Macquarie Harbour 1:50,000 Topographic Map – Tasmania

An essential wilderness and heritage map for navigating, planning and exploring Macquarie Harbour and Tasmania’s dramatic West Coast.

The Macquarie Harbour 1:50,000 Topographic Map provides a clear and accurate representation of this vast estuary and its rugged surroundings. Produced in 2017, Edition 1 features enhanced building symbols, hill shading and simplified vegetation classification, making the landscape easier to interpret both in the field and during trip planning.

At 1:50,000 scale, 1 centimetre on the map represents 500 metres on the ground—an excellent balance between regional coverage and practical topographic detail.

🗺️ Map Coverage

Macquarie Harbour dominates this sheet. The expansive estuary is surrounded by cool-temperate rainforest, buttongrass moorland and a remote coastline of isolated beaches, bays and inlets, many of which can be reached only by boat or on foot.

Important locations and features shown include:

• Macquarie Harbour and its extensive shoreline

• Sarah Island Historic Site

• Hells Gates, the narrow entrance connecting the harbour with the Southern Ocean

• The King River and surrounding valleys

• Sections of the West Coast Wilderness Railway corridor

• Cool-temperate rainforest and buttongrass moorland

• Remote beaches, bays, inlets and waterways

• Roads, tracks and wilderness access routes

• Hills, ridges and rainforested valleys

• Buildings, infrastructure and named geographic features

Established in 1822, the Sarah Island Penal Station became one of the most notorious convict settlements in the Australian colonies. The harbour entrance was named Hells Gates by convicts, reflecting the fearsome reputation of the penal station and the treacherous passage into Macquarie Harbour.

The historic West Coast Wilderness Railway travels between Queenstown and Strahan through spectacular rainforested country, crossing numerous bridges as it follows the King River. Together, the railway, convict sites and remote harbour landscape give this map exceptional historical as well as navigational interest.

⛰️ Map Content and Features

The 1:50,000 map series is designed to provide a clear portrayal of topographic information for navigation, recreation and professional fieldwork. Features include:

• Contours and hill shading for interpreting elevation, slope and terrain

• Hills, ridges, valleys and other major landforms

• Harbour shorelines, rivers, creeks, bays and drainage features

• Roads, walking routes, tracks and access points

• Buildings, historic sites and infrastructure

• Simplified vegetation classification

• Rainforest, moorland and coastal landscapes

• Railway features and transport corridors

• Localities and named geographic features

• Standard topographic symbols for efficient map reading

🧭 Who Uses This Map?

The Macquarie Harbour 1:50,000 Topographic Map is suitable for:

• Bushwalkers and wilderness explorers visiting remote sections of the harbour

• Recreational boaters and paddlers seeking a detailed overview of the surrounding landscape

• Anglers exploring Macquarie Harbour and its tributaries

• History enthusiasts investigating Sarah Island and the region’s convict heritage

• Railway enthusiasts and visitors exploring the West Coast Wilderness Railway corridor

• Search and rescue teams and emergency services

• Conservation workers, land managers and environmental researchers

• Tourism operators and outdoor guides

• Outdoor educators and geography students

Macquarie Harbour is exposed to rapidly changing West Coast weather, strong winds, cold water and isolated shorelines. Bushwalking routes can involve dense vegetation, wet terrain and limited access. Check current weather, marine conditions, park information and access restrictions before departure, and carry appropriate navigation, communications and safety equipment.

This is a topographic map, not a nautical chart. Boaters must also carry and consult the appropriate current official nautical chart and maritime safety information for navigation, depths, hazards, aids to navigation and regulated waters.

💧 Field-Ready Options for Rugged Use

Choose the format that best suits your intended use—from lightweight trip planning to demanding all-weather fieldwork.

✅ Standard Paper

• Printed on 100 gsm FSC® coated paper

• Produces crisp, clear text and finely defined map symbols

• Lightweight and convenient for general reference or protected field use

• An economical choice for trip planning, research and office applications

✅ Waterproof and Tearproof Tyvek®

• Made from genuine DuPont™ Tyvek®, an advanced synthetic material composed of pure polyethylene fibres

• Waterproof, tear-resistant, foldable and extremely lightweight

• Printed using HP pigment-based inks for a permanent waterproof finish

• Suitable for backpacks, vessels, vehicles and exposed field conditions

• Ideal for walkers, paddlers, emergency personnel and outdoor professionals

• Provides exceptional durability without the weight and bulk of lamination

✅ Laminated

• Fully encapsulated between two 80-micron gloss laminate sheets

• Highly resistant to water, stains, smudges and tearing

• Draw on the surface with whiteboard markers for route planning or instruction

• Use Mark-It-Dots to identify landing points, access routes, field sites or hazards without marking the map permanently

• Wipeable and reusable

• Ideal for offices, classrooms, operations centres and repeated field reference

📐 Map Details

• Title: Macquarie Harbour Topographic Map

• Series: Tasmania 1:50,000 Topographic Map Series

• Edition: 1

• Production year: 2017

• Scale: 1:50,000

• Ground distance: 1 cm represents 500 metres

• Datum: Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 — GDA94

• Coverage: Macquarie Harbour, Sarah Island, Hells Gates, the King River and

An essential wilderness and heritage map for navigating, planning and exploring Macquarie Harbour and Tasmania’s dramatic West Coast.

The Macquarie Harbour 1:50,000 Topographic Map provides a clear and accurate representation of this vast estuary and its rugged surroundings. Produced in 2017, Edition 1 features enhanced building symbols, hill shading and simplified vegetation classification, making the landscape easier to interpret both in the field and during trip planning.

At 1:50,000 scale, 1 centimetre on the map represents 500 metres on the ground—an excellent balance between regional coverage and practical topographic detail.

🗺️ Map Coverage

Macquarie Harbour dominates this sheet. The expansive estuary is surrounded by cool-temperate rainforest, buttongrass moorland and a remote coastline of isolated beaches, bays and inlets, many of which can be reached only by boat or on foot.

Important locations and features shown include:

• Macquarie Harbour and its extensive shoreline

• Sarah Island Historic Site

• Hells Gates, the narrow entrance connecting the harbour with the Southern Ocean

• The King River and surrounding valleys

• Sections of the West Coast Wilderness Railway corridor

• Cool-temperate rainforest and buttongrass moorland

• Remote beaches, bays, inlets and waterways

• Roads, tracks and wilderness access routes

• Hills, ridges and rainforested valleys

• Buildings, infrastructure and named geographic features

Established in 1822, the Sarah Island Penal Station became one of the most notorious convict settlements in the Australian colonies. The harbour entrance was named Hells Gates by convicts, reflecting the fearsome reputation of the penal station and the treacherous passage into Macquarie Harbour.

The historic West Coast Wilderness Railway travels between Queenstown and Strahan through spectacular rainforested country, crossing numerous bridges as it follows the King River. Together, the railway, convict sites and remote harbour landscape give this map exceptional historical as well as navigational interest.

⛰️ Map Content and Features

The 1:50,000 map series is designed to provide a clear portrayal of topographic information for navigation, recreation and professional fieldwork. Features include:

• Contours and hill shading for interpreting elevation, slope and terrain

• Hills, ridges, valleys and other major landforms

• Harbour shorelines, rivers, creeks, bays and drainage features

• Roads, walking routes, tracks and access points

• Buildings, historic sites and infrastructure

• Simplified vegetation classification

• Rainforest, moorland and coastal landscapes

• Railway features and transport corridors

• Localities and named geographic features

• Standard topographic symbols for efficient map reading

🧭 Who Uses This Map?

The Macquarie Harbour 1:50,000 Topographic Map is suitable for:

• Bushwalkers and wilderness explorers visiting remote sections of the harbour

• Recreational boaters and paddlers seeking a detailed overview of the surrounding landscape

• Anglers exploring Macquarie Harbour and its tributaries

• History enthusiasts investigating Sarah Island and the region’s convict heritage

• Railway enthusiasts and visitors exploring the West Coast Wilderness Railway corridor

• Search and rescue teams and emergency services

• Conservation workers, land managers and environmental researchers

• Tourism operators and outdoor guides

• Outdoor educators and geography students

Macquarie Harbour is exposed to rapidly changing West Coast weather, strong winds, cold water and isolated shorelines. Bushwalking routes can involve dense vegetation, wet terrain and limited access. Check current weather, marine conditions, park information and access restrictions before departure, and carry appropriate navigation, communications and safety equipment.

This is a topographic map, not a nautical chart. Boaters must also carry and consult the appropriate current official nautical chart and maritime safety information for navigation, depths, hazards, aids to navigation and regulated waters.

💧 Field-Ready Options for Rugged Use

Choose the format that best suits your intended use—from lightweight trip planning to demanding all-weather fieldwork.

✅ Standard Paper

• Printed on 100 gsm FSC® coated paper

• Produces crisp, clear text and finely defined map symbols

• Lightweight and convenient for general reference or protected field use

• An economical choice for trip planning, research and office applications

✅ Waterproof and Tearproof Tyvek®

• Made from genuine DuPont™ Tyvek®, an advanced synthetic material composed of pure polyethylene fibres

• Waterproof, tear-resistant, foldable and extremely lightweight

• Printed using HP pigment-based inks for a permanent waterproof finish

• Suitable for backpacks, vessels, vehicles and exposed field conditions

• Ideal for walkers, paddlers, emergency personnel and outdoor professionals

• Provides exceptional durability without the weight and bulk of lamination

✅ Laminated

• Fully encapsulated between two 80-micron gloss laminate sheets

• Highly resistant to water, stains, smudges and tearing

• Draw on the surface with whiteboard markers for route planning or instruction

• Use Mark-It-Dots to identify landing points, access routes, field sites or hazards without marking the map permanently

• Wipeable and reusable

• Ideal for offices, classrooms, operations centres and repeated field reference

📐 Map Details

• Title: Macquarie Harbour Topographic Map

• Series: Tasmania 1:50,000 Topographic Map Series

• Edition: 1

• Production year: 2017

• Scale: 1:50,000

• Ground distance: 1 cm represents 500 metres

• Datum: Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 — GDA94

• Coverage: Macquarie Harbour, Sarah Island, Hells Gates, the King River and surrounding West Coast wilderness

• Available formats: Paper, waterproof Tyvek® or laminated

• ISBN: 9318923027853

• Sheet Number: TN04

Important Datum Information

This map uses GDA94. When transferring coordinates between the map and a GPS receiver, navigation application or other spatial data source, ensure the equipment and coordinates are set to the same datum.

🔍 Preview the Area in LISTmap

Use the LISTmap coverage preview to confirm that your destination, route or area of interest falls within the Macquarie Harbour sheet before ordering.

🛒 Choose the Right Format

• Paper: Best for planning, office reference and light field use

• Tyvek®: Best for boating support, paddling, bushwalking and wet conditions

• Laminated: Best for repeated use, route marking, education and operational planning

🎯 Summary

Whether you are exploring the remote shoreline of Macquarie Harbour, visiting Sarah Island, approaching Hells Gates, following the King River or discovering the route of the West Coast Wilderness Railway, the Macquarie Harbour Topographic Map provides the detail and geographic context needed to understand this remarkable landscape.

Plan with purpose. Navigate with confidence. Explore Tasmania’s West Coast with accuracy.