This text is an extra useful resource to my e-book, How one can Navigate – the artwork of conventional map and compass navigation in an Australian context. It gives hyperlinks to the varied Australian State Authorities mapping organisations, so you should buy topographic maps on your mountaineering, bushwalking and different outside adventures.
Topographic maps in Australia are created by each of the different state governments. In recent years, most states have begun moving through a digitisation program where they no longer sell paper maps, moving all their mapping resources online instead. There’s some great benefits to this (and yes, a few negatives), as it allows many of us to access and download topographic maps and choose to print them in a way that works for us.
The place to get Australian topo maps for mountaineering and bushwalking
Other than the state authorities maps, there’s additionally a set overseen by Geoscience Australia at a federal stage. This map index might enable you to discover what you want, together with some useful hyperlinks down the left-hand facet.
Topographic maps for mountaineering FAQ
Can I nonetheless purchase printed paper topographic maps?
Sure. Relying on the state and map you’re after, you may get them organized on-line from map retailers or purchase them from some outside shops like Paddy Pallin.
Not each state has gone this route, some have free PDF downloads and no printing, some nonetheless print and provide PDFs for a worth.
Are they the identical as the unique authorities printed topos?
Sure and no. These maps are printed commercially by map or outside shops for resale from a equipped digital file. In NSW this is identical excessive decision file that we will all obtain from SIXMaps and print ourselves. The topographic info would be the identical in the event that they’ve used the federal government map file, however in states like NSW there are some ‘key’ (cough) variations. Usually, they’re solely one-sided which implies we miss out on the orthophoto map (aerial picture) and the again web page of the important thing.
In NSW topos, which means the magnetic declination diagram has been changed with a textual content description, together with some further technical info that’s now not included. This contains (surprisingly… and please somebody appropriate me if I simply can’t discover it), the datum that the map has been created with. Certain, it makes use of the GDA brand, however no indication of GDA 94 or GDA 2020.
