Australia — Southern Portion (1861)

The Admiralty’s master chart of Australia’s southern seaboard

This commanding British Admiralty chart brings together more than half a century of Australia’s greatest hydrographic surveys into a single authoritative view of the southern coastline of the continent. Compiled in 1861 from the surveys of Matthew Flinders, Phillip Parker King, Wickham, Stokes, Owen Stanley and Denham, this map represents the moment when Australia’s southern shores were finally fully known, measured and unified.

Drawn inside the Hydrographic Office of the Admiralty by S. Horsfield and engraved by J. & C. Walker, this was the definitive working chart used by mariners navigating the coasts of Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia at the height of the colonial era.

This is not a decorative map.
It is the operational blueprint of southern Australia.

⚓ What This Chart Shows

This finely engraved Admiralty sheet presents the entire southern rim of Australia in navigational detail.

• The complete southern coastline of Australia

• Major capes, bays and headlands

• Offshore islands and shoals

• Hundreds of bathymetric soundings showing depths and dangers

• Coastal relief shown by hachures and spot heights

• Inset index to the Admiralty coast-sheet system

• Greenwich prime meridian — true Admiralty navigation standard

This was the chart that allowed ships to traverse Australia’s most demanding seas with confidence.

🧭 Why This Chart Works

Most maps show geography.
This shows naval mastery.

• Compiled from the surveys of Australia’s greatest explorers

• True British Admiralty production — the world’s gold standard

• Strategic overview of the continent’s southern maritime frontier

• Museum-grade engraving and hydrographic precision

• A working chart of empire, trade and navigation

This is the chart that turned Australia’s southern edge into a navigable system.

✨ Premium Finishes

Every Australia — Southern Portion (1861) Admiralty Chart is printed in Australia using archival methods to preserve every engraved line and historic detail.

📐 Size

1000 mm (W) × 666 mm (H)
A wide-format wall map that gives the full sweep of Australia’s southern coast dramatic, room-defining presence.

🎯 Ideal For

• Maritime and naval history collectors

• Australian history enthusiasts

• Museums and libraries

• Universities and schools

• Coastal and maritime businesses

🤝 Our Commitment

• Printed in Australia with professional colour management

• Archival pigment inks for long-term colour stability

• Premium laminates and canvas for durability

• Natural timber hang rails for elegant presentation

• Hand-checked and carefully packed before dispatch

This is the chart that united Australia’s southern shores.
Choose your finish and bring the Admiralty’s great coastal map into your space.