Omission of Tasmania from maps of Australia

The Australian island state of Tasmania has been omitted from maps of Australia over time. Such omissions often provoke outrage from Tasmanians, or amusement on the mainland Australia.

Map of Australia with Tasmania highlighted in Red.

Early omissions

In 1909, the Daily Post of Hobart reported that "very often maps of the Commonwealth... are not graced with the fair island of Tasmania depicted on them."[1]

1982 Commonwealth Games

During the 1982 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, performers created a map of Australia that omitted Tasmania.[2] Tasmanian poet Andrew Sant wrote "Off the Map" in response:

Performers making a map of Australia (excluding Tasmania) during the 1982 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

Identity deleted,
Close to the Continent
Who wouldn't make a fuss?
There have been wars for less...[3]

2014 Commonwealth Games

The Australian swim team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games were issued training swimsuits with a stylised design featuring maps of Australia, along with kangaroos and emus. The animals obscured Tasmania, and the design was criticized for leaving Tasmania off the map. Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman called the omission "un-Australian and unforgivable".[2]

Other incidents
In 1995, Portugal issued a 200 escudo coin commemorating Portugal's discovery of Australia, but the map used did not include Tasmania.
  • Australian athletes at the 1956 Summer Olympics, held in Melbourne, Australia, wore tracksuits that featured a map of Australia excluding Tasmania.[4]
  • In 2000 the island was left off the Australian map in some of the official literature for the Sydney Olympics.[5]
  • Tasmania was omitted from the map of Australia shown on some promotional posters of the 2008 film Australia.[2]
  • In 2012, Arnott's Biscuits produced a biscuit in the shape of mainland Australia.[6]
  • In 2013, South Australia adopted a logo that also omitted Tasmania.[7]
  • In 2016, Woolworths Supermarkets were forced to withdraw Australia Day caps from sale which featured a map of Australia without Tasmania.[8]
  • In 2019 Thins Crisps released a Pie & Sauce flavour crisps which had a map of Australia with Tasmania omitted on the package.[9]

See also

References
  1. "Looking after Tasmania". Daily Post. II (171). Tasmania, Australia. 20 July 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 22 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Hope, Emma (25 July 2014). "We demand an apology for snub after Tasmania is left off the map again". The Mercury. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  3. Shakespeare, Nicholas (2010). In Tasmania: Adventures at the End of the World. p. 26. ISBN 9781407074153. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. Image of Shirley Strickland in her Australian tracksuit at the 1956 Olympic Games
  5. http://bluffers.com/tasmania/
  6. Jones, Grant (13 January 2012). "Tasmania is missing from inside a box of Australia-shaped biscuits by Arnott's Shapes". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. Usher, Melanie. "South Australia New State logo". HIT 107. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  8. Calligeros, Marissa (20 January 2016). "Woolworths forced to withdraw Australia Day merchandise after leaving Tasmania off hats". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  9. Tassie Left Out Again, retrieved 28 February 2020
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