First Australians

Rebecca Bateman, holding the NLA Publication, Wangka Wakanutja, in the National Library of Australia

Rebecca Bateman, and NLA Publication, Wangka Wakanutja.

Learn with the Curators of Wangka Wakaṉutja

Discover the decades-long, remarkable efforts of the Papunya community to record language and culture and keep it alive.

Learning activity for adults

Video

White poster with orange lines and simple illustrations of men and women in suits. Large orange text reads 'Diplomacy' and small black text encourages graduates to become diplomats.

Department of Foreign Affairs, Diplomacy, 1984, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-133715662

Insights into Australian diplomatic history

Join us in discovering a selection of items from the Library’s collection which speak to the fascinating history of Australian diplomacy.

Blog

Samuel Atkins, (1794), HMS Endeavour off the coast of New Holland, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135273911

Indigenous responses to Cook and his voyage

Module

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Modern History for Senior Secondary students, with specific reference to content descriptions for Unit 2: Movements for Change in the 20th Century, and specifically those that fall under the examination of ‘Recognition and rights of Indigenous peoples’.

Digital Classroom

First Australians

Indigenous music

The Library has a small but significant collection of Indigenous music. This includes music both written by Indigenous people and interpreted by Europeans from interactions with Indigenous people.

First Australians

Research guide

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 portrait of a man. He has dark skin and hair. He is an Australian Indigenous man and is wearing a European style officers coat and trousers. His trousers are tattered at the cuffs. He is holding a tricorn hat in the air. In the background sailing ships can be see on the harbour. A large fort can be seen on a spit of land.

Augustus Earle, Portrait of Bungaree, a native of New South Wales, with Fort Macquarie, Sydney Harbour, in background [picture], 1826, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134114940

Indigenous experiences

Topic

Augustus Earle (1793–1838) was an artist working in the colony of New South Wales around 1825. He painted several portraits of Bungaree, a notable Aboriginal leader.

Digital Classroom

First Australians

A handwritten diary entry in an old fashioned script.

George Thomson, Diary entry for Tuesday 26 May 1868, Diary of George Thomson, 1868-1869, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3308197449

Indigenous Australian cricket team touring England in the 1860s

Australians have often gone to great lengths to see their favourite sporting teams, even back in the 1860s!

First Australians

News article

Black and white image of a man, woman and child sitting at a beach looking out towards the ocean

One with the Land ... Waiting for the Sacred Fish to come in : Maynard Williams , leena Watts, Joy Anne Williams - Llarabin Beach , Mornington Island QLD 1978 - Juno Gemes ©

In Conversation: Until Justice Comes with Juno Gemes, Djon Mundine and Michael Aird

Juno Gemes, Djon Mundine and Michael Aird shared their own personal histories as friends, colleagues and collaborators, telling the true history of Australia.

Event

Video