News / Articles

Lerderderg & Werribee Gorges Map Guide– from $10.95

The latest topographic maps offer detailed coverage of Lerderderg State Park and Werribee Gorge State Park. Included are a 1:30,000 scale map of Lerderderg, a 1:20,000 map of Werribee Gorge, a 1:15,000 map covering the area from Blackwood to O’Briens Crossing, a 1:55,000 map of the striking Pyrete Range, and a brand-new 1:40,000 map of Long Forest Reserve featuring six recently established walking trails. This edition includes 17 new and revised walking notes, along with fascinating information about the parks’ history, wildlife, and recreational options. Emergency Marker Coordinates are also included for both parks, making this a handy and reliable guide for bushwalkers, day-trippers, and four-wheel-drive enthusiasts. Lerderderg State Park, located just an hour’s drive from Melbourne, Bacchus Marsh or Ballarat, is a rugged and beautiful destination shaped by the Lerderderg River as it carves its way through a dramatic gorge. Visitors can enjoy a picnic at Shaws Lake or O’Briens Crossing, explore remnants of an old water race, walk a section of the Great Dividing Trail, or take a relaxed riverside stroll from Mackenzies Flat Picnic Area. Despite being so close to the city, much of the park feels wonderfully remote. The gorge section between O’Briens Crossing and Mackenzies Flat offers breathtaking scenery and is ideal for experienced hikers looking for a challenge. Families can enjoy a day by the river, a gentle walk to Grahams Dam, or an overnight stay at the woodland-surrounded Lerderderg Campground.

Werribee Gorge State Park offers an entirely different kind of adventure. Shaped by over 500 million years of geological history, its steep river gorges and rocky ridgelines are perfect for bushwalkers and climbers seeking a wild and scenic environment. With a variety of walking trails and panoramic viewpoints, this untamed landscape invites exploration. Visitors who come prepared can enjoy picnicking and hiking through one of Victoria’s most geologically fascinating areas at their own pace.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/lerderderg-werribee-gorges-map/

Anne Beadell Highway– from $8.95

The Anne Beadell Highway is one of Len Beadell’s most iconic outback roads, originally constructed in the late 1950s to provide access to the atomic bomb testing site at Emu. Spanning a 1:1.75 million scale, this detailed map follows the route from Coober Pedy through the remote beauty of Tallaringa Conservation Park, Mammungari Conservation Park, and Neal Junction Nature Reserve, before joining the White Cliffs Yamarna Road and continuing on to Laverton in Western Australia. True to Westprint’s style, this map is rich in historical and tourist information. Numbered symbols on the map are cross-referenced with in-depth notes on each site, making it much more than just a navigational tool. It includes clearly marked distances—both major and intermediate—along with useful indicators for fuel stops, rest areas, caravan parks and campsites. Routes of early explorers are colour-coded for easy reference, and GPS coordinates are also provided throughout. Ideal for four-wheel drivers, campers, and those interested in the region’s heritage, this map includes comprehensive information about roads and tracks that have all been GPS surveyed. It’s a reliable and informative guide for anyone keen to explore this remote and historically significant part of Australia.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/anne-beadell-highway/

Kangaroo Island Tourist Map - from $14.95

This beautifully illustrated souvenir map and guide offers a detailed and up-to-date overview of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Designed to help visitors navigate with ease, it also highlights the island’s rich history, unique wildlife, key attractions, and stunning national parks. Featuring hand-painted artwork by a local artist, the map was updated in 2024 to reflect the most current information.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/kangaroo-island-tourist-map/

Freshwater Swimming Holes in Victoria, Australia - $25.00

This guide is the go-to resource for uncovering the best swimming spots across Victoria, Australia. Each of the 50 featured locations has been personally tested with a refreshing dip, ensuring firsthand insight into what makes them special.Freshwater Swimming Holes in Victoria, Australiaprovides detailed directions, vibrant photographs, and videos that showcase the state's most inviting waterholes, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. Backed by over 15 years of dedicated research, it’s a comprehensive and trusted companion for anyone looking to dive into Victoria’s natural beauty.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/swimming-holes/

4WD Days on the South Coast of WA - $19.95

Discover the rugged beauty of Western Australia’s south coast with 18 unforgettable 4WD trips covering more than 2,000 kilometres. Packed with GPS coordinates and all the key details you need for each track and destination,4WD Days on the South Coastis the ideal glovebox guide to help you get the most out of your next adventure.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/4wd-south-coast-wa/

Meridian Musings

The Reader’s Story in this edition was sent in by Katie Hill. With so many hot spots around the world right now, the war memorials Katie highlights offer a moment to pause and reflect. While I’ve come across many memorials over the years, I haven’t always known the stories behind them. Katie’s article is a timely reminder to look a little deeper into the tributes we so often pass by.

What’s New to the Website

Blue Mountains Best Bushwalks - $34.95

Now in its thoroughly revised fourth edition,Blue Mountains Best Bushwalksremains an essential companion for anyone who enjoys exploring the outdoors. This bestselling guide features 67 walks ranging from short 30-minute strolls to challenging two-day hikes. Each walk includes a full-colour map, clear step-by-step directions, and useful stats such as distance, ascent/descent, grade, and estimated duration. The book also offers fascinating insights into the region’s history and natural environment, along with practical tips for walking with children and staying safe on the trails. With over 4 million Australians regularly walking for leisure and fitness, this guide is the perfect way to discover the rugged beauty of the Blue Mountains. Also availableBlue Mountain Book & Map Packwith theBlue Mountains National Parks Visitors Map

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/blue-mountains-bushwalks/

Big Book of Australian Yarns - $34.95

The Big Book of Australian Yarnsis master storyteller Jim Haynes’ rich collection of true and fascinating tales filled with humour. The stories range from the touching to the hilarious, capturing everything from quirky Aussie oddities to spooky mysteries. Within these pages, you’ll meet heroic and inspiring characters, colourful larrikins and crooks, and everyday moments told with a gentle wit that brings to life a fading Australia. Spanning tall tales from the bush, yarns from our colonial past and modern times, railway adventures, sporting legends, and more, this book reveals surprising stories about Australia’s history and the remarkable people who shaped it—men and women whose lives helped define the Aussie spirit. Born from decades of research into popular culture and history across the country, unearthing little-known facts and long-forgotten stories,The Big Book of Australian Yarnswill have you smiling for days and spinning your own yarns with mates.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/australian-yarns/

Tasmania’s Best Walks - $34.95

Tasmania is a true walker’s paradise and widely regarded as Australia’s top hiking destination. This brand new title in Australia’s bestselling walking guide series introduces 60 carefully selected walks—plus plenty of variations—ranging from easy clifftop strolls to rainforest wanders, waterfall trails, and more challenging hikes deep within the island’s iconic national parks. Each walk features detailed descriptions and clear maps to help you explore Tasmania’s breathtaking forests, glacial lakes, and dramatic coastlines. The book is packed with over 300 full-colour photographs, dozens of maps, and handy identification guides for birds, wildflowers, and fungi. A summary table provides at-a-glance information on walk distances, elevation gain, and key highlights, helping you choose the perfect walk for any occasion. Covering the entire island, this guide includes both Tasmania’s best-known tracks and hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

https://meridianmaps.com.au/product/tasmanias-best-walks/

Seasonal Updates

Please be aware that road and park closures are constantly changing and it is always best to check for changes before you set out.

For more regular updates on closures, please check our Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/MeridianWestprintMapsas we try to include warnings and advice as we become aware of them.

The latest Desert Parks Bulletin has been uploaded to our website. For this and other Desert Pass updates, please go tohttps://meridianmaps.com.au/deserts-pass-update/3

Disclaimer: These events were correct at the time they were added to the Meridian Line; however, this may have been some time before the actual event. Please make your own enquiries before travelling to an event.

What’s On

3 September: Windorah International Yabby Racesin Queensland. Forget horses, and swap four legs with eight, and soft manes for hard shells, as these crafty crustaceans scurry to the finish line.

https://www.outbackqueensland.com.au/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-windorah-international-yabby-races/

4 – 7 September: Bollon Campdraft & Rodeoin Queensland. A weekend filled with thrilling rodeo action, high-speed campdrafting, and unforgettable experiences.

https://www.stgeorgeregion.com.au/event/bollon-campdraft/#

5 – 6 September: Birdsville Racesin Queensland. The Birdsville Races are about so much more than just the centrepiece race day event. From live entertainment to fun runs to fashion and beyond, there’s plenty for everyone.

https://birdsvilleraces.com/

6 September: Vietnamese Lantern Festivalin Northern Territory. Hundreds of handmade lanterns inspired by the landscapes and culture of Northern Vietnam.Lineup of traditional music, lion dances, and contemporary Vietnamese-Australian showcases, folk games, lantern making, and face painting for all ages.

https://northernterritory.com/darwin-and-surrounds/events/vietnamese-lantern-festival

12 – 13 September: Cunnamulla Fella Roundupin Queensland. Weekend of non-stop rodeo and barrel racing action, live music, DJ spinning till late Saturday, tasty eats, a mechanical bull, bar, and heaps more!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/989782642673352/

21 September: Coolgardie Dayin Western Australia. Dedicated to family fun and community spirit. Event offers a surplus of attractions including free entertainment, market stalls, carnival rides, a lively street parade, and live music.

https://coolgardieday.com.au/

Do you have a story?

If you’ve got a trip or tips to share, we’d love to hear from you -rochelle@meridianmaps.com.au. Thank you so much to Katie Hill from Perth who sent in this amazing article about War Memorials.

War Memorials and Their Stories

I was born in 1948, a baby boomer. It was only a few years after WW11, the adults were still sore and hurting so no-one talked about it. I was aware of the war, I used to see the bomb sites in London, the pillboxes on the coast, and remember all the traffic stopping for one minute on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. But I remained oblivious to the hows and whys until about 10 years ago when I had a holiday in North France. Then I found out the grim truth, visited the museums, the landing beaches and the cemeteries. I could understand why the adults of my youth never spoke about it.

I guess I have now repeated that experience with respect to WW1. I live in Perth so had seen the parades on Anzac Day, I see the eternal flame every time I visit Kings Park and saw the modern naval ships sail into the King George Sound in Albany in 2018. But even then, I didn’t really know much about that first war. However, my husband and I have recently returned from a campervan trip around SA, NSW, Queensland and the NT, and I couldn’t help but notice all the war memorials - in large towns, small towns and the little communities. I guess I first started to take notice because some of them are works of art.

The first memorial to catch my interest was at Cradock SA, on a back road which might be an alternative route to the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound. There are very few houses in this community but the sole hotel, Cradock Hotel, seems to be thriving despite its remote location. It was here that I saw the Veterans Memorial Garden, a beautifully laid out and maintained area that is just that, a garden around a range of different memorials and informative boards. There are plaques naming those men from Cradock and District who went away to fight. At the back there is a mural depicting soldiers on horses and in front of this are two soldiers made out of wire netting. Apart from admiring these two statues for some time – the wire netting is cleverly moulded show even the facial features of the two men – I also became engrossed in one of the posters that gives fascinating information about the animals that were also part of the fighting. We all know about the horses but it seems that dogs, bats, pigeons, rats, pigs, oxen, camels, and more have all been used by the military.

(Cradock, SA)

Previously we had been to Gunnedah, NSW to see the Dorothea McKellar painted silo and had stumbled across the museum in a water tower on the other side of town. This time we deliberately went to that tower as it is not only painted but the scene depicted is taken directly from a photograph that was taken in Vietnam. It shows soldiers waiting to board the helicopter that hovers above and behind them. At least one of the men was from Gunnedah. Further round the tower is a dedication to Annie Egan, who enlisted as a nurse in 1918. The war ended shortly afterwards so she returned to Australia to assist in the nursing of the returned soldiers. She did not die on or near the battlefields but sadly, she caught the Spanish Flu and died as a result of her contact with the patients she was nursing.

(Gunnedah)

Augathella in Queensland is a small, but very colourful community. Not only is there a painted silo but many paintings on the sides of buildings – even the public toilets – and rusted-iron silhouette panels rather than statues.The war memorials in this town also included a tribute to the nurses who went to war. An informative poster honours a young woman from Augathella who joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in 1940 and sailed to Malaya as part of the 8th Australian Army Division.

(Augathella)

The War memorial in Alice Springs, NT is high on a hill overlooking the town. As you walk up the hill you realise that this is a memorial to all those who have served in the defense of their country during all the wars in which Australia has participated. It also commemorates all those who are still in action but on peace keeping engagements. Around the edge of the little plaza at the top of the hill are plaques with information about the (too) many wars and seats where people can sit peacefully.In the centre is a cenotaph – all this in white stone.

(Alice Springs, NT)

This beautiful memorial is massive and is visited by many people, locals and tourists alike. While it is impressive, some of the smaller ones of just a lone soldier are very moving. One in particular, that caused me to stop and reflect, was a small granite sculpture at Wyandra, Queensland. Just a lone soldier, with his head bowed over his hands that are crossed over his rifle butt.The statue is small and it made me think of all the boys that enlisted after lying about their age. The plaque described the events that took place at Lone Pine, a flat exposed ridge overlooking the Aegean Sea. Over the 4 days of battle there, in an area the size of two 2 tennis courts, more than 4,000 Turkish and 2273 Australian solders fought and died for their countries. I might be mixing this up with another memorial but I think it was here that I also learned that Australia had no military training in the use of weapons so the local farmers and rifle clubs took on the job.

(Wyandra, Qld)

There are many more memorials that I haven’t mentioned here, and many I have yet to find. But, as you can see, I am a lot better-informed now and will continue to take note of some the amazing, impressive and moving memorials that I come across on my travels.

Meridian Mirth

To share your jokes, please send them torochelle@meridianmaps.com.au.Many thanks to Paul for his contributions!

The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a standing $1000 bet.

The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron.

Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money.

Many people had tried over time weight-lifters, longshoremen, etc. but nobody could do it.

One day this scrawny little man came into the bar, wearing thick glasses and a polyester suit, and said in a tiny squeaky voice ” I’d like to try the bet”

After the laughter had died down, the bartender said OK, grabbed a lemon, and squeezed away.

Then he handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little man.

But the crowd’s laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and six drops fell into the glass!!

As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid the $1000, and asked the little man “what do you do for a living? Are you a lumberjack, a weight-lifter, or what?”

The scrawny little man replied “I work for the IRS.”

Father Norton woke up Sunday morning and realising it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf.

So... he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick and persuaded him to say Mass for him that day.

As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, Father Norton headed out of town to a golf course about forty miles away.

This way he knew he wouldn't accidentally meet anyone he knew from his parish. Setting up on first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday morning and everyone else was in church!

At about this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while looking down from the heavens and exclaimed,

"You're not going to let him get away with this, are you?"

The Lord sighed, and said, "No, I guess not."

Just then Father Norton hit the ball and it shot straight towards the pin, dropping just short of it, rolled up and fell into the hole.

IT WAS A 420 YARD HOLE IN ONE!

St. Peter was astonished. He looked at the Lord and asked, "Why did you let him do that?"

The Lord smiled and replied, "Who's he going to tell?"

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