Australia’s full national topographic library at your fingertips

Geoscience Australia has completed the nationwide release of its AUSTopo 1:250,000 digital topographic map series, putting authoritative, up‑to‑date topographic coverage of the entire country just a click away. Free to download, easy to print, and ready to use offline on mobile devices.

Available through Geoscience Australia’s online map application, the series provides comprehensive national coverage at a scale where 1 centimetre on the map equals 2.5 kilometres on the ground.

Branch Head of Geoscience Australia’s National Location Information Branch, Lisa Bush, said

‘This is Australia’s national topographic library, modernised and in your pocket. Users can browse the full catalogue, download the latest and previous editions, print when needed, or add maps to a tablet or phone for offline use - all at no cost.’

What’s new

• Latest data, nationwide: Since 2023, over 500 maps in the series have been updated, with ongoing improvements to keep data current.
• Open and accessible: Maps are free to download via the dashboard and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
• Previous editions preserved: Users can access both the latest releases and historical editions for comparison, teaching, and research.

Why it matters

As Australia’s national mapping agency, Geoscience Australia is committed to delivering reliable, authoritative topographic information that is easy to access and use. The AUSTopo series builds on over a century of mapping expertise, now delivered through a contemporary digital experience that supports:

• Policy, planning and engineering decisions that require consistent, nationwide context.
• Emergency management planning, exercises and briefings.
• Environmental assessment and land management.
• Transport, logistics and regional infrastructure planning.
• Teaching, research and fieldwork across schools and universities.
• Recreation and travel, including offline use on mobile devices for planning and navigation support.

Want to add maps to your device for offline use?

Whether you’re planning a regional project or heading into the field, it’s easy to take AUSTopo with you:

1. Open the dashboard and select a map sheet.
2. Download the PDF (latest edition or a previous release).
3. On iPad/iPhone: open the file and Save to Files or Open in Books for offline viewing.
4. On Android: save to your device and open with your preferred PDF or mapping app.
5. Printing: PDFs are print‑ready for home, office supply stores, or commercial print shops.

Browse the full AUSTopo 1:250,000 topographic map series, download maps for offline use, or print a copy when you need one