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Cadastral maps

Cadastral maps depict land parcels and often provide associated information such as the lot/plan details and area.

Our collection of scanned historical cadastral maps of Queensland is available for free through Open Data and the Queensland Globe.

Features of this historical cadastral map series include:

  • collection dates range from 1841 to 2005
  • over 6,800 scanned maps are arranged in 56 series
  • majority of maps are provided as high resolution colour images
  • includes parish maps, which were published in 1901–1997
  • includes some one off administrative maps.

Note: Those still in copyright are made available via 'Creative Commons CC:By licence', which means that you can view, print etc. without any restrictions.

How to access historical cadastral maps

Queensland Globe

Historical cadastral maps can be accessed via the Queensland Globe by launching a Historical maps topic. It allows you to search for and access our department’s released historical map scans for any Queensland location.

The following guide explains how to access historical map scans using the Queensland Globe's historical maps topic.

The historical maps topic is part of the Queensland Globe and provides users with the ability to search a range of historical map scans for any location in Queensland.

The steps below explain how to access historical map scans using the Queensland Globe’s historical maps topic. You can also view this information in the Historical map topic guide (PDF, 2.9MB).

Access historical map scans

  1. Launch Queensland Globe
  2. Select Topics
  3. Select Historical Queensland
  4. Launch Historical maps topic
  5. Select Add to Globe
  6. Select Layers - default layer shows town maps
  7. Choose layers from those displayed – Cadastral layers are shown first and then topographic layers and finally the McKellar Georeferenced map layer.
  8. Select area you wish to locate historical map scans – zoom in or use Search option.
  9. Select Toolbar
  10. Select Identify – choose one of the Identify options
  11. Select a location. Results will display in the Layers section.
  12. Select Results layer of interest.
  13. Select map of interest. Map details  display including:
    1. map name
    2. description
    3. scale
    4. date published
    5. copyright status
    6. download link for map scan and size of file
    7. preview image (select to have it display)
    8. additional metadata.
  14. The Download link and Preview Image link when selected, display in new Internet tab.

Access a different layer

  1. To go back to a different layer if there is more than one Results layer shown, use the white back arrow in the Attributes section and then in the Features section to go back to the Layers summary.
  2. A different layer can then be selected.
  3. If there is more than one result in a layer, any of the results can be selected.
  4. Use arrows in black section to move through results.

It is possible to load specific linked map layers once the Historical map topic is launched.

Layers have been linked as:

  • Cadastral early coastal maps
  • Cadastral early detailed maps
  • Cadastral parish county town and environs maps
  • Cadastral early large coverage maps
  • Cadastral standard maps
  • Contour early detailed maps
  • Contour standard maps
  • Contour and image standard maps
  1. To choose any of these links, select Add layers.
  2. Scroll through the displayed options and open Imagery and base maps.
  3. Open Historical printed maps.
  4. Because only the default town maps layer is loaded, remove all selected layers. For the series of interest, click in the empty box to select it. The map of Qld updates with the loaded bounding boxes for the maps in the selected linked map layers.

Open data

Historical cadastral maps can also be accessed via the Open Data portal. Links to individual series are included in the table below.

  • Click on the resource series you want to view. A summary of the map series displays as well as options to view, including Download (CSV).
  • The fields displayed (e.g. title) can be expanded to view the details.
  • If the Download (CSV) option is selected, the url for the map scan is located in the Download link column (Column G).
  • Copy this URL and paste it into your browser.
  • Press enter and the map scan opens.
  • You can then save the map to a location of your choosing or crop parts and paste into documents etc.

Resource series titles

Map seriesKey maps
6 chain McKellar series 1895—Brisbanekey map
8 chain series 1904–1917—Brisbanekey map
20 chain series 1929–1975—Queenslandkey map
40 chain AG2 series 1887–1932—Moreton districtkey map
40 chain parish series 1901–1997—Queenslandkey map
40 chain series 1943–1971—Queenslandkey map
2 mile NG1 series 1890–1917—Cook districtkey map
2 mile BG1 series 1920–1923—Darling Downs districtkey map
2 mile JG1 series 1890–1915—Kennedy districtkey map
2 mile AG1 series 1906–1915—Moreton districtkey map
2 mile DG2 series 1873–1897—Wide Bay districtkey map
2 mile county series 1902–1933—Queenslandkey map
2 mile series 1932–1969—Queenslandkey map
2 mile series showing admin boundaries 1941–1958—Queenslandkey map
2 mile series showing LAD boundaries 1955–1972—Queenslandkey map
2 mile series showing main roads 1941-1953—Queenslandkey map
2 mile series showing soil 1928-1943—Queenslandkey map
2 mile series showing survey control 1932-1969—Queenslandkey map
4 mile second series showing admin boundaries 1942–1956—Queenslandkey map
4 mile second series showing LAD boundaries 1961–1973—Queenslandkey map
4 mile second series showing main roads 1942-1953—Queenslandkey map
4 mile second series showing soil 1930-1952—Queenslandkey map
4 mile second series showing survey control 1934-1946—Queenslandkey map
4 mile second series showing tenure 1965-1970—Queenslandkey map
12 mile original pastoral run series 1882–1910—Queenslandkey map
12 mile consolidated pastoral run series 1874–1899—Queenslandkey map
12 mile tenure map series 1920–1922—Queensland not available
16 mile series 1896–1924—Queensland not available
Various scales—miscellaneous maps 1858–1986—Brisbane not available
Various scales—miscellaneous maps 1860–1973 not available
Various scales—maps 1841–1974—Moreton district not available
4 mile third series showing survey control 1965-1972—Queenslandkey map (JPG)
4 mile third series showing tenure 1965-1969—Queenslandkey map
Various scales—Government land sales maps 1892–1977—Queensland not available
Various scales—land sales maps 1902–1924—Queensland not available
Various scales—miscellaneous maps 1862–1960—Queensland not available
Various scales—state map Q series 1947–2005—Queensland not available
Various scales—state map S series 1983–1985—Queensland not available
Various scales—town series 1869–1990—Queensland not available
Various scales—land sales Brigalow maps 1963–1975—Rockhampton not available
2,500 series 1973–1993—Queenslandkey map
3,000 series 1988—Queensland not available
5,000 series 1985–1992—Queenslandkey map
10,000 series 1974–1992—Queenslandkey map
25,000 series 1972–1991—Queenslandkey map
50,000 series 1972–1990—Queenslandkey map
100,000 series 1971–1985—Queenslandkey map
100,000 series showing admin boundaries 1971–1976—Queenslandkey map
100,000 series showing LAD boundaries 1971–1974—Queenslandkey map
250,000 series 1977–1984—Queenslandkey map

Related links

Last updated:
31 May 2022
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