Railway, Postal & Telegraph Map of New South Wales (1886)

A landmark map of communication, movement, and modernity

Published in 1886 by the Picturesque Atlas Publishing Company as part of the celebrated Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, this richly coloured wall map captures New South Wales at the height of its railway and telegraph expansion. Compiled by D. Macdonald, C.E., M.G.S.A., and engraved by A. Dulon and L. Poates, it is both a functional infrastructure map and a vivid snapshot of colonial ambition.

Railways, postal routes, telegraph lines, roads, towns, and cities are all clearly delineated, revealing how information and people moved across the colony in the late 19th century. Insets of Sydney and Newcastle provide enlarged urban detail, underscoring the growing importance of metropolitan hubs in an increasingly connected state.

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🧭 What This Map Shows

• Railway lines — operational and proposed

• Postal routes & post offices across the colony

• Telegraph lines linking towns, ports, and cities

• Road networks and regional settlements

• Coloured administrative and geographic detail

• Insets: Environs of Sydney and Environs of Newcastle

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🚆 Why This Map Matters

• A definitive visual record of NSW’s communications revolution

• Shows the overlap of rail, post, and telegraph systems

• Part of the iconic Picturesque Atlas of Australasia

• Strong cartographic colour and engraving quality

• A powerful teaching and display piece for transport, economic, and social history

This is the map that shows how New South Wales was wired together.

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✨ Premium Print & Display Options

Printed in Australia using archival methods to preserve colour richness and fine engraving detail.

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📐 Size (W × H)

1000 mm × 758 mm
Orientation: Landscape
Aspect ratio: ~1.32 : 1

Framing tips: A 2–3 mm mat overlap works well, or float-mount with a subtle ~3 mm reveal.
Custom sizing: Available on request.

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🎯 Ideal For

• Railway and transport history enthusiasts

• Postal and communications collectors

• Libraries, museums, and classrooms

• Offices, studies, and heritage interiors

• Anyone fascinated by how Australia was connected

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🤝 Our Commitment

Printed locally in Australia with archival pigment inks, careful colour management, and hand-checked finishing—packed with care and ready to display.

Choose your finish and bring this extraordinary 1886 vision of New South Wales’ rail, postal, and telegraph networks to your wall.