Australia澳大利亚

Konrad Frenzel

This article, written by Conrad Frenzel, chief editor of the *Australian Resources Atlas*, comprehensively elaborates on the role of thematic cartography in geography and the process of creating this large-scale national resource atlas. It opens with a discussion of the importance of maps in geographical description and interpretation. Although ancient cartographers were geographers, the subsequent development of precise topographic maps by geodesists once relegated cartography to a neglected branch of geography. However, thematic cartography—namely,

Erwin Raisz

This article reviews The Atlas of Australian Resources, published by the Department of National Development, Canberra. It is a landmark postwar cartographic work, consisting of about 50 large sheets, ten of which had appeared by the time of writing, covering climate, soil, underground water, population density, minerals, agriculture, and major projects. Directed by German cartographer Konrad Frenzel, the atlas exhibits excellent cartography, mature color and symbol design, and superb engraving, with each map accompanied by a specialist pamphlet. The review comments on specific sheets—rainfall, temperature, minerals, and population density—noting that while most treatments are successful, mineral symbols do not sufficiently reflect actual production. Overall, the atlas represents a distinguished and promising contribution to thematic mapping.

This review introduces the Atlas of Australian Resources, published by the Department of National Development, Canberra. Ten of the planned 42 maps have appeared (six in 1953, four in 1954). The maps, drawn on a polyconic projection at 1:6,000,000 and printed in up to ten colours, are accompanied by expert commentaries from government specialists. The author highlights innovative economic cartography: the mineral map uses colour and symbol shape/size to show deposit type and national importance; agricultural and population maps use proportional symbols against density backgrounds; the major development projects map encodes project type, stage, ownership, and capital cost through symbols and colours. Climate, underground water, rainfall, temperature, soils, and administrative maps are also noted. The review concludes that the atlas promises to become an essential geographical handbook for Australia, and the remaining 32 maps are eagerly awaited.

Edgar Ford; Department of National Development

This review assesses the Atlas of Australian Resources, produced by Australia's Department of National Development and National Mapping Office. Originating from wartime mapping needs, the Atlas aimed to provide comprehensive geographic, economic, and social data across Australia. The author examines the ambitious project of 30 planned maps, praising print quality and the value of accompanying specialist commentaries, particularly population, agriculture, and stock distribution maps. However, he criticizes several maps: mineral deposits fail to indicate operational status, climatic regions lack clear classification, and some climatic divisions are questionable. He also notes that many maps become dated quickly, requiring regular revision. Overall, Ford regards the Atlas as an outstanding educational contribution and recommends its use by schools, universities, and industry while urging completion and updating of the remaining sheets.

M. Harris

This review examines two publications. The first is part of the Atlas of Australian Resources, covering five maps with commentaries on education facilities, health services, dominant land use, ports and shipping, and population change 1947-1954. Each map and commentary are described, highlighting their contents and statistical data. The second reviews E.J. Tapp's "Early New Zealand", which argues that New Zealand's early ties with New South Wales were closer than previously recognized and that annexation was inevitable even without British systematic colonizers. The review summarizes Tapp's findings on economic and political connections. Overall, the review provides concise evaluations of geographical and historical works.

This review introduces the Atlas of Australian Resources, a series of colour maps at 1:6,000,000 published by the Department of National Development since 1953. By the time of writing, about 22 maps had appeared, each accompanied by a 6–20 page pamphlet containing statistical data, photographs, drawings, and references. Subjects include demography, water systems, social services, land use, and natural resources. The reviewer particularly praises the excellent cartography and printing, and regards the atlas as a highly useful companion to the Australian Encyclopaedia.

T. W. Plumb

This paper outlines the compilation of the Atlas of Australian Resources, Australia's first national resources atlas. Since 1956 the author has edited it. It describes the organization, form, purpose, and selection principles, emphasizing long-term significance and a 1:6 million scale for most maps. Methods of data collection, compilation, drawing, and printing are explained, along with accompanying booklets of about 7,000 words. The thirty mapsheets are discussed by theme, illustrating cartographic problems and solutions, with special attention to significant aspects of Australian geography.

H. Waldbaur

This review continues the earlier favourable notices of the Atlas of Australian Resources and discusses five newly issued sheets of the work prepared by the Australian Department of National Development. The sheets present population change 1947–1954, health services, educational facilities, dominant land use, and ports and shipping. Their cartographic method combines population-density base maps with proportional symbols; the auxiliary booklets add large-scale maps of metropolitan areas. The main findings emphasise strong urban population growth, especially in capital cities, and very limited land use over nearly half of the continent. The reviewed maps provide clear and valuable regional information, with ports treated through hinterland and cargo indicators.

Bruce Ryan; Konrad Frenzel

This review assesses the final five mapsheets of the Atlas of Australian Resources, covering geology, croplands, mineral and manufacturing industries, and immigration. It praises the geological map's detail and clarity, the croplands commentary's analytical quality, and the immigration map's statistical treatment, while noting minor flaws in symbol design and prose. Concluding that the completed atlas is the most comprehensive cartographic summary of Australia's resources yet published, the reviewer acknowledges its pioneering achievements despite small imperfections.

T. J. D. Fair

This article reviews the publication of the final five mapsheets of the Atlas of Australian Resources, covering geology, croplands, mineral industry, manufacturing industries, and immigration. With these, the Atlas now comprises 30 sheets and 82 maps, illustrating the distribution of physical resources, industries, population, and services, supplemented by commentaries, statistics, and additional maps. The review praises the consistent high standard of cartography and color composition, commends the editors for synthesizing previously scattered national data, and regards the Atlas as one of the finest national atlases of the past decade.

G. J. R. Linge

This article reviews recent literature on manufacturing in Australia, noting that geographers have paid little attention to this sector, which employs about 30% of the national workforce. It categorizes key sources, including the manufacturing map in the Atlas of Australian Resources, official surveys, industry studies, regional and town-planning reports, and literature on location factors such as transport, fuel, and power. The main finding is that available materials provide useful information on industrial structure and distribution, but detailed regional analysis is limited by statistical disclosure rules. The author calls for more geographical research, especially on the location of manufacturing and the factors influencing it.

J. S. Duncan; Dept. of National Development

This review assesses the Atlas of Australian Resources, a serial publication completed in 1960, and aims to guide British teachers in selecting the most useful sheets for teaching the geography of Australia. It highlights the map of Dominant Land Use for its clear depiction of thirteen land-use categories and its instructive comparison with surface-water conservation. Maps on stock, agricultural production, and croplands are criticized for overloading or praised for precise location and trend analysis. The Mineral Industry and Manufacturing sheets are recommended for their recent data and excellent commentaries. Ports and Shipping, Roads and Aerodromes, and Population Distribution are also discussed, with remarks on their merits and limitations. Physical geography maps occupy one-third of the atlas but are considered less essential because comparable maps exist elsewhere; nonetheless, the geological map and innovations in drainage mapping are noted. The review concludes that the Department of National Development should continue updating and expanding the atlas into a comprehensive national atlas.

G. J. R. Linge

This is a review article on the Atlas of Australian Resources, which was published in groups of five sheets between 1953 and 1960, totaling 30 map sheets, and is regarded as one of the most important contributions to Australian geographical literature since World War II. The article first traces the atlas's history: its concept originated in 1948, initially intended only for internal use by the Department of Post-War Reconstruction, but later the Department of National Development took over production and eventually published it publicly. The atlas covers a wide range of topics including physical environment, land industries, mining, manufacturing, population, communications, social services, and major developmental projects, with accompanying commentaries written by specialists. While acknowledging the atlas's overall merit, the author identifies several shortcomings: some maps have design flaws, such as the manufacturing map underweighting secondary industry and the mineral deposits map failing to clearly show individual minerals; the population change maps use different scales and shading systems, limiting comparability; the climate maps, praised for arranging twelve monthly maps in a circle, effectively convey the climatic cycle. The commentaries are also uneven in quality: some, such as the one on immigration, are excellent, while others, including some by geographers, are poorly organized and lack references. Moreover, there is insufficient technical information about data sources and compilation methods, which hampers users' ability to assess reliability. In conclusion, the author expresses profound admiration for the compilers' resourcefulness and effort, but regrets that the atlas has ceased publication at a time when Australia's rapid development demands updated information and additional topics. He suggests that the Department of National Development should seek advice from professional geographical bodies and resume work on the atlas so that it can continue to present an up-to-date and complete portrait of Australia to the world.

Bryan Saunders

This review assesses five newly released maps from the Atlas of Australian Resources, covering croplands, geology, immigration, mineral industry, and manufacturing industries. The author commends the cartographic craftsmanship and innovation, particularly praising the color selection in the geology and manufacturing maps. However, several deficiencies are noted, including inappropriate color grading in the croplands map, lack of value contrast in the geology map, and unclear rural-urban boundaries in the immigration map. The review emphasizes that these maps not only illustrate Australia's resource distribution and economic structure but also reflect the profound impact of post-war immigration and industrialization on national development.

Ernst Reiner

This review assesses the completed "Atlas of Australian Resources" published by the Department of National Development, Canberra, in 1960. The atlas comprises 30 map sheets (reduced from the originally planned 50) with accompanying texts, covering the entire continent at a scale of 1:6,000,000. The reviewer examines the maps thematically: physical features, geology, mineral deposits, climate, water resources, soils, vegetation, land use, industry, transport, and population. He praises several sheets, particularly the geological map, the mineral deposits map, and the vegetation map, for their detail and informative design. However, he criticizes the atlas for relying on outdated data (population from 1947, some maps from 1951-1954), the absence of a general topographic map and a comprehensive index, and inconsistencies between related maps (e.g., vegetation vs. pastoral land). He also notes the omission of important topics such as plant and animal diseases. Despite these shortcomings, the reviewer concludes that the atlas provides a comprehensive geographic and economic overview of Australia, demonstrating the achievements of European settlement over 150 years and serving as a valuable reference for future development. The review highlights the atlas's significance as both a scientific resource and a national achievement, while acknowledging the challenges of producing a national atlas over a long period.

Л. P. Cеребрлнный; Р. С. Нарских

This paper reviews the National Atlas of Australia, specifically the “Atlas of Australian Resources”, compiled between 1951 and 1960 under the auspices of the Ministry of National Development. The atlas was conceived in 1948 as a practical tool for economic development, originally planned with 50 sheets but finally reduced to 30. The author describes the compilation process, emphasizing the scarcity of base cartographic materials and the consequent need for additional field surveys and collection of unpublished data. The atlas covers both physical and human/economic geography: relief, geology, mineral resources, climate, water resources, land use, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, population, and other themes. The article offers a detailed critical analysis of individual maps. For instance, the geological map incorporates new stratigraphic data and reveals previously unknown geology of interior regions; the climate maps use an original circular layout with monthly temperature and precipitation maps arranged around a central map; the mineral map uses symbol colors and sizes to represent genesis and economic significance. However, many maps suffer from insufficient generalization, inappropriate cartographic design, and rapid obsolescence. Because the publication stretched over ten years, some maps, such as soil and transport maps, were already outdated when issued. The author also notes the absence of maps dealing with droughts, floods, soil erosion, animal diseases, ethnic composition, and other important subjects, as well as the lack of hypsometric, tectonic, and geomorphological maps and a name index. Despite these shortcomings, the paper praises the atlas for its practical orientation and its contribution to the geographical knowledge of Australia, considering it a valuable aid for studying the country’s physical and economic geography and resource problems. The article concludes by mentioning the decision taken in 1961 to prepare a second edition with improved layout and scales.

Ernst Reiner

This review discusses the second series of the Atlas of Australian Resources, initiated in 1962 by the Department of National Development. Building upon the 30-sheet first edition of 1960, the atlas had seen 10 sheets revised and reprinted by the time of writing, with three entirely new maps—Landforms, Climate, and Landuse—replacing earlier ones. The review notes that the atlas not only captures the contemporary economic landscape of Australia but also, through comparison with the first series, reveals the continent's economic transformation. The replacement of the physical map with a landforms map reflects advances in geographical research, and cartographic presentation has been markedly improved. The article also anticipates a fuller discussion upon completion of all sheets, including derivative regional series such as the Fitzroy area. Additionally, it briefly reviews W.L. Donn's textbook "The Earth: Our Physical Environment," praising its comprehensive coverage, illustrative material, and accessibility for students and general readers alike.

T. C. Chambers

This review assesses the 1976 Atlas of Australian Resources map "Natural Vegetation," which portrays pre-European vegetation patterns. It commends the detailed classification based on growth form, foliage cover, and lower stratum, and the high-quality cartography. However, criticisms are raised: the "littoral complex" lumps saltmarsh and mangroves, potentially misleading users; rainforest distributions are hard to identify due to color choices; height ranges for rainforest appear underestimated; and a minor printing error exists near Geelong. Despite these points, the map is regarded as an excellent and useful resource, with recommendations for future editions.

Ingrid Cranfield

The third series of the Atlas of Australian Resources marks a change from separate map sheets to bound volumes. This review covers Vol. 1: Soils and Land Use and Vol. 2: Population. Vol. 1 simplifies the national soil classification, emphasising inherent properties that constrain land use by farmers and engineers, and includes a land-use map with grazing densities and crop symbols. Vol. 2 maps population distribution at national and city scales, population change between 1971 and 1976, and the overseas-born population, revealing continuing drift from rural to urban areas and outward movement from city centres. The reviewer judges the scope, balance, cartography, and non-specialist text to be excellent, and hopes that future editions will appear and be revised more quickly.

J. Tricart

This review examines the third edition of the Atlas of Australian Resources, focusing on its first four volumes: Soils and Land Use, Population, Agriculture, and Climate. It highlights the atlas's clear cartography, practical classification of soil limitations, and striking depiction of imbalances in population and land use between eastern and western Australia, as well as its detailed commentaries and bibliographies. Although the reference year is 1976 and publication was delayed until the 1980s, the atlas remains an exceptionally valuable source. The article also briefly introduces a collection on peripheral regions of Quebec, emphasizing their marginal position relative to the province's demographic and economic center.