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Cartography as Art

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If you have ever seen Robert Hoddle's 1837 survey of the town of Melbourne, you instantly recognise the genius of Murray Walker’s tapestry, Melbourne. The huge tapestry hanging in the foyer of Bourke Place captures the grid plan for Melbourne as drawn up by the Surveyor Hoddle. The tapestry also includes the original topographic features of Batman Hill, the natural alignment of the Yarra River and the surrounding tea tree scrub as drawn by Hoddle on the map. The tapestry details include the ink spills that you can also see on the original. If you love maps, you will be delighted to see this work.

The original Hoddle map is held by the Public Records Office of Victoria, however, you see a digital copy in the One Place, Many Stories website overlaid over a present day map or satellite image.

The tapestry really highlights how cartography can be represented in art and that many of the early survey plans, were art in their own right.

You can see the tapestry in the foyer of 600 Bourke St.

cartography-as-art

To see the Hoddle map go to One Place, Many Stories: http://oneplace.net.au

Under the option, Select your school, select An example school, and under Select your project, choose, Maps of Early Melbourne.

You then may have to zoom into central Melbourne, where you see the pins. Enjoy.

Graeme Martin

Consulting Manager

Find out more about One Place Many Stories

Check out Cartography as Art -  Brisbane Typographic Map

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