Within Australia
All orders ship freewithin Australia
Rest of the World
Orders over A$300
ship free worldwide
C1881
Point Parker and Alley Island Gulf of Carpentaria …
Very rare c.19th lithographic map of Point Parker and Alley (Allen) Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland. The surveys were conducted during October and November of 1881, led by Captain C. Pennefather, commander of the government schooner Q.G.S. Pearl, … Read Full Description
$A 325
S/N: QLD-PP-811212–523408
(MD08)
Free Shipping
See Shipping page for Terms & Conditions
Details
Full Title:
Point Parker and Alley Island Gulf of Carpentaria Queensland
Date:
C1881
Condition:
In good condition, with folds as issued. Laid on archival linen.
Technique:
Lithograph with one tint.
Image Size:
307mm
x 395mm
Paper Size:
324mm
x 420mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1881
Description:
Very rare c.19th lithographic map of Point Parker and Alley (Allen) Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland.
The surveys were conducted during October and November of 1881, led by Captain C. Pennefather, commander of the government schooner Q.G.S. Pearl, in collaboration with G. E. Elliott, a surveyor for the Harbours and Rivers Department. The map was subsequently printed at the Government Engraving and Lithographic Office in Brisbane. It features a detailed scale of nautical miles and provides precise soundings in feet reduced to low water springs, along with specific notations regarding the composition of the seabed, such as mud, sand, and shells. The primary purpose of this survey was to evaluate Point Parker’s suitability as a deep-water port and a potential northern terminus for a proposed transcontinental land-grant railway. This ambitious colonial project aimed to connect the Gulf of Carpentaria with southern Queensland centers like Roma or Charleville. The map includes critical navigational data, such as a note explaining that spring tides in the area rise from nine to twelve feet and describing the specific sets of the flood and ebb tides.
While the grand railway scheme was eventually abandoned due to political and financial hurdles, this chart remains a vital document of the period’s coastal exploration and the strategic interests of the Queensland Government in the Wellesley Islands region.
Captain Clarence Edward de Fonblanque Pennefather (1845 - 1912)
Significant figure in the maritime and administrative history of late c.19th Queensland. Born in Ireland in 1845, he joined the Royal Navy as a young man before eventually migrating to Australia, where he entered the service of the Queensland Government. He is perhaps best remembered for his command of the government schooner Pearl during the 1870s and 1880s, a period during which he conducted extensive surveys of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Great Barrier Reef. His work was instrumental in mapping remote northern waters and assessing the suitability of various locations, such as Point Parker, for potential ports and railway termini. B eyond his hydrographic contributions, Pennefather played a crucial role in the governance of northern regions. He served as the Government Resident at Thursday Island and was deeply involved in the regulation of the pearl-shell and bêche-de-mer industries. His administrative career also saw him appointed as the Comptroller General of Prisons for Queensland, a position he held for several years until his retirement. His expertise in navigation and his firm leadership made him a trusted official during a period of rapid colonial expansion and maritime development in the Torres Strait and the Gulf. Pennefather's legacy is preserved in the geographical naming of the Pennefather River on the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula, which was named in his honor following his explorations of the area in 1880. He remained an active and respected member of the Brisbane community until his death in 1912.
View other items by Captain Clarence Edward de Fonblanque Pennefather
