John Oxley, Brisbane River map with depth soundings.

$68.00

Plan de la Riviére Brisbane (Nouvelle Hollande) Découverte par M. OXLEY, Ingenieur Géographe au Port Jackson (Décembre 1823.) Chart of the Brisbane River (New Holland) Discovered by John Oxley, Geographic Engineer at Port Jackson, December 1823.

Fine Heritage Editions print from Limited Edition of 750. Reproduction of a copperplate engraving by Ambroise Tardieu (1788-1841) from the drawing by J.M. Hacq for Louis Duperrey’s “Voyage autour du Monde…” published in Paris c.1824. Duperrey’s voyage narrative included charts of regions newly surveyed by others. This large map of the Brisbane River was the first  publication of Oxley’s map of the Brisbane River complete with depth soundings. (The following year a small map of the Brisbane River with insets of Chart of Moreton Bay and Mouth of the River was published in London.) 

In 1823 Lieutenant John Oxley was sent north from Sydney in search of a suitable site for extension of the penal settlement of Port Jackson. Oxley explored along the Pine River and Brisbane River and the adjacent country. He reported that “a fine river of major proportions has been discovered in northern New South Wales, New Holland” and that “the river is navigable a full 40 miles upstream and looks certain to be opened up for development". 

Soon after charting the Brisbane River John Oxley was appointed Surveyor-General of the Australian colony then known as New South Wales, and the Moreton Bay penal colony was proposed for the following year. When the Moreton Bay colony was established this chart by Oxley was highly regarded for its accuracy and scope of detail.

To the map border measures 500 x 740mm (19.75 x 29 inches). Paper size is 570 x 815mm (22.5 x 32 inches). It is awell-delineated map. Unfortunately as it is large, this picture is not clear.