Conference Paper

Some Features of the Australian National Atlas of Resources

By L. K. Hazlewood· 1976

Publication: Seventh United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Far East: Volume II, Technical Papers
Pages: 386–390

Australia · Version 2

1980–1990

This Australian account describes preliminary plans for the third series of the Atlas of Australian Resources, before its volumes appeared. The National Atlas Advisory Committee, first convened in February 1971, consulted specialists and surveyed purchasers, geography teachers and geographers about content and use. It favoured smaller sheets accommodating a national map at 1:10,000,000, with sectional maps at 1:5,000,000 where greater detail was needed. The account anticipated that a more flexible allocation of sheets to topics would double the map material. Subjects under consideration included settlement history, land potential, the marine environment and detailed mapping of the ten cities with populations above 100,000. Questionnaire responses strongly supported retaining explanatory commentaries; the committee envisaged shorter texts interleaved with maps on sheets of the same size. Publication was provisionally planned over seven or eight years, with the first topics possibly appearing in 1975. These are planning proposals, not descriptions of the completed third-series volumes.

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The available opening and closing sections trace the origins, production and revision of the Atlas of Australian Resources and outline plans for a third series. Conceived around 1948 to support federal administration and national planning, the project developed into a publicly available atlas. The first series, published in 1952–1960, was reduced from a proposed 50 map-sheets to 30 containing 82 maps covering physical resources, industries, population, transport and services. Subject specialists and atlas staff contributed maps, accompanied by expert-written commentary booklets. A decision in 1961 established continuing revision, with new sheets progressively replacing old ones while retaining a 30-sheet set. The principal objective shifted towards providing a first reference for major geographical information about Australia. The second series expanded the use of multiple maps and sectional coverage, although limited staffing, stock pressures and communication with existing owners complicated revision. Established in 1971, the National Atlas Advisory Committee reviewed third-series options through working groups and user questionnaires. Proposals included a more manageable format, expanded map content, and possible coverage of settlement history, land potential, the marine environment and detail within major cities. Respondents strongly valued commentaries; the committee envisaged retaining shorter texts interleaved with equally sized map-sheets. Publication was planned over seven or eight years, with initial topics possibly appearing in 1975. These third-series features remained proposals at the time of writing.