Reviews: Atlas of Australian Resources

Summary

This article reviews The Atlas of Australian Resources, published by the Department of National Development, Canberra. It is a landmark postwar cartographic work, consisting of about 50 large sheets, ten of which had appeared by the time of writing, covering climate, soil, underground water, population density, minerals, agriculture, and major projects. Directed by German cartographer Konrad Frenzel, the atlas exhibits excellent cartography, mature color and symbol design, and superb engraving, with each map accompanied by a specialist pamphlet. The review comments on specific sheets—rainfall, temperature, minerals, and population density—noting that while most treatments are successful, mineral symbols do not sufficiently reflect actual production. Overall, the atlas represents a distinguished and promising contribution to thematic mapping.