A new map tracing ancient trade routes, songlines and walking paths is giving caravanners a deeper way to connect with the country they’re crossing.

The Australia Indigenous Journeys Map, developed by Hema Maps in collaboration with geologist James Allen with input from Traditional Owners, marks out the pathways pre-dating highways, fences and townships by tens of thousands of years.

Mapped with Cultural Care

For travellers heading off-grid or taking the long road between remote communities, it offers context beyond what’s shown on standard maps – revealing the enduring cultural significance of the places they pass.

The routes span the continent, showing where First Nations people once moved seasonally, traded goods or shared stories and law.

 Discover

• Detailed Pathways shaped by trade, ceremony, kinship and seasonal patterns
• Indigenous Cultural/Art Centres
• Traded Goods & Cultural Exchange ranging from ochre, shells and stone tools to ceremonial goods and native plants
• 250+ Indigenous Language Groups presented with cultural sensitivity and acknowledgment of AIATSIS sources
• Authentic Landscape View as it may have appeared when it was solely inhabited by Indigenous Peoples, including traditional names for key places

A Collaborative Cultural Resource 

Compiled by explorer and geologist James Allen, the project draws on extensive field research (2020–24) and was created with cultural input from Traditional Owners and the cartographic expertise of Hema’s own Craig Molyneux, a Gunditjmara man.

Hema also acknowledges Shelley Thomas for her efforts coordinating the multiple stakeholders associated with this project. 

Travel with Awareness

While it’s not a tool for navigating road conditions, the map grants curious travellers a starting point to look beyond what’s visible through the windscreen.

The map is available for $15.95 and comes with acknowledgements to the Elders and communities who shared knowledge for the project.

Australia Indigenous Journeys Map