This map, dated 1838, shows an earlier proposal for the subdivision of Australia into 10 states. It was published by the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society in London, and accompanied an article entitled Considerations on the Political Geography and Geographical Nomenclature of Australia.
And if you keep on scrolling down, you will find more than 100 other interesting pieces of cartography. As a self-professed map geek, I find this to be one of the most fascinating sites on the Web.
