Map Folio Index

Reading and Using the Folio Well

A map folio rewards a little preparation. Before opening any sheet, check its scale, date of survey and projection. These three details tell you how much ground the map covers, how current its information is likely to be, and how shapes and distances may be distorted. A 1:25,000 topographic sheet suits a day walk in the D'Aguilar Range, while a 1:250,000 sheet is better for planning a drive across the Darling Downs or tracing a river system from source to coast.

Grouping maps by purpose

It helps to think of the folio in a few broad families:

• Topographic maps show relief through contour lines, along with tracks, watercourses and built features. They are the backbone of field navigation.
• Thematic maps focus on one subject, such as geology, vegetation, rainfall or land use, and are ideal for understanding why a landscape looks the way it does.
• Historical maps record coastlines, settlements and property boundaries as they once were. Comparing them with modern sheets reveals how floods, development and shifting river channels have reshaped places like the Brisbane River floodplain.
• Coastal and marine charts cover Moreton Bay, the Great Barrier Reef and island waters, where depths and reef edges matter as much as land features.

Practical tips for members

When comparing sheets, always confirm they use the same datum. Older Australian maps often use AGD66 or AGD84, while current mapping uses GDA94 or GDA2020, and coordinates can differ by around 200 metres between them. Note the magnetic declination printed in the margin before taking compass bearings, and remember it changes slowly over time.

Handle paper originals with clean, dry hands, unfold them along existing creases and avoid ink pens nearby. For field use, a printed copy in a waterproof sleeve is far safer than an original sheet.

Many folio maps pair naturally with our field trips, where reading contours and landforms on the ground brings the paper to life. For deeper background on surveying, cartographic history and regional landscapes, browse our publications, which often reference the same areas covered here.