Google Map Maker finally launches to Australian users

Google today announced that its Map Maker tool, which allows users to make corrections and additions to Google Maps, has launched in Australia.

Australian users can now include their favorite hiking trails or just fix up a mistake — I can think of one or two that irritated me during a recent trip to Sydney. Map Maker is to cartography what wikis are to publishing, although in this case Google must approve your contributions before they are seen live. Wouldn’t want anybody driving into the ocean.

Google Map Maker also makes it easier to add places — Google’s own example is your local rugby club — to the map. By allowing us to fill in blanks when businesses forget to add themselves, Google Map Maker makes location information more relevant for Aussie smartphone users.

If you’ve got a bit of spare time, head over to Map Maker and check it out — and perhaps contribute an improvement or two!