On display in the Historical Gallery are several maps of Lord Howe Island dating from the mid 1800s, including some rare first editions.
The prize of our collection is an original 1853 map, prepared from data given to a Sydney mapmaker by the British research ships Herald and Torch in 1851. The map shows detailed water depths around the island and is the very first map showing the farm holdings at the time. It may be the only first edition in existence.
Other maps detail the island leases, some original drawings of options for the runway in 1974, and various tourist maps showing walking tracks, lodges, topographic features and embellished with drawings of flowers, fish and activities.
Reproductions of several of these maps are available for purchase in the museum shop.
