The Australian Empire

Title:           Complete Map of the Southern Continent
Mapmaker:   Emmanuel Bowen
Published:   1744

This first English map of New Holland was engraved by Emmanuel Bowen for the revised edition of John Harris' Complete Collection of Voyages. Bowen, one of the leading printsellers and engravers, copied the French man Thevenot to show the Dutch discoveries up to 1644. The text includes reference to 'the best climate in the world', 'according to Coll. Purry'. Purry was a former employee of the Dutch East India Company interested in attracting the Dutch, French and English to settle in Nuyts' land - the text on the map claimed the best climate as being between 35° north and south of the equator.

Source: http://mapmogul.com/catalog/product_info.php+cPath+97_21+products_id+1706+RCsid+b29747919066362a95df517b7d79d6c5

Title:           Carte des Declinaison et Inclinaison de l’auiguille Aimantee…
Mapmaker:   George Buffon
Published:   1777

This is a French chart of Australia and New Zealand showing the discoveries made by Cook in 1770 during his first voyage, and the discoveries made by Capt. Furneaux in Tasmania in 1773. Australia is labelled 'Nouvelle Hollande' and shows Cook's first voyage discoveries on the east coast, including place names given in French such as 'Baye de Botanique' and 'C. de la Fume' (Smoky Cape near South West Rocks). 'Nouvelle Galles Meridionale' (New South Wales) occupies the entire length of the eastern coastline and Tasmania is tentatively attached to the mainland.

A few of the Dutch discoveries in Australia are mentioned, such as Pieter Nuyts' in 1627, van Colster's 1623 discoveries in the 'Arnhem', and Leeuwin's 1622 discoveries on the southwest coast (labelled 'Terre du Lion' on this map). Endeavour Straits are labelled 'Detroit de l'Endeavour' and in New Zealand, Cook's Straits are named 'Detroit de Cook'. The Tasman Sea is labelled 'Mer Pacifique'.

Source:     http://www.antiquemapart.com/Map.aspx?mapid=237

Title:           New Holland and the adjacent Islands
Mapmaker:   Kincaid
Published:    1790

This map depicts a very early inset map of Port Jackson and Sydney Cove. It is one of the earliest post settlement maps simply focusing on Australia. This map shows a classic pre-Flinders Australia with the southern coasts and Tasmania incomplete.

Source:         http://www.antiquemapart.com/Map.aspx?mapid=114

Title:           Carte Generale de la Nouvelle Holland
Mapmaker:   Freycinet
Published:    1811

This is the first complete map of Australia to be published.

Although Matthew Flinders was the first person to circumnavigate Australia (1801-03), it is the French who lay claim to publishing the first complete map of the Australian continent. Freycinet’s map was published in France in 1811 as the official account of Baudin’s 1801-04 voyage to Australia. This was three years before Flinders’ own chart appeared.

Baudin’s exploits in Australia commenced some seven months before Flinders arrived from Spithead in the Investigator. Rather than head for the uncharted south-east coast, Baudin instead sailed north up the west coast of Australia, occasionally landing at points previously uncharted by the earlier 17th century Dutch navigators, finally arriving at Timor. Meanwhile Flinders had set out from Cape Leeuwin in an easterly direction, with the intention of circumnavigating the continent. When Baudin eventually made it to the southern coast of Australia, Flinders had already charted a great deal of the previously uncharted south-eastern coast. The two parties finally crossed paths at Encounter Bay on 8 April 1802. Baudin had managed to chart only a small 200-mile section of the coast west of Wilson’s Promontory. Although France was at war with England, Flinders had been promised safe passage back to England. On his return however he was imprisoned on Mauritius for six and a half years.

As a further blow to Flinders’, the Freycinet map of Australia entirely ignored the English contribution to the charting of the southern coast. Fully aware of the discoveries made by Flinders and indeed Grant in Bass Strait in 1800, the French instead used their own patriotic names on the map to replace those given by Flinders and Grant.

Source:         http://www.antiquemapart.com/Map.aspx?mapid=15

Title:           Australasia
Mapmaker:   Arrowsmith
Published:    c1819

Hand coloured copper engraving.

This Interesting map shows Australia with an incomplete southern coastline as it does not incorporate the discoveries of Flinders, Baudin or earlier mariners. Also the name ‘Notasia’ is used over the entire continent.

Note that the map is dated ‘circa 1819’ so it may have actually been published before Flinders’ charts were available. Alternatively the publisher may have been pursuing commercial aims rather than accuracy.

Source:        http://www.antiqueprintroom.com/catalogue/view-catalogue?id=85d0bb5059de6b66961c967a063e74df&sessid=a6133b0492fddf785cefdf03bf39a3df

Title:           East Indies Isles & Australia
Mapmaker:   James Wyld
Published:    1819

This map includes all discoveries by Flinders and Baudin along the southern coastline.

Source:         http://www.antiquemapart.com/Map.aspx?mapid=289

Title:           Colony of New South Wales (with) Australia
Mapmaker:   Sidney Hall
Published:    1828

This map shows an inset that shows only New Holland and New South Wales as subdivisions of Australia.

Source: http://www.davidrumsey.com/detail?id=1-1-21813-670046&name=New+S.+Wales;+Australia.

Title:           New Holland
Mapmaker:   Aaron Arrowsmith
Published:    1836

This map shows South Australia for the first time. Note that it is surrounded by New South Wales.

Aaron Arrowsmith (1750-1823), was an English cartographer and geographer. He founded the mapmaking and publishing business later carried on by his sons and nephew, John Arrowsmith. John Arrowsmith was one of the founders of the Royal Geographic Society. The Arrowsmith maps were among the best of that period.

Source:         http://antiquemapgallery.com/ar18anmapofn1.html

Title:           Australia
Mapmaker:   W & A Johnston
Published:    c1844

This map shows South Australia before its extension to the Western Australian border. It also Arnhem Land as either unclaimed or as a separate entity. No evidence has been found to substantiate this. Also note an incorrect Lake Torrens. Discoveries of parts of the Australian coastline are noted. Inland exploration is virtually limited to the south eastern part of Australia.

Source:  http://www.antiqueprintroom.com/catalogue/view-catalogue?id=85d0bb5059de6b66961c967a063e74df&sessid=775658b7502721fb9e5a54db74418e76

Title:           Australia
Mapmaker:   G W Colton
Published:   1855

This map shows Australia divided into New South Wales, Victoria, West Australia, Northern Territory, and South Australia. It depicts harbours, cities and towns mainly around coastal areas. There is still very little inland settlement and most of the central plains have yet to be surveyed.

It shows ‘North Australia’ as extending from the east coast to the Western Australian border. The map is dated 1855 and this configuration had ceased by then.

The map was published by J. H. Colton in “Colton's Atlas of the World Illustrating Physical & Political Geography.” in 1855. The Colton family of publishers founded their business in New York in 1831. Joseph Hutchins Colton (1800-1893) started the business and he was succeeded by his son George Woolworth Colton.

Source:         http://www.gracegalleries.com/Australia_Listings.htm

Name:            Australia and New Zealand
Mapmaker:      John Bartholomew
Published:       1858

This map shows New South Wales extending to Western Australian border

Source:         http://antiquemapgallery.com/ba18anphmapo21.html

Title:               Australia
Mapmaker:           J Bartholomew
Published:             c1870

This map shows no state boundary between South Australia and North Australia.

Source: http://www.antiqueprintroom.com/catalogue/view-catalogue?id=85d0bb5059de6b66961c967a063e74df&sessid=775658b7502721fb9e5a54db74418e76

Name:           Australia & Tasmania
Mapmaker:      George Cram
Published:       1887

This map shows South Australia extending to the north coast of the continent.

In the late 19th century and into the turn of the next century, the Cram company published maps that were clear, detailed, and up to date. 

Source:  http://www.oldmapgallery.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=478

Title:               Australia
Mapmaker:       Anonymous
Published:          c1898

This map is detailed and shows the six states as they were at the time. It shows ‘Alexandraland’ and a truncated ‘North Australia’ are labelled but no evidence has been found to substantiate these as ever having been official subdivisions.

Source: http://www.oldmapgallery.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=478

Name:            South Australia
Mapmaker:       Unknown              
Published:          1903

This map shows the whole of Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia tinted in pink. It includes the label ‘Northern Territory of South Australia’

This map comes from a collection of books published by the ‘Colonial Office’ for use by civil servants at that time. They were published yearly from the 1870s to the 1930s and included such things as the names of the local magistrates and other officers, the principal businesses, imports and exports etc for each colonial country – all information thought to be of interest for government departments at that time.

Source:         http://glastonburygalleries.com/shop3947_cat424_south_australia_australia.htm

Name:           Historical Diagrams Showing the Subdivision of Australia
Mapmaker:      H.E.C. Robinson, Department of Lands Sydney
Published:        1904

This is actually a plate from ‘The Lady Northcote Atlas of Australasia’ by H.E.C. Robinson. It was drawn from a Department of Lands’ statement showing the Subdivision of Australia into separate colonies between 1787 and 1863.

Sub maps 3, 4 and 5 show an unclaimed area between WA and SA/NSW. The last map still shows the Northern Territory as part of South Australia.

Sub Map Contents

1.      1787 to 1825 - New South Wales

2.      1825 to 1831 - Van Diemen's Land separated 1825

3.      1831 to 1836 - Western Australia defined 1831

4.      1836 to 1854 - South Australia border fixed 1836

5.      1851 to 1855 - Victoria separated 1851

6.      1855 to 1859 - New South Wales extended 1855

7.      1859 to 1861 - Queensland separated 1859

8.      1861 to 1862 - South Australia extended 1861

9.      1862 to 1863 - Queensland extended 1862

10. 1863 to 1908 - Northern Territory annexed to South Australia 1863

Source:         http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3992748

Name:            The Commonwealth of Australia
Mapmaker:       George Philip
Published:        1932         

This map shows the separate territories of North Australia and Central Australia.

Source:         http://www.antiquemaps-online.com/gallery/index.html