Australia displayed: A review article

Summary

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.