First Australians

5 First Nations Family History Books on a light shelf on display

Some of the First Nations family history reference books that can be found in our collection.

Getting started with First Nations family history

Find useful tips and things to keep in mind here as you start your family history journey.

Research guide

If Everyone Cared Enough

Margaret Tucker MBE

Book

First Australians

NLA Publishing book

A woman in a grey jacket with a pink and black undershirt holding sepia collection material in the Special Collections Reading Room at the National Library of Australia

Stephanie Lee, 2025 National Library of Australia Scholar

Improving desert fire management with culturally directed science

Learn about 2025 National Library of Australia Scholar Stephanie Lee’s research into Indigenous rangers' "right-way" fire practices.

Blog

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

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

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 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

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

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