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The diamond in the desert: the story of the giant Readymix logo on the Nullarbor.

The Globe

| February 01, 2004 | Whyte, Brendan | COPYRIGHT 2004 Australian Map Circle. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)Copyright

Topographic maps and aeronautic charts of the Nullarbor depict a 3.2km x 1.6km diamond shape 13km northwest of Caiguna, on the Nullarbor Plain, labelled "Readymix", "Readymix sign" or "Aerial landmark". The history of the feature is revealed, and placed in the context of the Eyre Highway, during the sealing of which the diamond was created. A cartobibliography for the diamond is also included.

Dedicated to Allan Hoare (21.11.1936-21.6.1989), who carved the diamond

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Thirteen kilometres north-west of the John Eyre motel, at Caiguna on the Eyre Highway, topographic maps and aeronautical charts depict a mysterious diamond shape, labelled "Readymix sign" or "Aerial landmark". Larger scale topographic maps portray the word 'READYMIX' in capital letters inside the diamond. For twenty years from 1972, Guinness Book of Records listed the word as the world's largest letters. This paper investigates this unique cartographic feature, to determine the history of the diamond: who created it, when and why, using surviving documentary sources and interviews with those involved. A possible controversy over the original purpose of the diamond is analysed and explained, and a cartobibliography of maps and aerial photographs depicting the diamond is included.

EARLY NULLARBOR HISTORY

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