Chart of Terra Australis — Sheet I, South-West Coast (1801–1843)

Chart of Terra Australis — Sheet I, South-West Coast (1801–1843)

Matthew Flinders’ master map of Western Australia’s first surveyed shores

This extraordinary British Admiralty chart captures the moment when the unknown edge of Terra Australis became mapped Australia. Surveyed between 1801 and 1803 by Matthew Flinders aboard H.M.S. Investigator and later corrected from the surveys of Commander John Lort Stokes in 1843, this map represents the first scientific charting of Western Australia’s south-west coast.

Published by the Admiralty from Flinders’ original surveys, this was the chart that turned the wild shores of King George Sound, the Recherche Archipelago and the Leschenault region into navigable geography.

This is not a decorative map.
It is the document that revealed Western Australia to the world.

⚓ What This Chart Shows

This magnificent Admiralty sheet lays out the south-west coast in historic precision.

• The south-west coast of Australia from Cape Leeuwin to King George Sound

• Flinders’ original survey tracks of H.M.S. Investigator

• King George Sound and its harbours (enlarged inset)

• The Recherche Archipelago — one of Australia’s most complex island systems

• Koombanah Bay and Leschenault Inlet in detailed inset

• Hundreds of bathymetric soundings showing depths and hazards

• Coastal relief shown by hachures and spot heights

• Greenwich prime meridian — true Admiralty navigation standard

This is the map that replaced blank coastline with measured reality.

🧭 Why This Chart Works

Most maps show where places are.
This shows how Australia was discovered.

• Surveyed by Matthew Flinders — the man who named Australia

• First scientific chart of the south-west coast

• Corrected by John Lort Stokes as hydrography advanced

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

• Museum-grade engraving and hydrography

This is the chart that turned Terra Australis into Australia.

✨ Premium Finishes

Every Terra Australis — South-West Coast (1801–1843) Admiralty Chart is printed in Australia using archival methods to preserve every fine engraved line and historic detail.

📐 Size

1000 mm (W) × 680 mm (H)
A commanding landscape wall format that brings Flinders’ great west-coast survey into crisp, dramatic focus.

🎯 Ideal For

• Australian history collectors

• Maritime and naval history enthusiasts

• Museums and libraries

• Universities and schools

• Anyone fascinated by exploration and discovery

🤝 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

Before Western Australia had towns, it had this chart.
Choose your finish and bring Matthew Flinders’ great map onto your wall.