Hema Maps & Guides

About Hema Maps

Hema Maps was founded in 1980 in Brisbane by Henry and Margaret Boegheim, named after their initials. What began as a small cartographic studio has grown into Australia's most trusted travel map publisher, with a reputation built on rigorous field-checking, GPS-surveyed track data, and a deep commitment to Australian touring and 4WD culture.

Today Hema produces an extensive range of folded maps, atlases, guidebooks, laminated wall maps, and digital navigation products covering every corner of Australia — from the remote Kimberley and Cape York to the alpine wilderness of the Victorian High Country. Hema's cartographers travel the routes themselves, verifying tracks, campsites, fuel stops, and points of interest before each new edition goes to print. That on-the-ground rigor is why Hema remains the standard reference for serious Australian travellers.

The Hema Range Explained

Hema publishes across four main product categories — choosing the right one depends on how and where you're travelling.

Hema Atlases

Spiral-bound, A4-sized reference books designed for in-vehicle use. The flagship titles include:

• Hema Australia Road and 4WD Atlas — the comprehensive national reference covering sealed roads and 4WD tracks across all states.
• Camps Australia Wide — the definitive guide to free and low-cost camping locations, with thousands of GPS-verified sites, in its 13th edition.
• Caravan Parks Australia Wide — Australia's most comprehensive caravan and tourist park guide, fully revised each edition.
• Australia 4WD Adventures Atlas — 100 Top Trips — curated multi-day 4WD itineraries across every state.
• Hema Touring Atlas — a more compact format focused on highway and touring routes for caravanners and grey nomads.
• Cape York Atlas & Guide and Kimberley Atlas & Guide — region-specific atlases combining maps, route notes, and trip planning content.

Hema Touring & 4WD Maps

Folded paper or laminated maps focused on a specific region, scale typically 1:550,000 to 1:1,250,000. Built for glove-box use and on-track navigation. Best-sellers include Cape York, Kimberley, Pilbara & Coral Coast, Flinders Ranges, Red Centre, Top End National Parks, Outback NSW, Outback Queensland, Central Australia, and the Victorian High Country series. The Great Desert Tracks trio (Western, Central, Eastern sheets) plus the dedicated Simpson Desert map are essential for any cross-continent outback expedition.

Hema Laminated Wall Maps

The same Hema cartography in poster format — laminated, durable, and designed to be hung as planning aids or feature wall art. Available in standard wall map size (700 × 1000 mm), Supermap (1000 × 1430 mm), and Megamap (1670 × 1430 mm) formats for most major regions. Popular for offices, classrooms, caravan club rooms, and 4WD enthusiasts who like to plan on the wall.

Hema Navigator GPS Units & Apps

Hema's purpose-built GPS units (HX-1, HX-2+) bundle the same field-checked Hema cartography into a ruggedised navigation device built for off-road conditions. Hema also publishes the Hema Maps app for smartphones, with offline-capable coverage of all Hema regions. Browse the dedicated Hema Navigator collection for the full GPS range.

Choosing the Right Hema Map for Your Trip

Hema vs Other Australian Map Brands

Hema vs UBD-Gregory's: UBD-Gregory's are street directories — built for navigating cities and suburbs. Hema is built for travel between cities, off-road, and remote regions. Different purposes; most travelling Australians own both.

Hema vs Geoscience Australia topographic maps: Geoscience Australia produces 1:50k and 1:100k topographic sheets primarily for bushwalking, orienteering, and emergency services — high contour detail, single-region focus. Hema produces touring-scale maps with road, track, and trip-planning data overlaid on regional cartography. Bushwalkers want Geoscience; 4WD tourers want Hema.

Hema vs Westprint, Boiling Billy, Carto Graphics: all produce specialist Australian travel content. Hema's distinctive strengths are the breadth of regional coverage, the consistent field-checked update cycle, and the integrated GPS/app ecosystem. Many serious tourers carry a mix of brands depending on the region.

Why Buy Hema from Mapworld

• Full range in stock. 100+ Hema titles across atlases, regional maps, wall maps, and GPS — broader range than most competitors.
• Specialist focus. 25+ years specialising in Australian maps means we know which edition is current, which titles have been superseded, and which products suit which trip.
• Free shipping over $75, flat $7 shipping below that. Same-day dispatch on weekday orders before 2 pm AWST, posted from our Perth warehouse.
• Knowledgeable support. Speak to the team on 1300 795 697 for trip-planning advice or product recommendations — we use these maps ourselves.
• Latest editions only. We rotate stock as new editions print, so you're always buying current data, not last decade's tracks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these the latest editions of Hema maps?

Yes. Mapworld stocks current editions only. Each Hema product page lists the edition number and publication year. When Hema releases a new edition, we rotate stock to the new version.

What's the difference between paper, waterproof, and laminated Hema maps?

Paper is the standard format — printed on a heavyweight paper, ideal for in-vehicle use. Waterproof (sometimes called "tear-resistant" or printed on Tyvek) survives wet conditions and rough handling, ideal for active outdoor use. Laminated wall maps are encapsulated in 80-micron gloss laminate, designed to be hung and used as planning surfaces with whiteboard markers.

Do you stock the Hema HX-2 GPS unit?

Yes. Browse our full Hema Navigator collection for HX-1, HX-2+, accessories, and replacement mounts.

How fast is shipping?

Orders placed before 2 pm AWST on weekdays dispatch same-day from our Perth warehouse. Australia-wide delivery is typically 2–7 business days via Australia Post, depending on destination. Free shipping on orders over $75; flat $7 below that.

Can I get Hema maps faster than online ordering?

Yes — we offer Express Post upgrade at checkout for time-sensitive orders. Most metro destinations receive Express Post next business day.

Should I buy the Hema app instead of paper maps?

Most serious tourers carry both. The Hema Maps app provides offline-capable navigation but depends on your device's battery and screen. Paper Hema maps don't run out of charge and survive being dropped, soaked, and folded under a swag for two weeks. For trip planning at the kitchen table, the laminated wall maps are unbeatable.