"Location and Transformation" skills are critical tools for navigating the world and establishing foundational steps for geometric reasoning associated with co-ordinate grids and the Cartesian plane. The contextual nature of using local landmarks to understand students' mental representation of large-scale space has the potential to enhance these skills. This paper examines a classroom activity that draws on students' local knowledge when representing their environment. Factors such as geographic distance and isolation, and incorporation of spatial relations are explored. Recommendations are made for educators to incorporate the sophisticated local knowledge when building mathematical understanding.