Sketch of coastline of Sumatra
Date1974-1977
Object number00056223
NameMap
MediumPaper
DimensionsOverall: 320 × 425 mm
ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Gift from Captain Anthony Leonard Eccleston RAN
DescriptionA4 sheet of paper stapled to an A3 sheet of paper that has a hand-drawn map of the coastline of Sumatra on the bottom and another coastal area on the top. An inscription in pencil on the bottom left says ‘Pilot station’. There is a dotted line in blue ink that marks the journey, going up on the left and then turning right on an area marked as ‘Green Boy’ in pencil. The A3 sheet of paper has an inscription that reads ‘Sumatra’.HistoryThis map is part of a series of maps that contain notes and improvised navigational information for a journey by boat beginning in Vietnam or one of its neighbouring countries and ending in Darwin, Australia. Most of the maps are either hand drawn or repurposed from other charts, which were not supposed to be used for real navigation. Using them to brave the long and arduous journey to Australia would have been a risky and challenging endeavour.
The refugee vessel TU DO, which is in the possession of the Australian National Maritime Museum, arrived in the same year that these maps were either created or used. Its owner also used a map from a school atlas to bring more than 30 people to Australia.SignificanceThese maps and calculations belong to a rare type of object: improvised navigational instruments that were not destroyed or forgotten after the journey they were used on ended. Very few seem to have survived.
The owner of the refugee vessel TU DO, which arrived in the same year that these maps were either created or used, also used only a page from a school atlas for navigation. TU DO is now in the possession of the Australian National Maritime Museum.
1974-1977
