Chart of Terra Australis — Sheet I, East Coast (1798–1831)

Chart of Terra Australis — Sheet I, East Coast (1798–1831)

Matthew Flinders’ master map of Australia’s first settled shoreline

This extraordinary British Admiralty chart captures the moment when Australia’s east coast — the cradle of the colony — was transformed from scattered discoveries into a single, coherent coastline. Surveyed between 1798 and 1803 by Matthew Flinders aboard H.M. Sloop Investigator and later expanded to 1831, this map represents the first scientific charting of the shores that would become New South Wales.

Published by the Admiralty from Flinders’ original atlas, this was the chart that allowed Australia’s first ports — Sydney, Newcastle, Jervis Bay and Broken Bay — to function as part of a navigable system.

This is not a decorative map.
It is the document that made Australia’s east coast usable.

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⚓ What This Chart Shows

This magnificent Admiralty sheet lays out Australia’s central east coast in historic precision.

• The New South Wales coastline from Cape Hawke to Barmouth Creek

• Flinders’ original survey tracks of Francis, Norfolk and Investigator

• Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) in detailed inset

• Botany Bay, Broken Bay, Port Hunter (Newcastle) and Jervis Bay

• Harbour entrances and anchorages

• Hundreds of bathymetric soundings showing depths and hazards

• Coastal relief shown by hachures

• Greenwich prime meridian — true Admiralty navigation standard

This is the chart that connected Australia’s first ports into a working coastline.

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🧭 Why This Chart Works

Most maps show coastlines.
This shows how Australia was settled.

• Surveyed by Matthew Flinders — the man who named Australia

• Combines Cook, Hunter, Bass, Flinders and Oxley’s discoveries

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

• Extraordinary hydrographic detail — soundings, inlets and harbour mouths

• Museum-grade engraving and scholarship

This is the chart that turned New South Wales into a navigable colony.

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✨ Premium Finishes

Every Terra Australis — East Coast (1798–1831) Admiralty Chart is printed in Australia using archival methods to preserve every fine engraved line and historic detail.

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📐 Size

740 mm (W) × 1000 mm (H)
A tall portrait-format wall map that beautifully suits the long, continuous sweep of Australia’s first explored coastline.

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🎯 Ideal For

• Australian history collectors

• Maritime and naval history enthusiasts

• Museums and libraries

• Schools and universities

• Anyone fascinated by exploration and settlement

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🤝 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

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Before Australia had cities, it had this coastline.
Choose your finish and bring Matthew Flinders’ great east coast map onto your wall.