Australia — N.W. Coast, Victoria River (1839)

Australia — N.W. Coast, Victoria River (1839)

The Admiralty chart that opened Northern Australia’s great river

Deep in Australia’s remote north-west lies the Victoria River — one of the great inland waterways of the Northern Territory and a gateway into the continent’s vast interior. This magnificent 1839 British Admiralty chart, surveyed by Commander John Lort Stokes, RN, captures the moment this wild river was first measured, charted and made navigable.

Engraved by J. & C. Walker and published in London in 1845, this was the working chart used by naval vessels, explorers and supply ships pushing inland from the Timor Sea.

This is not a decorative map.
It is the blueprint of Northern Australia’s river frontier.

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⚓ What This Chart Shows

This beautifully detailed Admiralty sheet reveals the Victoria River in operational clarity.

• The full navigable reaches of the Victoria River

• River bends, channels and shoals

• Hundreds of bathymetric soundings showing safe depths

• Coastal relief shown by hachures and spot heights

• Vegetation drawn pictorially — a rare glimpse of the riverbanks in 1839

• River mouth and tidal approaches

• Greenwich prime meridian — true Admiralty navigation standard

This was the chart captains relied on when sailing deep into Australia’s tropical north.

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🧭 Why This Chart Works

Most maps show land.
This shows how explorers entered it.

• Surveyed by Commander John Lort Stokes — one of Australia’s greatest hydrographers

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

• Extraordinary technical detail — soundings, channels and shoreline features

• Historic authority — used by 19th-century naval expeditions

• Museum-grade engraving by J. & C. Walker

This is the chart that transformed the Victoria River from unknown wilderness into a navigable artery.

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✨ Premium Finishes

Every Victoria River (1839) Admiralty Chart is printed in Australia using archival methods to preserve the fine engraving and historic character.

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📐 Size

1000 mm (W) × 751 mm (H)
A commanding landscape wall format that showcases the full sweep of the Victoria River and its intricate channels.

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🎯 Ideal For

• Maritime and exploration history collectors

• Museums and libraries

• Northern Australia heritage displays

• Universities and research centres

• Anyone fascinated by Australia’s inland waterways

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🤝 Our Commitment

• Printed in Australia with professional colour management

• Archival pigment inks for long-term stability

• Premium laminates and canvas for durability

• Natural timber hang rails for elegant presentation

• Hand-checked and carefully packed before dispatch

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The Victoria River was once the gateway to Australia’s unknown north.
Choose your finish and bring the chart that revealed it onto your wall.