Records

Each record focuses on a single item from the National Archives' collection. Some records contain extra information to help you interpret them.

• Record

  

  Invitation to celebrations of the Federation of Australia in Sydney

  This is an invitation to ceremonies in connection with the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia.

• Record

  

  King O'Malley driving in the first peg at Canberra Hill

  A photograph of King O'Malley, the Minister for Home Affairs, knocking in the first surveyor's peg on the site of Canberra on 20 February 1913.

• Record

  

  Lady Denman, wife of the Governor-General, names Canberra

  A black-and-white photograph of the ceremony for the naming of the new federal capital of Australia, which Lady Denman formally named Canberra.

• Record

  

  Letter to Enid Lyons in support of anti-secession campaign, Western Australia

  This is a letter written to Enid Lyons in 1933, regarding the anti-secession campaign in Western Australia.

• Record

  

  Letters Patent constituting the office of Governor-General of Australia (UK)

  This document signed by Queen Victoria on 29 October 1900 established the office of the governor-general of Australia.

• Record

  

  Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901

  A legislative document regarding the regulation of labourers from the Pacific Islands.

• Record

  

  Petition for equal voting rights for both sexes

  This is a one-page handwritten petition from the executive of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) of Australasia.

• Record

  

  Portrait of Prime Minister Alfred Deakin

  This is a black-and-white photograph of the Hon. Alfred Deakin, Australia's second Prime Minister.

• Record

  

  Portrait of Prime Minister Andrew Fisher

  This is a black-and-white photograph of the Rt Hon. Andrew Fisher, Australia’s fifth Prime Minister.