Guides to our collection

The National Archives has two series of guides to assist researchers to find relevant records in our collection. Several of our books also offer advice on finding records.

Twenty-one guides in our Research Guide series cover a broad range of topics. These include guides on immigration (British, Chinese, Jewish, child), foreign relations (with Japan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea), military history (HMAS Sydney, Boer War) and various other topics.

Five guides in the Archives of Australia’s Prime Ministers series provide short biographies and extensive archival listings on 10 former prime ministers.

You can browse and purchase copies of our research guides, or download most of them for free, from our online shop.

Research guides

1	Chinese Immigrants and Chinese-Australians in NSW, by Julie Stacker and Peri Stewart, revised 1997, 80pp.
2	Aboriginal Deaths in Custody: The Royal Commission and its Records, 1987–91, by Peter Nagle and Richard Summerrell, revised 1997, 92pp.
3	The Sinking of HMAS Sydney: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records, by Richard Summerrell, revised 1999, 191pp.
4	Papua New Guinea Records 1883–1942: Microfilm Collections, by Peter Nagle, April 1998, 136pp.
5	Royalty and Australian Society: Records Relating to the British Monarchy Held in Canberra, by Kate Cumming, 1998, 210pp.
6	Parliament House Canberra, 1927: Records relating to the Design, Construction and Opening of the Provisional Parliament House, by Gay Hogan, revised 2003, 74pp.
7	More People Imperative: Immigration to Australia, 1901–39, by Michele Langfield, 1999, 236pp.
8	Collections in Melbourne: A Guide to Commonwealth Records, by Celia Blake, revised 2003, 76pp.
9	The Boer War: Australians and the War in South Africa, 1899–1902, by Craig Wilcox, 1999, 94pp.
10	Citizenship in Australia: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records, by David Dutton, 1999, 114pp.
11	Good British Stock: Child and Youth Migration to Australia, by Barry Coldrey, 1999, 220pp.
12	Safe Haven: Records of the Jewish Experience in Australia, by Malcolm Turnbull, 1999, 170pp.
13	Cockatoo Island Dockyard: A Guide to the Records, by Margaret Chambers, 2000, 252pp.
14	Collections in Perth: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records, by Dan Midalia, 2000, 182pp.
15	Working for the Dole: Commonwealth Relief during the Great Depression, by Don Fraser, 2001, 116pp.
16	Near Neighbours: Records on Australia's Relations with Indonesia, by Karl Metcalf, 2001, 205pp.
17	Sound Recordings in the National Archives, by Helen Cross and Margaret Chambers, 2001, 125pp.
18	A Nation’s Imagination: Australia’s Copyright Records, 1854–1968, by Merilyn Minell, 2003, 147pp.
19	Australia in Focus: Photographs in the National Archives, by Peter Nagle, 2003, 251pp.
20	Allies, Enemies and Trading Partners: Records on Australia and the Japanese, by Pam Oliver, 2004, 288pp.
21	Chinese–Australian Journeys: Records on Travel, Migration, and Settlement, 1860–1975, by Paul Jones, 2005, 286pp.

Guides to archives of Australia's prime ministers

Our First Six: Guide to Archives of Australia’s Prime Ministers, by Susan Marsden and Roslyn Russell, 2002 (describes collections relating to prime ministers Barton, Deakin, Watson, Reid, Fisher and Cook)

Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Guide to Archives of Australia’s Prime Ministers, by John Connor, 2003

Joseph Lyons: Guide to Archives of Australia’s Prime Ministers, by Susan Marsden, 2002

John Curtin: Guide to Archives of Australia’s Prime Ministers, by David Black and Lesley Wallace, 2004

Harold Holt: Guide to Archives of Australia’s Prime Ministers, by Pennie Pemberton, 2003

Other useful references

Family Journeys: Stories in the National Archives of Australia, National Archives of Australia, 2008.

In the Interest of National Security: Civilian Internment in Australia during World War II by Klaus Neumann, National Archives of Australia, 2006.

Tracking Family: A Guide to Aboriginal Records Relating to the Northern Territory, National Archives of Australia, 2006.

Finding Families: The Guide to the National Archives of Australia for Genealogists, compiled by Margaret Chambers, National Archives of Australia in association with Hale and Iremonger, 1998, 344pp.

Federation: The Guide to Records, compiled by Stephen Foster, Susan Marsden and Roslyn Russell, National Archives of Australia, Canberra, 1998, 377pp.

My Heart is Breaking: A Joint Guide to Records about Aboriginal People in the Public Record Office of Victoria and the Australian Archives, Victorian Regional Office, AGPS Canberra, 1993.