Reviews: Atlas of Australian Resources

Summary

Erwin Raisz reviews the Department of National Development’s Atlas of Australian Resources, planned as about 50 separate sheets measuring 30 by 28 inches, with ten published at the time. Their subjects include climate, soil, underground water, population density, minerals, agriculture and major projects. Most sheets use a single map of Australia at 1:6,000,000 on a polyconic projection; the Department primarily expects individual sheet use. Each map is accompanied by a specialist-written pamphlet. Raisz praises Konrad Frenzel’s direction, the selection of colors, patterns, diagrams and symbols, and the engraving by Sydney’s Mentmore Company. He commends the detailed annual, monthly and special maps on the rainfall and temperature sheets, relating their coverage to Australia’s dependence on climate. He criticizes the mineral map’s three symbol sizes for inadequately representing production and suggests proportionate colored, labeled block-pillars, while acknowledging their potential to become outdated. He finds the shaded gray transparent spheres used for cities on the population-density map successful and looks forward to further sheets.