8. Send a reference inquiry
What to do next
If the reference officer finds records of interest you can:
- purchase a copy by responding to their email or letter. See Step 6.
- come in to the reading room to view the record. See Step 5.
- request that the record/s be digitised. See Step 4.
If they can’t locate anything, you can visit a reading room to undertake further research. See Step 10.
It may be that the National Archives does not hold records about the person you are researching.
Our reference staff are able to answer basic research inquiries. You can submit an inquiry by:
- submitting an online reference inquiry form
- emailing ref@naa.gov.au with details of your inquiry
- phoning us or writing to us with details of your inquiry
Our reference officers cannot undertake lengthy research on your behalf.
If the reference officers locate records they believe relate to your inquiry they will provide a copy quote. You can then decide what to do next.