Australia has a way of inspiring maps that aren’t quite for navigation, yet tell you something you’ll remember far longer than a highway number. The three maps here – full of exaggerated labels, bold colors, and a fair amount of mischief – sit comfortably in the same family as Yanko Tsvetkov’s Atlas of Prejudice (Amazon link). They’re part humor, part stereotype, and just enough accuracy to make you nod while laughing.
CGIskies
The first mini-atlas of maps dives into cultural peculiarities: where the “hipsters” supposedly gather, which states are obsessed with Australian Rules Football versus rugby, and who’s still waiting for reliable internet. It’s the kind of social geography that doesn’t show up in official atlases but still manages to feel familiar if you’ve spent time in Australia.
n0rskyouth
The second group of maps shifts to climate, tourism, and demographics—where it’s “very hot all year round,” where German backpackers flock, and which regions are almost empty of human life. There’s even a map of agricultural potential boiled down to just two categories: places where nothing grows and places where something does.
Reddit user: Jon_DOS4
The final map atlas celebrates (or warns about) Australia’s wildlife and natural hazards. Here you’ll find “drop bear eucalyptus forests,” “gamma rays from uranium,” and the subtle reminder that the country has enough venomous creatures to make even the most seasoned hikers think twice. It’s all presented with a straight face, yet if you look past the jokes, you can spot traces of the real Australia—remote, stunning, challenging, and endlessly fascinating.
