How to print topographic maps
- MUTTON Rebecca
- Michael Kohler
- Cecilia Tram
- Amanda Kerr
Printing to scale
The Queensland Government no longer sells printed copies of topographic maps. Instead, they are freely available from QTopo. You can take your downloaded map to a local printer or print shop. The quality of the printed image will depend on the printer type, settings and paper. You can buy larger scale printed maps from private map retailers. Use your favourite search engine or see Geoscience Australia distributor network who retail Geoscience Australia's maps and books in various locations throughout Australia. Click here to see the list of Distributors.
The below list shows what size paper/page dimensions the downloadable map sheets are optimised for.
| Width | Height | Page Size | Scale |
10K Download | 840 | 734 | A0 | 1:10,000 |
25K Download | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:25,000 |
50K Download | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:50,000 |
100K Download | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:100,000 |
Custom Print A4 10k | 297 | 210 | A4 | 1:10,000 |
Custom Print A3 10k | 420 | 297 | A3 | 1:10,000 |
Custom Print A1 10k | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:10,000 |
Custom Print A4 25k | 297 | 210 | A4 | 1:25,000 |
Custom Print A3 25k | 420 | 297 | A3 | 1:25,000 |
Custom Print A1 25k | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:25,000 |
Custom Print A4 50k | 297 | 210 | A4 | 1:50,000 |
Custom Print A3 50k | 420 | 297 | A3 | 1:50,000 |
Custom Print A1 50k | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:50,000 |
Custom Print A4 100k | 297 | 210 | A4 | 1:100,000 |
Custom Print A3 100k | 420 | 297 | A3 | 1:100,000 |
Custom Print A1 100k | 710 | 594 | A1 | 1:100,000 |
Note: for the 10K download - an A1 roll plotter may be able to print them, at worst the 1cm margin around the pdf will be cut off if it is plotted at size and centred.>
Things to check/note before printing:
Paper used in mapping program (for plots and press) is 110 gsm
Paper / inks for maps is traditionally UV resistant
Suppliers generally do not trim maps and none fold maps
Copy centres plotters are ideally built for printing of posters (pixilated) and not fine detail map reproductions.
QTopo direct map links
You can download a standard traditional map sheet outside of QTopo by amending the map URL (Note: the map file may be up to 20MB in size). For example, the direct link from QTopo to a standard map sheet (25K scale) is:
Topo Map: https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/QTopo/StaticMap/QTopo/25k/8651-31/pdf
You can update these URLs to produce alternate standard maps by changing the map sheet number reference. For example, the URL has been updated from 8651-31 to 9442-21.
NEW Topo Map: https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/QTopo/StaticMap/QTopo/25k/9442-21/pdf\
UTM-Grid/Magnetic declination
UTM Grid and Magnetic variation for custom maps
The custom QTopo maps do not have a magnetic declination diagram because the ArcGIS server extension (Mapping and Charting Solutions Server) is required to generate these diagrams. It is hoped that a future solution can, within time, utilise the mapping and charting extension for ArcGIS Server.
UTM Grid and Magnetic variation for standard maps
The standard mapsheets display both magnetic declination and topographic grids because they are created locally where we have access to the required extension.
How to calculate the current variance from the 2019 diagram used
Online resources, such as http://www.ga.gov.au/oracle/geomag/agrfform.jsp and http://www.magnetic-declination.com/ can be used to calculated current values and variation from 2019.
Historical topographic maps
Our topographic map archive is freely available via the Open Data Portal on the Historical topographic map series - Queensland page