Reviews: Atlas of Australian Resources, Second Series, Population Distribution and Growth

Summary

This review examines the Population Distribution and Growth map and commentary, part of the Second Series of the Atlas of Australian Resources, published by the Department of National Development in 1964. The map is praised for its superior production quality and design compared to the First Series, offering greater detail through dual scales and a new method for depicting average yearly rural population change. However, several visual issues are noted, including the conflation of distribution and growth data that may mislead readers, and the potential confusion of proportional squares for inset map outlines. Content-wise, rural population in peripheral settled areas generally declined during 1954-61, while pastoral regions saw increases, though percentages mask small absolute numbers. Urban patterns were more complex, with many sheep-wheat belt towns declining by over 4% while a few grew significantly. The reverse-side maps of metropolitan areas clearly show inner-suburb decline and outer-suburb growth, though statistical boundary limitations may distort the picture. The commentary is deemed adequate but state-based rather than regional or topical, limiting geographical analysis depth. The inclusion of further reading references is welcomed.