Douglas River 1:50,000 Topographic Map – Tasmania

An essential regional map for navigating, planning and exploring Douglas–Apsley National Park, the Fingal Valley and Tasmania’s spectacular east coast around Bicheno.

The Douglas River 1:50,000 Topographic Map provides a clear and accurate representation of this remarkably varied region. 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

Douglas–Apsley National Park forms the central feature of the Douglas River sheet, bringing together rugged inland terrain, important natural habitats and accessible east-coast destinations.

Important locations and landscape features shown include:

• Douglas–Apsley National Park

• The Douglas River and surrounding catchments

• Deep river gorges and waterfalls

• Dry eucalypt forests and heathlands

• Dolerite-capped plateau country

• Fingal in the northern section of the map

• Bicheno and its surrounding coastline

• Sandy beaches, turquoise coastal waters and granite formations

• Roads, walking tracks and access routes where mapped

• Named geographic features and recreation areas

Douglas–Apsley National Park protects a distinctive combination of river gorges, waterfalls, dry forest, heathland and elevated plateau country. These varied environments provide important habitat for a range of native plants and animals, including rare and threatened species.

In the north, the historic town of Fingal was established as a convict station and later became closely associated with Tasmania’s coal-mining industry. On the coast, Bicheno is a popular holiday and fishing town known for sandy beaches, clear turquoise water and distinctive granite boulders coloured by orange lichen.

⛰️ 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

• Plateaus, ridges, gorges, valleys and other major landforms

• Rivers, waterfalls, creeks and drainage features

• Coastline, beaches and coastal landforms

• Roads, walking tracks and access routes

• Towns, localities, buildings and infrastructure

• Simplified vegetation classification

• National-park and conservation-area coverage

• Cultural, historic and recreational features

• Standard topographic symbols for efficient map reading

🧭 Who Uses This Map?

The Douglas River 1:50,000 Topographic Map is suitable for:

• Bushwalkers and hikers exploring Douglas–Apsley National Park

• Independent travellers and holidaymakers visiting Bicheno and Tasmania’s east coast

• Fishing and coastal recreation enthusiasts planning land-based access

• Tourism operators and local guides working around Bicheno and the Fingal Valley

• Search and rescue teams and emergency services

• Conservation workers, park managers and environmental researchers

• Land managers and field professionals requiring regional terrain context

• Geography students and outdoor educators

• Local residents and visitors navigating between inland and coastal communities

Park conditions, track access, road conditions and local arrangements can change, so check current information before travelling. Carry suitable navigation and safety equipment, respect private property and observe all park restrictions. This topographic map is useful for coastal orientation but is not a substitute for an official nautical chart when navigating on the water.

💧 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, vehicles and exposed field conditions

• Ideal for walkers, 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 access points, hazards or other locations without marking the map permanently

• Wipeable and reusable

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

📐 Map Details

• Title: Douglas River 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: Douglas–Apsley National Park, Douglas River, Fingal, Bicheno and surrounding inland and coastal areas

• Available formats: Paper, waterproof Tyvek® or laminated

• ISBN: 9318923027785

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 Douglas River sheet before ordering.

🛒 Choose the Right Format

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

• Tyvek®: Best for bushwalking, travel and wet or demanding conditions

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

🎯 Summary

Whether you are exploring the gorges and waterfalls of Douglas–Apsley National Park, investigating Fingal’s historic landscape, holidaying around Bicheno or conducting professional fieldwork across the region, the Douglas River Topographic Map provides the terrain detail and geographic context needed to understand this exceptional part of eastern Tasmania.

Plan with purpose. Navigate with confidence. Explore Tasmania’s east coast and hinterland with accuracy.