What is the meaning of the “Australia on the Map” theme?
The “Australia on the Map” theme was decided upon at a very early stage at the suggestion of Vice President Allen Mawer. It reflects the fact that the Duyfken made a chart, copies of which still exist, of west Cape York in 1606. The world at large only became aware of our continent when that chart was incorporated into regional maps, such as the Gerritsz Map of 1622. The theme was chosen as well because it acknowledges each state as it was added to the growing outline of Australia, some from a very early stage. Apart from Queensland in 1606, WA was first represented in 1616, NT in 1623, SA in 1627, Tasmania in 1642 and finally Victoria and NSW in 1770. However, the theme is intended to be inclusive not only of the states but all the different peoples who participated in some way in the process on unveiling Australia, the Dutch, Indigenous Australians, Spanish, Macassans from Indonesia, French, English, Swedish and so on. It embraces the fact that we are not only a multi-cultural society but also have a multi-cultural history
