Cataraqui 1:50,000 Topographic Map – Tasmania

I corrected “founded” to “foundered” and updated the mine wording: the Dolphin Tungsten Mine returned to commercial production in 2023, although its mining and processing plan has continued to evolve. Group 6 Metals project overview, 2025 annual report.

An essential field map for navigating, planning and exploring the southern half of King Island and its remarkable coastal, agricultural and maritime history.

The Cataraqui 1:50,000 Topographic Map provides a clear and accurate representation of southern King Island. Produced in 2020, 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

The Cataraqui sheet covers the southern half of King Island. When combined with the Cape Wickham 1:50,000 Topographic Map, it provides complete topographic coverage of the island.

Important locations and features shown include:

• The southern half of King Island

• Cataraqui Point and the surrounding western coastline

• The memorial overlooking the wreck site of the Cataraqui

• The mining settlement of Grassy

• The Dolphin Tungsten Mine south of Grassy

• Productive farming and cattle-grazing country

• Surf beaches and exposed coastal landscapes

• Golf courses, visitor attractions and heritage locations

• Roads, tracks and access routes where mapped

• Rural buildings, infrastructure and scattered settlements

Cataraqui Point takes its name from the British barque Cataraqui, which foundered on King Island’s western coast in 1845. Approximately 400 lives were lost and only nine people survived, making it one of Australia’s most devastating maritime disasters. A memorial now overlooks the site of the wreck.

Southern King Island combines this powerful maritime history with rich agricultural land, surf beaches, golf courses and a strong reputation for premium local produce. Moist westerly winds support lush pastures and a farming community known for high-quality beef and dairy products.

South of Grassy lies the Dolphin Tungsten Mine, a major mineral site that originally operated during the twentieth century before closing when tungsten prices declined. Following redevelopment, the mine returned to commercial tungsten-concentrate production in 2023.

⛰️ 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

• Coastlines, beaches and other coastal landforms

• Rivers, creeks, wetlands and drainage features

• Roads, tracks and access routes where mapped

• Buildings and rural infrastructure

• Mining and industrial infrastructure

• Simplified vegetation classification

• Agricultural and coastal-land coverage

• Settlements, localities and named geographic features

• Maritime-history, golf and tourism locations

• Standard topographic symbols for efficient map reading

🧭 Who Uses This Map?

The Cataraqui 1:50,000 Topographic Map is suitable for:

• Independent travellers and holidaymakers exploring southern King Island

• Heritage researchers and historians studying the Cataraqui disaster and the island’s maritime past

• Coastal walkers, surfers and beach visitors exploring the southern coastline

• Golf visitors and tourism operators working across King Island

• Farmers and land managers operating across the island’s agricultural country

• Mining and infrastructure professionals requiring regional terrain context

• Emergency services and search and rescue teams

• Conservation workers and environmental researchers

• Geography students and outdoor educators

• Local residents seeking detailed topographic coverage of southern King Island

King Island’s coastline is exposed to strong winds and rapidly changing weather and sea conditions. Always check current forecasts, road conditions and local access information before travelling, and carry appropriate navigation and safety equipment.

Agricultural properties and mining areas may be privately owned, restricted or subject to active operations. This map does not confer a right of access, so observe all property boundaries, signs, gates and exclusion areas. For marine navigation, use the relevant official nautical chart rather than relying on a topographic map alone.

💧 Field-Ready Options for Rugged Use

Choose the format that best suits your intended use—from lightweight holiday planning to agricultural, industrial and professional 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, vehicles and exposed coastal conditions

• Ideal for travellers, walkers, land managers, emergency personnel and field 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 heritage sites, properties, access points or hazards without marking the map permanently

• Wipeable and reusable

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

📐 Map Details

• Title: Cataraqui Topographic Map

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

• Edition: 1

• Production year: 2020

• Scale: 1:50,000

• Ground distance: 1 cm represents 500 metres

• Datum: Geocentric Datum of Australia 2020 — GDA2020

• Coverage: Southern King Island, Cataraqui Point, Grassy, Dolphin Tungsten Mine, surrounding farming country and coastal landscapes

• Companion sheet: Cape Wickham 1:50,000 Topographic Map for northern King Island

• Available formats: Paper, waterproof Tyvek® or laminated

• ISBN: 9318923027402

Important Datum Information

This map uses GDA2020. 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, beach, access route or area of interest falls within the Cataraqui sheet before ordering.

🛒 Choose the Right Format

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

• Tyvek®: Best for coastal exploration and wet or exposed conditions

• Laminated: Best for repeated use, location marking, education and tourism operations

🎯 Summary

Whether you are visiting the Cataraqui memorial, exploring the coast around Cataraqui Point, travelling through King Island’s productive farming country, examining the mining landscape near Grassy or combining this sheet with Cape Wickham for complete island coverage, the Cataraqui Topographic Map provides the detail and regional context needed to experience southern King Island.

Plan with purpose. Navigate with confidence. Explore southern King Island with accuracy.