Australia

The Atlas of Australian Resources grew from post-war resource surveys and regional-development planning, drawing on information from Commonwealth and State agencies, universities, and research institutions. The Department of National Development formally undertook the project in 1951; the first series appeared in 1953–1960 as thematic map sheets with explanatory booklets. Its coverage extended from geology, climate, water, soils, and vegetation to agriculture, industry, transport, population, education, and health. Konrad Frenzel directed the early cartography, and T. W. Plumb became editor in 1956. The second series, published in 1962–1977, progressively revised existing sheets and introduced new subjects and layouts, including larger-scale regional maps and supplementary material on sheet backs. Plumb reported that staffing, budgets, and gaps in data delayed this continuing revision programme. The Division of National Mapping issued the third series as bound thematic volumes: Soils and Land Use and Population in 1980, Agriculture in 1982, Climate in 1986, Geology and Minerals in 1988, and Vegetation in 1990. These volumes combined maps with expanded commentary and illustrations.