Outback Maps

Where the Bloody Hell are we?

There is no substitute for good Outback Maps when travelling this part of Australia. The modern GPS technology may be up to date in the urban areas but without good map references or expensive after market software their use as an outback guide is limited.

One of the best parts of planning a trip to the outback is the time when you spread the map out on the table and say “Where will we go?”

The more detail you have on your map, the more places of interest you will find.

I always use the range of Outback Maps published by Westprint in Victoria. The publisher, John Deckert, has travelled extensively through the Outback and has personally checked every kilometre of the great majority of his maps.

He has compiled an extensive library of the heritage of the Outback and each map has points of interest clearly marked and a detailed description of each can be found on the back. The maps are very reasonably priced and invaluable if you are a "bit confused" in the bush.

Find the Westprint map you need after the locality name.

Click on the locality name for more information.

• Alice Springs: Alice Springs to Oodnadatta, Alice Springs to Uluru

• Birdsville: Diamantina Lakes, Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks

• Broken Hill: Australia’s Outback Tracks

• Bulloo Downs: Southwest Queensland

• Coober Pedy: Australia’s Outback Tracks

• Charleville: Diamantina Lakes

• Dalhousie: Dalhousie Springs and Simpson Desert

• Finke (Aputula): Alice Springs to Oodnadatta

• Innamincka: Innamincka and Coongie Lakes

• Longreach: Diamantina Lakes

• Lyndhurst: Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks

• Marree: Oodnadatta Track

• Melbourne:

• Mintabie: Alice Springs to Oodnadatta

• Nocundra: Southwest Queensland

• Oodnadatta: Oodnadatta Track

• Perth:

• Ti Tree NT: Australia’s Outback Tracks

• Tibooburra: Australia’s Outback Tracks, Southwest Qld.

. Tennant Creek: Australia’s Outback Tracks

• Thargomindah: Diamantina Lakes

• Uluru-Ayers Rock: Alice Springs to Uluru

. White Cliffs: Australia's Outback maps,

The paper Outback Maps can be ordered by following this link: http://www.westprint.com.au/maps1.htm

Or if you are overseas and planning a trip to the Australian Outback you may prefer to download the electronic versions on this link: http://www.westprint.com.au/maps3.htm

To find that special waterhole for a secluded camp or a forgotten grave site, I refer to the 1: 250,000 topographical maps. These are available in paper form or as Raster maps which can be used with a computer program such as Ozi Explorer.

Don’t be too proud to ask for local advice as well. Some locals are very knowledgeable while others may not have travelled much from their own back yard.

It always fascinated me in Mintabie when the subject of direction came up. If a visitor came into the pub to ask which way is North six opal miners would point in six different directions. (Remember these are the same miners who have to survey their mining claim using compass readings before they can register it.)

Just before I left they had reached a consensus. The Mintabie Pub bar actually ran true north-south.

There is also a group of people who know how to get to a place but have difficulty explaining it to someone else as I discovered when I asked about a shortcut to Tibooburra.

Use good Outback Maps to find these Outback Secrets

Plan your outback trip here

Learn more about Outback travel

How to pick a good campsite

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