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Description

An uncommon mid-19th century German-language map of Australia, showing the country and continent in fine detail. The map contains a plethora of well-researched information, typical of German maps of this period, and shows climatological divisions, watersheds, and explorers' paths. 

The map includes a large inset of Sydney and Port Jackson in the Great Australian Bight. Neighborhoods are named, and the city barely extends past Paddington and Redfern. An extensive key appears in the upper left names the routes of many explorers as well as territorial divisions. 

This map was published by Justus Perthes in Gotha for the uncommon work Petermann's Geographische Mittheihemgen in 1868.

Neumayer's Projected Route

The map shows, in red, "Neumayer's Projektirte Route," This appears to refer to a planned expedition to traverse the continent of which we find little reference. Georg Balthasar von Neumayer was an important German scientist who spent a period of twelve years in Australia and set up an observatory at Flagstaff Hill in Sydney. By 1864, he had returned to Germany but was possibly planning this expedition. However, in 1872 he was appointed hydrographer to the German Admiralty and later director of the Hamburg Oceanic Observatory, possibly coming in the way of his plans.

Condition Description
Original hand-color in outline. Fold toning. Lower margin trimmed.