Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander maps
On this page is a collection of links to maps and resources in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture.
Alert
It's important to recognise that maps and systems of navigation form an important part of Indigenous knowledge for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture.
We acknowledge that the breadth of Indigenous knowledge contained in maps, mapping and navigation is more extensive than the scope of this guide.
Whose Country am I on?
The following resources help identify the different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land owners, language, social and nation groups for each area.
Web resources
- AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia
The map highlights the richness and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. Please be aware that this map only shows general locations of larger groups of people which may include smaller groups. The map also includes variations in the way that some language or group names are spelt. - Welcome to Country Acknowledgements map
Victoria has a strong and proud Aboriginal history, and complex ownership and land stewardship systems stretching back many thousands of years. This map assists in finding out who the formally recognised Traditional Owners are for an area in Victoria. - National Native Title Tribunal Maps
Resource provides an overview of native title on a regional, state or national basis and access to spatial data for integration with computer-based mapping systems.
Books
Macquarie atlas of Indigenous Australia by ISBN: 1876429356Publication Date: 2005Introduction to the spatial analysis of Indigenous Australians, with an emphasis on European contact to the present time. Produced in conjunction with noted scholars in the field of Aboriginal studies.
The right to protect sites: Indigenous heritage management in the era of native title by ISBN: 9781922102393Publication Date: 2016Contributions from experts and Indigenous community leaders to explore different perspectives the intersection of native title and Indigenous heritage regimes around the country.
Language groups and placenames
These map materials aim to highlight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander placenames and language groups for different regions.
Web resources
- Boodjar
Professor Len Collard led a research project investigating the history and meanings of Nyungar placenames. This website shares the results, providing Nyungar placenames and meanings while offering insight into the research project. - First Languages Australia: Language Centres and Programs Map
Interactive Google map of language centres and programs to help identify and contact local language groups. - Gambay: First Languages Map
First Languages Australia worked with regional language centres developing a map of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages reflective of names and groupings favoured by community. Includes videos of discussions and stories - Gambay: Place Names Map
First Languages Australia a map to show the place names for different searchable areas across Australia.
Books
The land is a map: placenames of indigenous origin in Australia by ISBN: 9781921536571Publication Date: 2009Indigenous placenames often evoke important information about features of the environment and their place in Indigenous systems of knowledge.
Aboriginal placenames: naming and re-naming the Australian landscape by ISBN: 9781921666094Publication Date: 2009Provides an overview of current issues involving Indigenous placenames across the whole of Australia, drawing on the disciplines of geography, linguistics, history, and anthropology.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
These resources offer a brief insight into some of the variety of maps that are unique to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Web resources
- How ancient Aboriginal star maps have shaped Australia’s highway network by Robert S. Fuller (The Conversation)
Article discusses how ancient Aboriginal star maps were used to navigate the Australian landscape, and how these star routes later influenced the development of modern highway networks across the country. - Cultural mapping
From the National Museum Of Australia's "On Country: Connect, Work, Celebrate" exhibition. Other topics include contemporary Indigenous land and sea management practices.. - Virtual Songlines
A Digital Bridge to the Past- Through immersive 3D mapping the Bilbie XR Labs team have built digital twins of historically significant sites where Australia's major cities and regional towns now stand.
Books
Songlines: the power and promise by ISBN: 9781760761387Publication Date: 2020Songlines are an archive for powerful knowledges that ensured Australia's many Indigenous cultures flourished for over 60,000 years.
