Oral history | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Oral history

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Sepia-toned photo of oral historian Hazel de Berg smiling while interviewing Michael Terry

Hazel de Berg with her tape recorder, interviewing Michael Terry, 1964, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140522717

Hazel de Berg oral history collection added to the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register

The Library is proud to house this collection, which preserves the voices of 1,290 Australians.

Collection guide
Hood Collection

About 240 recordings of folk music, folklore, and oral histories documenting family history, local history, work experiences, music and other arts.

Collection guide
At the left of the photo, a young man with short dark hair is sitting down at a radio desk, smiling out at the camera and with his left hand he balances a record on its edge on the desk.

Douglas Thompson, Radio announcer Ted Reeves of 2CA radio station holding a record, Canberra, 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138073414

Introduction to oral history

Dive into the oral history collection, exploring highlights and how you can access the voices that describe Australia's cultural, intellectual and social life.

Learning activity for adults
Video
Collection guide
Jones Collection

Negatives, transparancies, photographs, books, serials, personal papers and oral history interviews related to motorcycles, races and vintage cars.

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Collection guide
Lowenstein Collection

Oral history recordings, manuscripts and papers relating mainly to Australian folklore and Lowenstein's books Weevils in the flour and Under the hook.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Lyle Collection

50 oral history recordings with 149 interviewees containing reminiscences, stories and music relating to Scottish oral traditions in Australia.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Mabo Collection

Personal papers and legal material that record of one of the most important and controversial legal cases in Australian history and the life of the man who is chiefly associated with the case.

Collection guide
First Australians
Collection guide
Malcolm Ellis Collection

About 500 books, pamphlets, reports, leaflets, circulars, reprints and transcripts, mostly published 1920–1950, relating to communism, the labour movement and international politics. About half are Australian.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Manning and Dymphna Clark Collection

Papers and photographs related to Clark's life and work as an Australian historian of renown.

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McDonald Collection

Folklore performances and oral history interviews recorded between 1981 and 1989, containing music, recitations and recollections of performances and local history.

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McHugh Collection

Recordings of interviews made by Siobhán McHugh while producing various series for the ABC and also when working on her book Minefields and Miniskirts, together with papers and manuscripts.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Meredith Collection

Recordings of Australian folk songs, dance music, recitations and oral history, collected by folklorist John Meredith (1920–2001). The collection also includes photographs and manuscripts documenting folk traditions and the bush music revival.

Collection guide

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