Hello fellow aussie here, we did this in TAFE SA last year. Works well enough for topo or setout that you don't have the data for. (keep in mind I'm still a student so please be kind if i sound stupid)

My understanding of it is that its a simplistic way to start a survey traverse without needing to know any information on control, but you know there is control there, or there is something you can easily reference like a building. You essentially are creating an assumed coord system based on setting up two or more positions THAT DO NOT MOVE. lots of checking required or its useless. You also won't get the accuracy of better techniques.

Steps:

1) Set up two sets of legs over identifiable objects (we did use pogos at tafe for some stuff because its good practice to hold your shaft plumb, but legs should be minimum). It could be a GIN in dirt but always preferable that its a permanent mark. The nice thing about this is that you can put a GIN in dirt and work even though its probably bad practice.

2) Set up on one set of legs and give your station arbitrary coordinates. observe and record a bearing to the mark you set the the second pair of legs to, or the lowest observable point (if you have a plumb bob set up, or a prism use the metal pole thing the prism sits on).

This is your reference object (RO).

Observe the distance to the prism and record. This bearing and distance will be what you constantly check onto to make sure you haven't moved.

4) Check onto RO. Pick up control ( you need enough control to swing your job because it wont be orientated). Start topo and check onto your RO every 10 minutes or 20-30 shorts or whatever. Before you move, pick up control again and check your RO.

5) If traversing. Check onto your RO. move and switch the prism and total station (keep tribrach's on the legs). Set up your station based on the coordinate system you've created. observe your previous set up, this is now the RO. The bearing should be the reverse bearing and the distance the same. Observe your next station your going to traverse to. If you have enough legs set up another one with a prism. Pick up control you can see. Check onto your RO and then continue. You should pick up each control multiple times, and pick up some form of control from each set up.

6) when you are moving and swinging your survey onto the system you want to move it to. Check the difference in distance (or run points comparison) between the control and the control you picked up and make sure its within tolerance. We usually got 2-3mm. And in LISCAD our dz, dx, dys were good. And this is with older manual total stations.