Australia — North & East Coast, Cape Grenville to Booby Island & Raine Island Entrance (1843–49)

Australia — North & East Coast, Cape Grenville to Booby Island & Raine Island Entrance (1843–49)

The Admiralty chart that unlocked Torres Strait

At the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef, where Australia meets the Pacific, lies one of the most dangerous and strategically vital waterways on Earth — the approach to Torres Strait. This magnificent British Admiralty chart, surveyed between 1843 and 1849 by the crews of HMS Fly and HMS Rattlesnake under Captain Francis Price Blackwood and Captain Owen Stanley, captures the moment this deadly reef-choked frontier was finally measured, charted and made navigable.

Engraved by J. & C. Walker, it was the working chart that allowed ships to pass safely through Raine Island Entrance toward the great trade routes of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

This is not a decorative map.
It is the key to Australia’s northern gateway.

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⚓ What This Chart Shows

This finely engraved Admiralty sheet lays out one of the most complex marine regions in the world.

• The northeast Queensland coastline from Cape Grenville to Booby Island

• The outer and inner Great Barrier Reef system

• Raine Island and its vital entrance channel

• Detached reefs, coral heads and shoals

• Hundreds of bathymetric soundings showing safe depths and danger zones

• Coastal relief shown by hachures and spot heights

• Greenwich prime meridian — true Admiralty navigation standard

This was the chart captains depended on when approaching Torres Strait through the reef.

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🧭 Why This Chart Works

Most reef maps show where coral lies.
This shows where ships could pass.

• Surveyed by HMS Fly and HMS Rattlesnake — legendary hydrographic vessels

• Compiled from years of perilous reef exploration

• True British Admiralty production — the gold standard of navigation

• Dense technical detail — soundings, shoals and safe channels

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

This is the chart that transformed Australia’s northern coast from a barrier into a navigable highway.

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✨ Premium Finishes

Every Cape Grenville to Booby Island (1843–49) Admiralty Chart is printed in Australia using archival methods to preserve every fine engraved line and depth figure.

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📐 Size

1000 mm (W) × 679 mm (H)
A commanding landscape wall format that showcases the full scale and complexity of Australia’s northern reef frontier.

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🎯 Ideal For

• Maritime and naval history collectors

• Yacht clubs and sailing institutions

• Museums and libraries

• Reef researchers and environmental centres

• Anyone fascinated by Australia’s northern sea routes

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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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Before ships could reach Torres Strait, this reef maze had to be mastered.
Choose your finish and bring the chart that made it possible onto your wall.