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Thanks to our many supporters, our wonderful collection of Dixson sheet maps have been digitised by staff in our Imaging Services section and a selection of maps are now available to view on our Discover Collections page, including this beautiful manuscript map of Tasmania, showing the topography of northern Tasmania from Pipers to Duck Rivers and inland to Cradle Mountain.

Map of the interior discoveries made by the Van Diemens Land Company: in exploring for their location, Van Diemens Land : camp draught by Henry Hellyer, 1828, Call number Cb 82/27

The first Royal Tour of Australia was in 1867 - 68 with the official visit of Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Kent and Earl of Ulster  on 24 May 1866 and in January 1867 left England on an extensive world tour as commander of the H.M.S. Galatea. The Duke spent nearly 5 months in Australia including visits to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Tasmania.

The H.M.S. Galatea arrived in Sydney on 21 January 1868. According to newspaper reports no less than 100,000 people welcomed the Duke with fervour. 'Flowered arches spanned the streets, flags fluttered from public buildings, and illuminations lit the scene by night'. A letter to the editor from the Sydney Morning Herald, 18 January, reported that Garden Island would be open to the public....in order to afford an opportunity for those desirous of seeing the arrival of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh.'