Van Diemen's Land is presented here with quiet authority, its title anchoring a composition that balances scientific restraint and painterly grace. Issued in 1845 within the second edition of Arrowsmith’s New Atlas, the sheet reflects a quarter-century of revision since the first 1825 appearance, its information disciplined by the prime meridian at Greenwich and clarified through a crisp legend and precise scale bar. Hand-colored outlines pick out administrative divisions with clarity, while a lattice of rivers and roads ties coast to interior. Hachures express the muscular topography of the island, from serried ranges to weather-bitten capes, and the surrounding waters are traced with secure, confident coasts punctuated by outlying islands. The result is both a navigational instrument and a historical statement of imperial geographic order.

Aaron Jr. Arrowsmith—heir to the London firm founded by his father—spent more than 25 years distilling the world’s most reliable intelligence into maps and atlases prized by governments, mariners, and emigrants. After 1824 he extended the family’s meticulous standards, drawing on Admiralty charts, colonial surveys, and travelers’ journals to replace conjecture with evidence. His 1845 Van Diemen’s Land exemplifies that method: coastal exactitude joined to an interior increasingly mapped by road-makers, surveyors, and settlers. The plate’s judicious updates register the island’s accelerating transformation, yet its design never overwhelms. Typography is clear, symbols are discriminating, and color serves legibility rather than spectacle—hallmarks of an Arrowsmith production, where synthesis and restraint carry the reader across unfamiliar ground with unforced confidence.

The physical geography of Tasmania unfolds in finely stepped relief. Hachures articulate the mountainous backbone of the west and the broad shoulders of the Central Highlands, their slopes grading toward lake-dotted plateaux and river valleys. The Derwent threads southward past Hobart, while the Tamar leads the eye inland from the northern coast to Launceston; the Mersey and Huon are equally well stated, with smaller tributaries delicately feathered. Lakes Sorell and Crescent punctuate the interior, while Lake St Clair anchors the high country. Around the coasts, headlands and embayments are cleanly drawn, and the outliers of Bass Strait—King Island to the northwest and the Furneaux Group with Flinders Island to the northeast—frame the island within its maritime setting, signaling routes, risks, and resources.

Arrowsmith balances terrain with the living geography of settlement and administration. Hand-colored borders subdivide the colony into recognizable counties and districts, rendering governance legible at a glance. Cities and towns are marked with crisp prominence—Hobart and Launceston foremost, with Devonport, Burnie, and Kingston likewise inscribed—while the road network ties these nodes together in practical skeins. The principal overland artery between Hobart and Launceston is clearly indicated, its branches reaching eastward to coastal townships and westward toward resource-rich country. Ports, anchorages, ferries, and river crossings are signaled with unobtrusive symbols explained in the legend, helping the reader decode movement and connection across an island where sea-lanes, coach roads, and river valleys shaped every economic and social exchange.

Historically, this map sits at a pivotal moment: Van Diemen’s Land, still bearing its penal-era name, was turning toward a broader civic identity that would culminate in the adoption of “Tasmania” a decade later. The 1845 state of knowledge—codified here through Greenwich-referenced longitudes, measured scales, and a disciplined symbology—captures that transition in cartographic form. As a tool, it served administrators, surveyors, and voyagers; as an artifact, it testifies to the British project of knowing and ordering distant lands. Its careful updates across a 25-year span allow one to read change itself—new roads stitched in, districts redefined, settlements brightening into towns—while its elegant economy of line and color ensures the island’s varied character remains the true subject on the page.

Cities and towns on this map

• Hobart (capital and largest city)
• Launceston
• Devonport
• Burnie
• Kingston

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Hand-colored administrative boundaries
• Cities and towns marked prominently
• Major rivers and lakes outlined
• Roads connecting various settlements depicted
• Depiction of islands surrounding Van Diemen's Land
• Hachured relief indicating mountainous regions
• Prime meridian established at Greenwich noted
• Legend or explanatory notes providing essential details on map features
• Scale bar indicating distance measurements

Historical and design context

• Creation Date: 1845
• Mapmaker: Aaron Jr. Arrowsmith — produced detailed maps and atlases for over 25 years, continuing A. Arrowsmith Sr.’s legacy after 1824
• Edition Context: Part of the second edition of “Arrowsmith’s New Atlas” (first published 1825), updated to reflect 25 years of geographical changes
• Geographical Coverage: Focuses on Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) and surrounding waters
• Historical Significance: Captures significant early 19th-century geographical changes and serves as both a navigational tool and historical artifact

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 5-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.