The National Archives welcomes a new Director-General

22 December 2011

Minister for the Arts, the Hon Simon Creane MP has announced the appointment of David Fricker as the new Director-General of the National Archives of Australia. Mr Fricker is joining the National Archives on 1 January 2012. He comes to the Archives from his previous role, as Deputy Director-General, Corporate and Strategy with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

Latest postgraduate scholarship recipients to shed more light on Australia's political history

19 December 2011

Joint postgraduate scholarships from the National Archives of Australia and the Australian Historical Association (AHA), launched in July this year, have been awarded to Laura Stanley from Victoria University and Claire Higgins from the University of Oxford.

Exploring small-town Australia

6 December 2011

Smalltown, a new photographic exhibition at the National Archives in Canberra, takes a nostalgic look at far-flung towns across the nation through the eyes of photographer Martin Mischkulnig and author Tim Winton.

Traversing Antarctica: the Australian experience

1 December 2011

A new exhibition developed by the National Archives of Australia, in conjunction with the Australian Antarctic Division and the Western Australian Museum.

Hobart's one-stop archival shop

1 December 2011

The National Archives of Australia's Hobart office has now moved to share facilities with the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office (TAHO) at LINC Tasmania premises, 91 Murray Street, Hobart.

Rarely seen First World War portraits revealed ahead of Remembrance Day

4 November 2011

Portraits of 500 Australian First World War diggers will soon be seen in Australia, many for the first time, in a collection of digitised photographs revealed today by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Warren Snowdon.

New website reveals the birth of our nation's capital

19 October 2011

A new website that documents the development of Australia’s capital city from 1920s to the 1930s portrayed through the eyes of government photographer William James Mildenhall was launched today.

Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize™

23 September 2011

The National Archives in Canberra is again hosting the top entries in the Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize™, with the exhibition launched last night by Prue Acton OBE, fashion designer, artist and environmental activist. The Archives is the only venue outside Adelaide to host the leading art from the competition.

Archives honoured with UNESCO prize

29 August 2011

The National Archives of Australia has been honoured with an international award from the UNESCO Memory of the World project, to acknowledge its leading role in digital preservation.

Be part of our history, tick 'Yes' to Question 60

5 August 2011

On Census night, 9 August 2011, Australians have an opportunity to ensure their story is preserved in our national history for generations to come.

Travel to Archives is history, with new postgraduate scholarships

7 July 2011

The National Archives of Australia today launched a joint scholarship program with the Australian Historical Association (AHA) at the AHA annual regional conference in Launceston.

Constitution Day – Archives celebrates with old-fashioned family fun!

5 July 2011

This Saturday, Constitution Day celebrations include old-fashioned family activities from 1900 at the National Archives.

National Archives guide for researchers of the Northern Territory's past

1 July 2011

The Minister for Freedom of Information Brendan O'Connor today announced the release of a new guide to the historical records of the Northern Territory by the National Archives of Australia.

A Constitution for all Australians – the Top End experience

28 June 2011

Be part of a thought-provoking discussion with some of Australia’s leading commentators. This free forum will explore what the Constitution means for the Northern Territory.

Launch: National Archives guide for researchers of the Northern Territory’s past

27 June 2011

Join the National Archives of Australia in Darwin as the Administrator for the Northern Territory, Tom Pauling AO QC, and the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Federal Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information, launch, Commonwealth Records about the Northern Territory – a guide to the fascinating historical records of the Territory held by the National Archives of Australia.

National Archives a world leader in preservation

30 May 2011

The National Archives of Australia has today been awarded the 2011 UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World prize for innovation in preserving digital records and heritage documents.

Historic homecoming for Griffin drawing

23 May 2011

For the first time in a century one of the drawings that won Walter Burley Griffin the Federal Capital Design Competition is being reunited with the other competition drawings.

National Archives display uncovers Cabinet secrets

30 March 2011

The National Archives of Australia announces Out of the Cabinet, a new changing display to highlight the amendments to the open period in Cabinet records.

Find your roots in the National Archives

23 February 2011

The National Archives is encouraging people to discover their family roots with the fourth annual Shake Your Family Tree day on Friday 25 February 2011.

National Archives grants benefit research projects

10 February 2011

Five high-profile research projects will come to fruition due to the National Archives of Australia 2010 grants program.

How to save documents after the flood

10 December 2010

The National Archives of Australia provides online advice on salvaging personal records after a flood. Its website contains practical steps to take when householders are trying to save wet documents.

Quest for the South Magnetic Pole

7 December 2010

Quest for the South Magnetic Pole, a new exhibition at the National Archives of Australia, traces one of the longest and most elusive searches in exploration history.

A tribute to kiaps

19 November 2010

Australians who served as kiaps (patrol officers) in Papua New Guinea before Independence, are sharing their memories in a tribute event at the National Archives in Canberra this Saturday.

The beauty and fragility of our natural world

23 September 2010

The National Archives in Canberra is the only venue outside Adelaide to host the top entries in the Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize – Australia’s richest natural history art competition.

Calling all kiaps

14 September 2010

Thirty-five years after Papua New Guinea gained independence on 16 September 1975, the National Archives of Australia is now paying tribute to the 2000 Australians who served there as patrol officers (kiaps).

Australia’s female criminals uncovered

11 June 2010

The latest exhibition at the National Archives in Canberra, Femme Fatale: the female criminal, contrasts the true stories of some of Australia’s most infamous women with the way female criminals are portrayed within popular culture.

‘One amazing person’ – Stanley Melbourne Bruce exhibition’s last days

21 May 2010

An exhibition that has opened Australians’ eyes to the talents and international contributions of Stanley Melbourne Bruce is in its final days at the National Archives in Canberra.

Senator Lundy: Gov 2.0 – communities and conversations

3 May 2010

Senator for the ACT, Kate Lundy, will launch Information Awareness Month in the ACT at the National Archives of Australia on Tuesday 4 May 2010.

Find local Anzacs online

23 April 2010

The National Archives' website Mapping our Anzacs provides an easy way for people to discover World War I diggers from their family or their community – and also pay tribute to them.

Archives Helps Australians Preserve Family Treasures

19 February 2010

The National Archives of Australia has announced the release of Keeping Family Treasures, an illustrated guide on how to look after precious family heirlooms.

Go Online for Family History at Archives – Brisbane office

19 February 2010

Australians are encouraged to discover the digital and preserve the original at the National Archives’ annual ‘Shake Your Family Tree’ day, held at the Archives’ Brisbane office on Tuesday 23 February.

Go Online for Family History at Archives – Canberra office

19 February 2010

Australians are encouraged to discover the digital and preserve the original at the National Archives’ annual ‘Shake Your Family Tree’ day, held in Canberra and all capital cities on Tuesday 23 February.

Go Online for Family History at Archives – Melbourne office

19 February 2010

Australians are encouraged to discover the digital and preserve the original at the National Archives’ annual ‘Shake Your Family Tree’ day, held at the Archives’ North Melbourne office on Tuesday 23 February.

Go Online for Family History at Archives – Perth office

19 February 2010

Australians are encouraged to discover the digital and preserve the original at the National Archives’ annual ‘Shake Your Family Tree’ day, held at the Archives’ Perth office on Tuesday 23 February.

Go Online for Family History at Archives – Sydney office

17 February 2010

Australians are encouraged to discover the digital and preserve the original at the National Archives’ annual ‘Shake Your Family Tree’ day, held at the Archives’ Sydney office on Tuesday 23 February.

Archives Touring Exhibition Reveals Shell-shocked Nation

19 February 2010

A new touring exhibition from the National Archives of Australia reveals the legacy of sorrow endured by thousands of Australians following World War I.

Stanley Melbourne Bruce at The National Archives

17 November 2009

A new exhibition showcasing for the first time the rich collection of Stanley Melbourne Bruce, Australia’s eighth Prime Minister, goes on show at the National Archives in Canberra on 11 December.

Desperately seeking Ethel

26 October 2009

The National Archives is urging Australians to find letters or objects connected to Ethel Bruce, the wife of the nation’s eighth Prime Minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce, whose story forms part of an exhibition opening at the National Archives in Canberra in December.

Prize-winning artworks at the National Archives

18 September 2009

The 33 prize-winning and highly commended artworks from Australia’s richest natural history art competition, the Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, will go on show at the National Archives in Canberra on 24 September.

Alternatives to Federation, then and now

1 September 2009

Former premier of South Australia John Bannon will examine the state of federalism, past and present, including the problems facing the Murray–Darling river system, in the National Archives’ Constitution Founders Lecture in Adelaide.

Archives urges government employees to 'Keep the Knowledge'

20 August 2009

All Australian Government employees are again being urged to ‘keep the knowledge’ in a National Archives of Australia initiative to ensure their records management responsibilities are understood.

Citizenship ceremonies mark Constitution Day

7 July 2009

The National Archives has joined forces with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to highlight the importance of the Australian Constitution to all citizens, new and old.

Chief Justice launches National Archives display

7 July 2009

The Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, Robert French, will launch No Common Creation, a display about the court’s history, at the National Archives of Australia on Wednesday 8 July at 6pm.

National Archives Council marks anniversary

19 June 2009

The National Archives Advisory Council marks its 100th meeting on Friday 19 June with the launch of A Necessary Safeguard, a history of the Council written by historian Dr Hilary Golder.

Come face to face with convict women at the Archives

11 May 2009

A confronting and inspiring exhibition that explores the harsh lives of women held in convict female factories opens at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra on 14 May 2009.

Apply for National Archives research grants

1 April 2009

Grants worth a total of $40,000 are available to researchers, scholars and archivists to help produce innovative research projects using the vast and diverse collection of the National Archives of Australia.

National Archives Advisory Council welcomes changes

17 March 2009

The National Archives of Australia Advisory Council has welcomed today’s announcement by Cabinet Secretary, Senator Faulkner of far-reaching reforms to the Archives Act.

The secret life of Miss Ruby Payne-Scott

12 March 2009

How times have changed . . . to mark Women’s History Month, the National Archives has uncovered previously secret ASIO files which shed light on the extraordinary career, cut short by pregnancy and forced retirement, of pioneer radio physicist and outspoken advocate for women’s rights Ruby Payne-Scott (1912–81).

Discover personal treasures at the Archives

18 February 2009

Australians are encouraged to explore their family history when the National Archives hosts a Shake Your Family Tree day in each of its capital city offices on Wednesday 25 February, from 10am to 4pm.

Remembering local heroes online

19 December 2008

Thousands of Australians across the nation are discovering more about World War I diggers and their communities by visiting Mapping our Anzacs a new website developed by the National Archives.

HMAS Sydney – key documents online

19 November 2008

The recent discovery of the HMAS Sydney has resulted in renewed interest in the National Archives’ records of the disaster.

Looking at Darwin with new eyes

18 November 2008

Darwin historian Dr Mickey Dewar has shed new light on the city’s postwar history, with a research grant from the National Archives of Australia.

Prime Minister opens Shell-shocked: Australia after Armistice

12 November 2008

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today opened a new exhibition at the National Archives, which shows the ongoing impact of World War I on Australia and its people.

Prime Minister to open Shell-shocked: Australia after Armistice

11 November 2008

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will open the new exhibition Shell-shocked: Australia after Armistice at the National Archives of Australia.

The enduring legacy of Armistice

6 November 2008

When Anzac veterans returned to Gallipoli in 1965, 50 years after their initial landing, they were met by four backpackers. In 1990, on the 75th anniversary, they were met by 10,000 people.

Fred, Frank or James – the digger with three names

5 November 2008

When World War I veteran James Carlin applied to join his local returned servicemen’s club in 1965, the army was unable to find any record to verify his war service.

Looking at Darwin with new eyes

28 October 2008

Darwin historian Dr Mickey Dewar has shed new light on the city’s post-war history, with a research grant from the National Archives of Australia.

Farewell to fashion pics

10 October 2008

The celebration of fashion photography from the 1960s and 1970s is coming to an end at the National Archives in Canberra.

Holt’s briefcase preserved for posterity

22 October 2008

Harold Holt’s briefcase, which the former prime minister took to Portsea on the weekend he went missing, is on display in the National Archives in Canberra.

Kissing games in the National Archives

9 October 2008

Kissing games, small busts and fickle fiancés were major concerns for teenagers in 1961, according to the National Archives’ latest Find of the Month.

Australia’s richest natural history art prize

25 September 2008

Top entries in Australia’s richest natural history art prize feature in a new exhibition at the National Archives in Canberra.

National Archives award for creative visualisation

17 September 2008

The National Archives of Australia will support a groundbreaking project that uses creative visualisation to interpret large sets of archival data, with its 2008 Ian Maclean Award.

Reel Memories – at the National Archives

12 September 2008

As part of the 2008 Floriade trails, the National Archives of Australia is screening Reel Memories, a selection of film clips that show how much the nation has changed in the past 60 years.

Anzac mythology obscures reality

11 September 2008

Historian Dr Craig Stockings revealed how Anzac mythology can obscure the reality of Australian military history, in a lecture at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra on 16 September.

'Pneu tube' all the rage

8 September 2008

While communicators today share their news through You Tube, in 1925 the ‘pneu tube’ was all the rage.

Ten years on...

2 September 2008

Ten years after Senator Margaret Reid opened the restored East Block to house the National Archives of Australia, she returned to help celebrate the decade.

Celebration of 60s fashion

7 August 2008

People around Australia can now see the National Archives’ popular exhibition Strike a Pose online. The exhibition, which recently opened, features trends of the 1960s and 1970s in a celebration of Australian fashion photography.

Predictions for ‘rather a dry year’ in 1908

17 August 2008

‘Rather a dry year’ was in store for Australia in 1908, according to long range weather forecaster J Harcourt Giddons. The National Archives has chosen Giddons’ 1908 Commonwealth Weather Chart as its August Find of the Month.

Archives should seek ‘natural allies’

6 August 2008

Government archivists across the world should develop close links with ‘natural allies’ to encourage better recordkeeping across their public services, says Ross Gibbs, Director-General of the National Archives of Australia.

From carbon paper to laser printers

1 August 2008

From carbon paper to laser printers, the story of office copying has been captured in The Office Copying Revolution, a new book by conservator Ian Batterham, published by the National Archives of Australia.

Global electronic standard the way of the future

24 July 2008

A multinational team, led by archival institutions in Australia and New Zealand, has published a global standard for recordkeeping software. The National Archives of Australia has worked with the national archives of 11 nations to develop an agreed set of standards for software products that are used to make and keep records.

National Archives push for integrated digital preservation

24 July 2008

The National Archives of Australia continues to push for an integrated approach to managing digital information at the 16th International Council on Archives (ICA) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Held every four years, the Congress celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2008, and has attracted 1200 archivists from 138 countries. The ICA promotes the preservation, development and use of the world’s archival heritage.

Strike a Pose ... with Lee Lin Chin

17 July 2008

Trends of the 1960s and 1970s have taken centre stage at the National Archives in Canberra with a celebration of Australian fashion photography. Strike a Pose … with Lee Lin Chin explores the world of Australian style up to 40 years ago, when trendsetters created a fashion revolution with a mix of mini skirts, space-aged garments and granny dresses.

Senator Faulkner: Australian Constitution like stump-jump plough

9 July 2008

Cabinet Secretary, Senator John Faulkner, has likened the Australian Constitution to a stump-jump plough, designed to go over obstacles without actually removing them.

Making Australia Home

9 July 2008

Cabinet Secretary, Senator John Faulkner, today launched the National Archives’ Making Australia Home project which aims to progressively make Australia’s historic immigration records available online. The National Archives has already digitised 74,000 items, giving family researchers and others the opportunity to view and print their files at home.

Citizenship ceremonies mark Constitution Day

9 July 2008

The National Archives has joined forces with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to highlight the importance of the Australian Constitution to all citizens, new and old.

Constitution a barrier to Aboriginal electorate

3 July 2008

A proposal to establish a federal Aboriginal electorate that crossed state boundaries, came up against ‘a constitutional barrier’ in 1949.

Antarctic map presentation

23 June 2008

The first Australian map of the whole Antarctic continent, published in 1939, became part of the National Archives of Australia’s collection today, with a presentation by the Australian Antarctic Division.

Historic footage from National Archives for Antarctic Film Festival

21 June 2008

The National Archives of Australia is proud to be co-sponsoring and hosting the Longest Night Film Festival as part of this year’s Mid-Winter Antarctic Festival.

Information in a digital world

18 June 2008

The challenges of managing information in a digital world will be discussed by national archivists from Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand at the National Convention Centre in Canberra today.

Celebrating the Constitution

13 June 2008

The people of Brisbane will have a one-day opportunity to view Sir Samuel Griffith’s personal 1891 draft of the Australian Constitution this week.

Farewell to Max Dupain

13 June 2008

Visitors to the National Archives in Canberra have only one more week to catch the Max Dupain on Assignment exhibition.

Gough Whitlam's recollections of 11 November 1975

10 June 2008

Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam has shared his personal recollections of 11 November 1975, the day he was dismissed by then Governor-General Sir John Kerr.

Choosing a site for Watson’s Bay post office in 1889

3 June 2008

Getting the mail through in colonial Australia wasn’t always an easy matter. In the days before Federation in 1901, the safe delivery of letters depended upon the dedication of posties who often suffered from accidents, poor health and hardship.

As its Find of the Month for June, the National Archives of Australia has chosen to feature documents relating to postal services in the early days of the nation.

Release of Hope Royal Commission records

13 May 2008

From 1974 to 1977 the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security, headed by Justice Robert Marsden Hope, investigated the Australian intelligence agencies. While some reports were published at the time, others have been securely stored for 30 years.

Now, 30 years after the conclusion of the Royal Commission, the National Archives of Australia is releasing much of the material from the reports and more than 1000 records created or received by the Commission.

Footprints: The Journey of Lucy and Percy Pepper

13 May 2008

Footprints, a book portraying the struggles of Lucy and Percy Pepper, has been published jointly by the National Archives of Australia and Public Record Office Victoria.

Central role for National Archives

2 May 2008

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has welcomed the agency’s transfer today into the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Banish the budget blues – at the National Archives

1 May 2008

In writing ‘Banish the budget blues’ in 1930, popular songwriter and entertainer Jack Lumsdaine captured the spirit of many Australians trying to overcome hardship with a song and a laugh during the Great Depression.

The camera at Gallipoli

7 April 2008

Photographs of Australian troops at Gallipoli, taken by three young diggers in 1915, have been chosen by the National Archives of Australia as its April Find of the Month exhibit.

The games we played

25 March 2008

Colourful board games, played by Australians in the early 1900s, will also tempt players at the National Folk Festival in Canberra this Easter.

Family Journeys book launch

19 March 2008

Actor Noni Hazlehurst spoke about her family’s arrival in Melbourne as ‘ten-pound poms’ today when she launched Family Journeys, the book containing their story, published by the National Archives of Australia.

What’s in a name – Canberra or Frazer Roo?

11 March 2008

Australia’s capital city may have been known as Gamelyn, Nardoo, Aurora or Frazer Roo if some of the nation’s early politicians had their way.

Senator Faulkner to launch family history day

26 February 2008

Senator Faulkner, Special Minister of State and Minister responsible for the National Archives of Australia will officially open the National Archives 'Shake Your Family Tree' day at 10.00am on Wednesday 27 February.

High Court archives on Memory of the World register

20 February 2008

This week, the archives of the High Court of Australia will be added to the Australian register for UNESCO’s Memory of the World program. Memory of the World is a register of significant heritage documents maintained by UNESCO. It is the equivalent of the World Heritage List, which records sites of natural and built heritage significance.

After the flood – rescuing damaged records and photos

19 February 2008

Help is at hand to salvage water-damaged personal records. The National Archives of Australia has released website content that highlights practical steps to take when faced with wet personal documents.

Molly Meldrum and his royal faux pas

15 February 2008

A limited edition LP, Silver Jubilee Australian Top 20 has been selected by the National Archives of Australia as its February Find of the Month, not only for its royal significance but also because of a faux pas by Countdown presenter Molly Meldrum.

Shake your family tree

15 February 2008

Visitors to the National Archives are often surprised and delighted to find information about themselves and their families in the collection. To encourage Australians to unearth these personal treasures, all Australians are invited to a national day of activities.

Origins of the Australian Flag

8 January 2008

Following Federation in 1901, the new Commonwealth government held a competition to design an Australian flag. It attracted 32,000 entries from around the world, including five similar designs which were declared the joint winners.

However, 50 years later there was some controversy about the origins of the design.

Aussie slang arrives on stage

20 December 2007

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, one of the first plays to authentically portray Australians and their speech, has been selected by the National Archives as its December find of the month.

Max Dupain on assignment

13 December 2007

A new exhibition at the National Archives features many Max Dupain photographs that have never been seen before.

Archiving the Dismissal

6 December 2007

Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam has presented the National Archives of Australia with a handwritten notice of motion drafted in the hour following his dismissal in 1975 by then Governor-General Sir John Kerr.

Media access to 1977 Cabinet documents

4 December 2007

The National Archives will release the 1977 Cabinet documents under embargo to journalists on Tuesday 4 December.

Faces of Australia online

30 November 2007

Through its new web feature, Faces of Australia, the National Archives is inviting Australians across the nation to identify themselves or family members who may have been captured on film by government photographers in the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

Rebuilding Darwin after the bombs

16 November 2007

A history of the city of Darwin in the postwar period has gained the support of the National Archives of Australia through its $15,000 Frederick Watson Fellowship.

Lunchtime talk by award winning artist

9 November 2007

Michelago sculptor Steven Holland has been recognised as one of the top artists in Australia, by taking out a major prize in the prestigious Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize.

Looking beyond the Anzac myth

8 November 2007

A groundbreaking investigation into the neglected Battle of Bardia in World War II has attracted the support of the National Archives of Australia, through its $10,000 Margaret George Award.

A long way from Rome

8 November 2007

The records of 1777 Italian migrants who settled in Queensland in the mid-1950s have been placed online by the National Archives of Australia’s Brisbane office.

Holt films presented to National Archives

31 October 2007

A selection of films belonging to former Australian prime minister Harold Holt has been given by his family to the National Archives of Australia for safekeeping.

An Ode to Phar Lap

25 October 2007

Phar Lap remains Australia’s most famous racehorse, even 75 years after his death.

Rare opportunity to view natural history art winners

25 October 2007

The works of some of Australia's most prestigious natural history artists will feature in a new exhibition opening at the National Archives in Canberra this month.

Japan and Australia – an old friendship uncovered

24 October 2007

Before the horrors of Kokoda and the POW camps, the Japanese played a vital role in the defence and economic security of Australia, says award-winning author Dr Pam Oliver from Monash University.

In the Interest of National Security

10 October 2007

A book on civilian internment during World War II, published by the National Archives of Australia in February 2007, has been chosen for a NSW Premier's History Award, announced last night.

National Archives guidance for Pacific Island nations

2 October 2007

Australian Consul-General to New Caledonia Jane Urquhart will host the launch of the National Archives’ Pacific Recordkeeping for Good Governance Toolkit at the Australian consulate in Noumea this evening (2 October).

Australia’s support for Free-French movement

2 October 2007

Secret cablegrams recording Australia’s support for the Free-French movement in New Caledonia during World War II form part of a gift to be presented by the National Archives of Australia in Noumea this evening.

Digital Futures – across borders

26 September 2007

Hosted by the National Archives of Australia, the Digital Futures forum at Parliament House attracted archival experts from nine countries who shared their expertise in the hopes of finding joint solutions to global problems.

No shortage of conspiracy theories

19 September 2007

When the Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared into the sea off Cheviot Beach in December 1967, there was no shortage of conspiracy theories as to his whereabouts.

Archives welcomes teachers’ grants

14 September 2007

The National Archives of Australia has welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement of $5000 Summer School grants for teachers.

Digital Futures – meeting the challenges

14 September 2007

Hosted by the National Archives of Australia, Digital Futures has attracted the cream of international recordkeepers and archivists to share their expertise in the hope of finding joint solutions to global challenges.

Preserving the Griffin vision

12 September 2007

The artworks that created the vision for Canberra came close to being lost forever, says conservator Ian Batterham from the National Archives of Australia.

Keep it for the future!

30 August 2007

Community groups who wish to preserve photographs and papers that document their own history now have an easy-to-use guide prepared by the National Archives of Australia.

Muslim lives online

29 August 2007

The Uncommon Lives: Muslim Journeys website, which was produced with support from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, was launched by Senator Gary Humphries today.

Cameleers, hawkers, divers and herbalists

28 August 2007

Award-winning author Hanifa Deen will share her findings on early Muslim settlement in Australia in a public lecture.

Heritage on iPod

13 August 2007

New iPod tour from the National Archives transports users from items in the collection to the history of the time, the heritage site and photographs which enhance understanding of the era.

Boy scouts to defend Australia

8 August 2007

Australian boy scouts may have got more than they bargained for in 1939 if the Lyons government had taken up a suggestion to use them for unpaid border patrol.

RG Neale Lecture 2007 – Australia's relations with China

2 August 2007

The year of 1976 was a turning point for Australia’s relations with China and for China itself, according to Professor John Fitzgerald from La Trobe University, who delivered the 2007 RG Neale Lecture on the subject on 2 August.

Wrecked! Tragedy and the Southern Seas

2 August 2007

The drama and tragedy of shipwrecks along the Australian coast feature in Wrecked! Tragedy and the Southern Seas at the National Archives of Australia from 26 July.

Archival award paves the way for future research

31 July 2007

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has announced University of Melbourne researcher Gavan McCarthy as the winner of the 2007–08 Ian Maclean Award.

Cracking the code – the continuing intrigue surrounding HMAS Sydney

26 July 2007

Since 1999 naval historian Captain Peter Hore (ret) has been researching one of Australia’s most intriguing mysteries, the disappearance of the HMAS Sydney.

Celebrating the Australian Constitution

11 July 2007

The National Archives of Australia marked 9 July this year with a series of activities celebrating the Australian Constitution and giving Australians the opportunity to learn more about the documents that have shaped our lives for more than 100 years.

New citizens commemorate Australian Constitution

11 July 2007

His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, conferred citizenship on 10 newcomers to Australia in a special ceremony at the National Archives of Australia today (9 July).

Introducing Sergeant Pepper to the Australian Constitution

11 July 2007

The National Achives of Australia marked 9 July this year with a series of activities celebrating the Australian Constitution and giving Australians the opportunity to learn more about the documents that have shaped our lives for more than 100 years.

The cost of a kiss

11 July 2007

Seven-year-old Maira Kalnins found herself in the midst of political outrage after she was chosen as the face of the Displaced Persons Program in Australia in 1949.

Childhood memories of World War II

22 June 2007

Memories of air raid practice at school during World War II and a surreptitious taste of chewing gum inspired Queensland woman Joan Beddoe to compile a book of similar childhood recollections from around Australia.

Art schools uncovered

18 June 2007

From the earliest years Australian art schools were more than training institutions for painters and sculptors. They were also the places where actors, designers, writers, teachers, architects and other creative minds mingled during their formative years.

Knitting socks for soldiers

14 June 2007

Australian women knitting socks for soldiers during World War I had to follow strict instructions to ensure a quality product for our boys, says Alva Maguire, a researcher with the National Archives of Australia.

The stories behind Indigenous films

14 June 2007

The films of renowned filmmaker Ian Dunlop were seen by the Indigenous people he documented as a way of getting their own cultural message out to the wider community, says Pip Deveson, who has spent the past year exploring Dunlop’s Yirrkala Film Project.

Campaigning in the kitchen – dishing up democracy

12 June 2007

The record ‘yes’ vote in the 1967 referendum was a step forward for all Australians, says Canberra heritage consultant Lenore Coltheart.

National Archives cuts greenhouse gases

1 June 2007

The National Archives of Australia has saved more than 25 tonnes of greenhouse gases over the past year, following the installation of 122 solar panels on the roof of its Brisbane repository since March 2006. The organisation sees World Environment Day (5 June 2007) as an ideal opportunity to review its achievements.

Humanity in the Midst of Conflict

1 June 2007

The 24 photographs were taken by professional photographers as well as Red Cross staff in different areas of armed conflict. They portray moving episodes in a range of countries between 1971 and 2006.

Drawing together exhibition

17 May 2007

The National Archives of Australia is hosting an exhibition of some of Australia’s most impressive Indigenous artworks, together for the first time, to mark the fortieth anniversary of the 1967 referendum.

Volunteering: The Australian Experience

16 May 2007

Associate Professor Melanie Oppenheimer, an historian from the University of Western Sydney, presented her preliminary findings in a public lecture Volunteering: The Australian Experience at the National Archives in Canberra on Tuesday, 15 May during National Volunteer Week.

Cool thinking amid the urgency

24 April 2007

A small key and an Australian ID pass, now residing in the National Archives collection, are reminders of cool thinking at an urgent time, during the evacuation of Australians from Saigon in 1975.

A Gift to the Nation

11 April 2007

The Prime Minister, the Honourable John Howard today (11 April 2007) launched A Gift to the Nation, a project that gives Australians online access to the service files of 376,000 men and women who served during World War I.

When camels ruled and life was tough

2 April 2007

The National Archives of Australia handed over reference copies of more than 700 historic photographs of the Northern Territory to the National Trust (NT) on Monday.

Memory of a Nation

22 March 2007

‘This exhibition celebrates the people and events that have shaped our nation,’ said Ross Gibbs, Director-General of the National Archives of Australia.

Tracking down the past

14 March 2007

Family history buffs and other researchers can learn more about tracking down the past in a series of new help sessions at the National Archives in Canberra.

A cheeky letter to the Prime Minister

6 March 2007

High-profile Australian activist Jessie Street was seeking a ‘fair go’ for women long before International Women’s Day (8 March) came on the scene. And she wasn’t afraid to go right to the top, nor to use a touch of humour to get her point across.

Antarctic Views by Hurley and Ponting

6 March 2007

Pioneer photographers Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley shared the risks of early Antarctic adventurers to capture the thrills and perils of their lives on ice.

National Archives Preservation Centre (NAPC)

6 March 2007

Funding for our new National Archives Preservation Centre (NAPC) was formalised in the 2006-07 ‘Additional Estimates’.

In the interest of national security

1 February 2007

A new book released by the National Archives of Australia, In the Interest of National Security by historian Professor Klaus Neumann, examines the reasons for this and illuminates this significant part of our past. Professor Neumann’s book also underlines how crucial the Archives’ collections are to a comprehensive reading of Australian history.

Australia’s own … the FX Holden

4 January 2007

Australians are a patriotic bunch and it’s been coming down in bucket loads with the Ashes now back on home soil! And we’re fiercely loyal when it comes to our cars. The traditional rivalry between Ford and Holden is instilled in us from the time we take our place in the baby capsule in the back seat of the family V8.

National tour of Archives’ exhibition to begin in Hobart

30 November 2006

The National Archives of Australia is pleased to announce that the national tour of its latest exhibition will begin in Hobart to mark the start of the city’s annual summer festival.

A web of uncommon lives in the Archives

10 November 2006

The story of two public servants – who were sometimes very ‘un-government’ in their modus operandi but who made unique and lasting contributions to our young nation and her capital, Canberra – is being told in a new website from the National Archives of Australia.

Archives and partner play the name game

7 November 2006

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has announced a partnership between the Archives and University of Queensland lecturer Dr Heather Douglas to investigate the policy, process and problems involved in naming and registering Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory between 1953 and 1957.

Australia’s best documentary photographs on show

1 November 2006

These days our engagement with photography is guided by an uneasy suspicion. What is real and what has been simulated or digitally enhanced can be difficult to identify. And the very idea of an ‘unmediated’ photograph has come into question.

Archives supports Audit office recommendation

13 October 2006

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has endorsed the findings of a report into Australian Government recordkeeping and the management of electronic records.

The Archives and The Volunteer

13 October 2006

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has announced that the winner of the 2006 Margaret George Award is University of Western Sydney lecturer and leading scholar on the history of the voluntary sector, Dr Melanie Oppenheimer.

Archives jumpstarts studies on filmmaking

29 September 2006

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has announced that the winner of 2006–07 Frederick Watson Fellowship is Australian National University researcher Pip Deveson.

Archives records Battle of Long Tan

17 August 2006

To coincide with the 40 th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, the National Archives of Australia wishes to advise that it holds a wide selection of records that deal with Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Tracking Indigenous records at the Archives

15 August 2006

A resource to assist Indigenous people to link up with family was launched by the Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, at the Archives’ Darwin office, Kelsey Crescent, Millner on Friday 11 August.

Patriotism, persuasion and propaganda at the Archives

2 August 2006

Skilfully designed and carefully aimed at public observers, a poster can be a powerful weapon … particularly in wartime,

Census Time Capsule

28 July 2006

The time capsule is an opportunity for you to be remembered forever. That is, your personal information will, in 99 years time, become a valuable resource for future generations, and will provide researchers, genealogists and historians with a complete picture of the year that was 2006.

Archives enlists Xena for battle of digital age

7 June 2006

Sounding more like a warrior princess than an innovative software application, the National Archives of Australia today released what it hopes will be the answer to one of the key challenges in the digital age — obsolescence.

2006 Census Time Capsule

6 June 2006

Every Australian can make history this year by being part of the 2006 Census Time Capsule. The project was launched this morning by the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Chris Pearce, who led a tour of the Sydney repository of the National Archives of Australia, enabling attending media to film rare footage of the secure vault area.

National Archives to recover lost art

9 May 2006

Two respected figures in Australian art curatorship have won the 2006 National Archives of Australia Ian Maclean Award.

Nine millionth record

25 January 2006

The army enlistment form of Private Lance Australia Day Gardner, born in Gunnedah in 1915 and who enlisted in August 1940, has become the nine millionth page to be digitised and loaded onto the National Archives of Australia website.

The Archives welcomes its grandkids

16 January 2006

For the third year running the National Archives of Australia will host its annual Grandkids Day – five hours of holiday fun for the littlies.

Sunny exhibition for baby boomers

8 November 2005

For those who grew up in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s, a new exhibition from the National Archives, Summers Past: Golden Days in the Sun 1950-70, should gently stir memories of idyllic summers spent by the beach.

Cultural council visits Perth for the first time

16 November 2005

The media is invited to attend a reception for the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council at the Western Australian Museum this Thursday 17 November at 5 pm.

Five academics win Archives’ awards

24 October 2005

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs today announced the winners of the 2005 Frederick Watson Fellowship and Margaret George Award.

Virtual reading room is out there!

13 October 2005

In the same week that Mount Panorama echoed with the roar of high tech production cars, the National Archives of Australia is launching its own innovative creation – a new website for students called Vrroom.

Natural history art at the Archives

7 October 2005

An exhibition comprising the winning artworks and a selection of highly commended finalists in the Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize opens at the National Archives on Friday 7 October. A media preview is scheduled for 11 am.

Archives shows courage to care

15 August 2005

‘We should have the courage to not just be another link in the chain of wrong but to dare to speak out and break the chain.' (Bathurst Year 10 student)

Archives places Holt in the frame!

10 August 2005

‘Until now too little serious work has been published on the career and times of Harold Holt, as the circumstances of his death came to overshadow the achievements of his life.'
(The Hon. Peter Costello MP)

Archive of our democracy online!

8 July 2005

The National Archives will celebrate Australia’s (constitutional) birthday tomorrow with the launch of a new look website celebrating Australian democracy.

Archives unfreezes Antarctic treasure!

2 June 2005

Previously unseen footage of Sir Douglas Mawson's historic 1911 expedition to the Antarctic will be shown for the first time tomorrow at the launch of the Antarctic Midwinter Festival at Hadleys Hotel in Hobart at 11am.

Archives award winner turns detective!

26 April 2005

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, today announced that the winner of the National Archives Ian Maclean Award for 2005 is historian Dr Nikki Henningham.

Russian Anzacs found in the Archives

18 April 2005

When we hear the word Anzacs we immediately think of Australian and New Zealand soldiers fighting side by side in the Great War. That defining episode in our military history has shaped our national spirit – and is a quintessentially Australian story.

Archives immersed in water!

22 March 2005

Water. Not a day goes by when we don’t think about it, talk about it, drink it, or in some cases pray for it. It’s a valuable resource.

Make a family connection!

16 February 2005

Tracing one’s relatives or connecting with long lost friends is a popular hobby for many Australians, especially those who migrated here, which is nearly all of us.

Migration Kit launch

8 February 2005

The Minister for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Senator the Hon. Amanda Vanstone, will launch a service that will enable migrants and their families to locate and retrieve information about their arrival in Australia, on Wednesday 9 February at 10:30am in the Manning Clarke Theatre, ANU.

The writer and the state

3 February 2005

Peter Carey, Barry Humphries and David Williamson are just three famous Australian writers that Frank Moorhouse has ‘met’ in the last six months. Moorhouse, the National Archives 2004 Frederick Watson Fellow, has been researching the Commonwealth Literary Fund, a staunch supporter of writers since 1908.

Bring the grandkids to the Archives!

17 January 2005

Just when you thought you’d run out of holiday ideas for the children – along comes Grandkids Day at the National Archives!

Early access to Cabinet Records of 1974

7 December 2004

The National Archives of Australia reminds the media of its special briefing and embargoed access to the 1974 Cabinet records.

Spotlight on Whitlam's turbulent year

20 November 2004

The National Archives of Australia advises that its media briefing and embargoed access to the 1974 Cabinet records will be held at the Archives on Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes ACT on Friday 10 December at 10:30 am.

Rare images on show at the Archives

23 November 2004

A fascinating exhibition of rare Australian images opens at the National Archives of Australia on Thursday, 25 November at 6 pm. A media preview will be held between 10.30 and 11.15 that morning.

Indigenous story on the web, seven decades on

5 November 2004

The remarkable story of Dhakiyarr Wirrpanda, the first Aboriginal to appeal to the High Court of Australia, is a tale of conflict, murder, conviction and justice, and ultimately the still unexplained disappearance of Dhakiyarr himself. It has all the makings of a movie script.

Archives forum to benefit community

13 September 2004

The inaugural Joint Archives Consultative Forum will be opened at 2pm on Friday 24 September by the Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, and Senior Archivist Tasmania, Robyn Eastley, at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Inveresk.

New information on HMAS Sydney

19 September 2004

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs is delighted to announce the acquisition of a key document in connection with the sinking of HMAS Sydney.

Archivists encouraged to come out

16 September 2004

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has called on archivists from Australia and overseas to apply for a research grant to promote the important contribution that archives makes to Australian society.

World's leading digital archivists clock on in Canberra

15 September 2004

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, today officially welcomed some of the world’s leading archivists to the inaugural Advances in Digital Preservation International Working Meeting in Canberra to discuss the preservation of digital objects around the world.

Academics win Archives' Awards

8 September 2004

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, has announced that Dr Christina Twomey of Monash University and Dr Nicole Moore of Macquarie University have each won a Margaret George (Fellowship) Award.

Moorhouse awarded Archives Fellowship

2 September 2004

Internationally-renowned novelist and essayist Frank Moorhouse has been awarded the National Archives of Australia’s 2004 Frederick Watson Fellowship.

Radical architect remembered

11 August 2004

'Of all the arts, architecture is the one requiring the best qualities of man and the richest in the ennobling influences … invigorating and cheering those who are in touch with her teachings.'
(architect John Horbury Hunt, 19 June 1889)

‘Beam me up, Scotty’ Shining new light on the digital dark age

15 June 2004

The National Archives of Australia is now shining a bright beam of light into what’s been described as a looming digital dark age.

Archivists spurn digital Dark Age

26 May 2004

Archivists from Australia and New Zealand have joined forces to head off a digital Dark Age and to make sure that governments preserve their digital records.

National Archives on the move!

18 May 2004

Former Prime Minister, The Right Hon Malcolm Fraser, CH, AC, will officially open the new Melbourne premises of the National Archives of Australia in the Victorian Archives Centre at 99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne on Thursday, 20 May 2004 at 6 pm.

Looking for Private Bryan?

23 April 2004

Around ANZAC Day each year, the National Archives receives a surge in the number of people keen to obtain a copy of a relative’s war service record.

Indigenous Art at home in the Archives

18 April 2004

A major exhibition of Australian Indigenous art – the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award – Celebrating 20 Years, opens its Australian tour at the National Archives in Canberra on Wednesday, 21 April 2004 at 6 pm.

Delve into your Family History

31 March 2004

The annual Family History Fair at the National Archives of Australia on Sunday 4 April (10am to 4pm) is sure to encourage many people to start searching their own family tree.

Business Archivist Wins Top Award

26 March 2004

The Director-General of the National Archives of Australia, Ross Gibbs, today announced that a prominent business archivist, Bruce Smith, has been selected as the winner of the inaugural Ian Maclean Award.

New Guide to Japanese in Australia

26 March 2004

The Consul-General of Japan in Sydney, Mr Yasuaki Nogawa, will launch a National Archives guide to the records of the Japanese in Australia and the Australia-Japan relationship, at the Museum of Sydney on Friday 26 March 2004 at 12 noon.

National Archives Opens Its Doors!

18 February 2004

The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister and Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, will officially open the new premises of the National Archives of Australia at Cannon Hill in Brisbane on Friday, 20 February 2004 at 5.30 pm.