Progress on Australia's National Atlas, 1960–64

Summary

This article reviews the progress of the Atlas of Australian Resources between 1960 and 1964. The first edition, compiled by the Department of National Development in Canberra since 1951, comprised thirty map sheets. A revision program for a 'second series' began in 1961, aiming to progressively update the atlas by replacing approximately three sheets annually with revised editions or new topics, while maintaining a constant total of thirty sheets. Key improvements include the adoption of an equidistant conic projection and a new layout combining sectional maps at a larger scale with a whole-continent map for themes like population distribution. Each sheet is accompanied by a detailed commentary booklet. By 1964, revised editions for soils, electricity, and population had been published, with mineral deposits, geology, and fisheries in preparation, demonstrating an effective mechanism for the atlas's continuous renewal.