Quintessential Queensland

Key to Queensland four mile map series, 1915. In June 1915, the Surveyor General presented his annual report on mapping and surveying activities in Queensland. This included a map of progress conducted over the last year on the four mile to an inch, or ‘four mile’ map series. This map included the location of stations used for calculating latitude and longitude and provided a table of town coordinates established by astronomical observation. The area covered by major triangulation was limited to south east Queensland. Queensland parliamentary papers, Vol 2, 1915-16

Aerial survey map west of Tully, 1936. In the 1930s, the rugged jungle country west of Tully presented numerous challenges for ground survey and remained ‘practically terra incognita’ as far as the Survey Office was concerned. Developments in aerial survey provided opportunities to examine large tracts of land and determine their value for exploitation. In 1936, Adastra Airways Ltd was contracted for the aerial survey of about 650 square miles. The company established its headquarters in Cairns and despite bad weather, succeeded in surveying approximately 560 square miles. Examination of the feature maps prepared from the photography revealed extensive scrub in the Tully and Jarra Creek valleys which had the potential for settlement. In this aerial mosaic, topographic features were highlighted including the Kennedy-Kirrama road under construction which would provide access to the valuable timbers in the Kirrama State Forest. This road was partially financed through unemployment relief funds made available during the Depression. Queensland parliamentary papers, Vol 2, 1936-37

Route travelled by the Leichhardt Expedition 1844-45, Walkabout, October 1963. Map by M.V. Lorman. Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland, the University of Queensland

Track of Cyclone Agnes, March 1956 (from Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology records, Brisbane), Walkabout, March 1957. Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland