Apple Maps dunks on Queanbeyan with a place-name blunder. Photo: Screenshot.
A long-running joke between Canberrans and the not-quite Canberrans over the border in Queanbeyan became reality last week after a digital mapping blunder.
It’s not clear exactly when or why it happened, but Queanbeyan was displayed as “Canberra-Queanbeyan” on the widely used Apple Maps app for much of last week.
It’s since been fixed, but not before it prompted an even more fervent outpouring of patriotism than usual – on both sides of the border.
“Not happy Jan!” Federal Labor member for Eden-Monaro Kirsty McBain posted on Facebook.
“They took the Queanbeyan Raiders and now Apple Maps is trying to hyphen Queanbeyan and make it part of Canberra! What are you (sic) thoughts?”
“We are and always will be Queanbeyan NSW, not Canberra,” one commenter stalwartly replied.
“Does that mean we get the same laws and have to change to ACT rego,” wrote another.
Meanwhile, on Facebook’s Canberra Notice Board Group, a question was asked if ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr had “done a Putin on Queanbeyan” by taking it over.
“According to Apple Maps, Andrew Barr may have overnight done a Putin on Queanbeyan,” the post read.
In yet another post about it, a user wrote: “As much as we love the team at the Royal Canberra Show, we don’t think the Canberra-Queanbeyan Show has quite the same ring to it.
“Apple may need to look at a little map update.”
Kristy McBain was not happy at the blunder. Image: Screenshot.
Rival navigation and mapping apps Google Maps and Waze kept the town by its correct name, so it seems only Canberrans who use Apple had a legitimate stake in Queanbeyan.
Apple’s Maps app in Australia draws on a wide range of official, commercial and community sources for its place names.
In a list of acknowledgements on the app, Apple credits the Federal Government – as well as state and territory governments – for much of the mapping data, as well as navigation company TomTom and other “third-party providers”.
Many Indigenous lands and traditional place names come courtesy of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).
Apple also runs its own surveys and in the case of its street-view setting, contracts its own camera vehicles.
Users of the app can’t freely manipulate or change place names, but they can report incorrect information through the app by clicking on their profile image, followed by “Reports”.
Apple will then review the submission and if it passes muster with other sources, will update accordingly. However, this process can take days, or weeks, depending on the change.
How to report issues on Apple Maps. Image: Screenshot.
It’s understood Apple received many complaints about the Canberra-Queanbeyan blunder, based on the number of locals commenting on social media about how they have reported it.
Apple Australia was contacted for comment on exactly how many reports it has received, as well as why and when the decision was made to make the change, but did not reply in time.
In the words of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, “if you were waiting for an opportune moment, that was it”.
