First Australians

First Nations art on a purple background

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property

We have developed an Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Protocol to guide people on how to access and use ICIP in our collections.

First Australians

Two microphone on a table during an oral history interview

Inaugural First Nations Oral History Training Program trainees announced

We’re pleased to welcome the 6 participants selected for our inaugural First Nations Oral History Training Program.

News article

Close up of a young boy's hands shucking a bunya nut

Daniel Fewquandie, Young boy shucking a bunya nut at Bunya Dreaming, Landsborough, Queensland, 31 January, 2026, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-4180541438

Photographing Australian food culture: Bunya Dreaming

Browse our new photos of the 2026 Bunya Dreaming festival on the Sunshine Coast.

News article

A vibrant Aboriginal dot painting, depicting traditional symbols and patterns in earthy tones against a black background.

The first of three artworks by Sissy Pettit, one of the contributors of the book. The artwork series shows a continuous connection between people, culture and Country, from beginning to end of the Lachlan Kalari Bila. Photo credit: Dr. Emma Phillips.

Book launch: Lachlan Kalari Bila - Sweet Water to the Sea

Join lead author Isabel Goolagong, alongside key contributors for an evening celebrating the people, stories and Country that have shaped the upcoming book, Lachlan Kalari Bila - Sweet Water to the Sea.

Event

A promotional graphic featuring three black-and-white portraits of women alongside the text 'She Shapes History at the National Library of Australia' on a pink background.

Well-behaved women rarely make history.

This digital module will introduce you to stories from Australian history that centre women who behaved badly, or were seen that way.

School holiday activity: Connecting to Country through art

These holidays, we celebrated art, culture, and storytelling with Ngunawal artists Jazz and Kristal Matthews from Wilay Designs. During the session, participants explored the Wangka Wakanutja exhibition to be inspired by the Papunya Community’s remarkable publishing and artistic output.

Event

Two First Nations women sitting at a table conducting an oral history interview.

Photo of Dr Lorina Barker and Gwen Barker conducting an oral history interview, taken by Peta Barker, 2026

Expressions of interest open for First Nations oral history training program 2026–27

We’re calling for expressions of interest for our inaugural First Nations oral history training program.

News article

A group of young girls are sitting on a large white and green mat outdoors, reading books together in a sunny, lush green forest setting.

Image courtesy of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Indigenous Literacy Foundation: Strength in our stories

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Ben Bowen present a lecture on the power of books, language and storytelling to strengthen culture and Community.

Event

A promotional graphic featuring a collage of three diverse women, each in a different portrait style, alongside the text 'She Shapes History at the National Library of Australia.' The women are presented in black and white or muted tones, suggesting a focus on historical or influential figures. The overall design is modern and impactful, with the text prominently displayed on a pale pink background.

Why didn’t anyone tell me Australian history was interesting?

In this opening talk, Sita Sargeant was joined by Santilla Chingaipe, Jacinta Mackay, and Harini Rangarajan: three women who between them show what becomes possible when you go looking for the version of Australia that never made it into the textbooks.

Learning activity for adults