing our online Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a non-binding commitment that signals your organisation’s intent to contribute data, then working with the team to get your data live.