Australia Archives and Libraries

Australia

Archives collect and preserve original documents from organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books and maps. This article describes the major archives and libraries in Australia that hold genealogical and historical information.

Many of these archives and libraries have Web sites showing information on addresses and services, and a description of their holdings. Some have an online catalog.

National Archives
The National Archives of Australia holds the records of the Commonwealth government. State Archives hold the records of government for each state. Some Archive web sites include indexes to the material held in that archive eg. immigration, convict records, census, court records, hospitals, divorce, land, patents etc.

National Library of Australia

Most records date back to the 1901 Federation of Australia, but some date back even earlier.

The following is an older general guide to the archives and libraries in Australia:

White, Olga, Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, and Jennifer Nash, comp. Our Heritage. O’Connor, Australian Capital Territory, Australia: Australian Society of Archivists, 1983. (Family History Library Call No. 994 J54w.)

Another guide to the collection:

Australian Archives. Relations in records: a Guide to Family History Sources in the Australian Archives. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1988. (Family History Library Call No. 994 A3r.)

If you plan to visit one of these repositories, check their website for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees.

Most archives have catalogs, inventories, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before visiting an archive so that you can use your time there more effectively. Many of these guides are available at the Family History Library, at public or university libraries, or through interlibrary loan.

Catalogs, inventories, and periodicals available at the Family History Library are listed at AUSTRALIA - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS.

Additional listings are available by a Place Search (Locality) by entering an Australian State as part of Australia: "AUSTRALIA, [STATE] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS"

The following guide to the National Library is available at the Family History Library:Burmester, C. A., comp. National Library of Australia guide to the collections. Canberra, Australia: National Library of Australia, 1974. (Family History Library Call No. 994 A5ca.) A Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales.Numbers 1–30. Sydney, Australia: Archives Authority, 1971–. (Family History Library Call No. 994.4 A35gc.)

''Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales. 'Number 13, Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales'. Sydney, Australia: The Authority, 1969. (Family History Library Call No. 994.4 A35g no. 13.)

Provenance Catalogue. Queensland State Archives. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1981. (Family History Library microfilm 1239122– 1239123

Ancestors in archives: a guide to family history sources in the official records of South Australia. Adelaide, South Australia, Australia: Government of South Australia, 1991. (Family History Library Call Number 994.23 A37a.)

Watson, Lilian, and Neil Chick. The Archives office of Tasmania. Research Note Series Number 7. Tasmania: Genealogical Society of Tasmania, 1986. (Family History Library Call No. 994.6 D27w)

Genealogical sources. Victoria, Australia: Public Record Office, 1984. (Family History Library Call No. 994.5/M1 D23g.)

State and Territory Libraries
State and Territory Libraries hold family history collections specialising in resources for their state and a selection of material relating to other areas of Australia and Overseas.

Australia Capitol Territory

 * 

New South Wales

 * State Records - New South Wales
 * ACT Heritage Library

New South Wales

Northern Territory

 * Northern Territory Archives Service

Queensland

 * Queensland Government State Archives

South Australia

 * State Records of South Australia

Tasmania

 * Archives Office of Tasmania

Victoria

 * Public Record Office - Victoria's Archives

Western Australia

 * State Records of Western Australia


 * Northern Territory Library
 * State Library of New South Wales - Family History Service
 * State Library of Queensland - Family and Local Historians
 * State Library of South Australia - Family History Service and Collection
 * State Library of Tasmania - Family History Resources
 * State Library of Victoria - Genealogists and Family Historians
 * State Library of Western Australia - Family History Service

Contact information for other libraries in Australia may be found at the Australian Libraries Gateway.

The following book contains a listing of indexes that are available in Australian libraries:

Henty, Margaret, and Rachel Jakimow. Indexes in Australian libraries. Canberra, Australia: National Library of Australia, 1995. (Family History Library Call No. 994 A3h.)