Local history | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Local history

Showing 1 - 12 of 32 results
1904 camera

Harold Cazneaux's first camera, 1904, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141166704

Harold Cazneaux (1878–1953) was perhaps Australia's best-known photographer of the early twentieth century. He purchased this camera in 1904, shortly after moving from Adelaide to Sydney, and made photographs of Sydney's streets and waterways.

In 1909 he became the first Australian photographer to exhibit his works in a solo show.

Cazneaux was a master of the pictorialist style of photography, using soft focus to capture scenes that were - and remain - familiar to many Australians in a new light. He was able to find a timeless, extraordinary beauty in the everyday.

Cazneaux collection

A large collection of glass negatives, papers and photographs dating mostly from 1904 to 1940 depicting many aspects of Australian life and architecture.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Bowden Collection

Oral history recordings by Ros Bowden for the Women of the land and Comic artists and illustrators projects.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Yetts Collection

715 Chinese and Japanese books. Most date from the period 19111940, but there are some much earlier works. The main subject areas are Chinese art, epigraphy, archaeology and early history of the Chinese script. Other subjects include classical writings, Buddhism and Taoism, myths and legends.

Collection guide
Black and white local history pamphlets and flyers, and a sketch of a large house

Selection of material from the Ferguson and McLaren local history collections

"Treasures of the past": The McLaren and Ferguson local history pamphlet collections

Learn about two significant local history pamphlet collections that are now available to explore on Trove thanks to the generous support of donors to the 2023 Tax Time appeal.

Blog
A streetscape of Bourke street, Melbourne.

Tom Roberts, Bourke Street, Melbourne, 1885, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134285521

Time and place

Module

Explore how communities evolve over time, how different cultures influence and contribute to communities, and how symbols convey meaning.

Digital Classroom
Cover of the book 'Our Streets'
Our Streets: The Regional Cities and Major Towns Project

National Library of Australia

Book
NLA Publishing book
On the left, the cover of 'She Shapes History: Guided Walks and Stories About Great Australian Women' which features a faceless statue of a woman standing on a piles of books on a pink and blue background. On the right is a photo of author Sita Sargeant smiling.
Book Launch: She Shapes History with Sita Sargeant

Sita Sargeant launched her debut book, 'She Shapes History: Guided Walks and Stories About Great Australian Women'.

Event
Video
Dirt road cutting through forest of dark, leafless trees

Sean Davey, Aftermath of a large bushfire that swept through forest area along Yowrie Road, Yowrie, New South Wales, 31 December 2019, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2428728997

Remembering the Fires: How one community has recorded their memories

This special event explored some of the ways in which southern NSW community members have told and preserved their bushfire stories.

Event
Video
pencil drawing a young male artist leaning over a canvas painting an active scene

William Strutt, Atelier Drolling, Paris, 184-, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134769037

Strutt Collection

About 280 paintings and drawings by William Strutt dating from 1837-1900, produced in France, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and England, as well as 2 typescripts of stories by Strutt.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Drovers Oral History Collection

122 interviews, mostly with retired drovers, recorded by Bruce Simpson and Bill Gammage between 2000 and 2006. 

Collection guide
Collection guide
McLaren Collection

About 3,460 books and pamphlets, mostly local, church, business and organisational histories from around Australia.

Collection guide
Black and white photo of three men on a tractor, one driving and the other two sitting at the back

Jeff Carter, Planting out, Ovens Valley, 1955, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148667470

Carter Collection

Photographs by Jeff Carter of Australian life dating from the 1950s onwards, plus oral history recordings with about 40 individuals living in rural towns or properties.

Collection guide

Need help?

Our librarians are here to guide you.

Ask a librarian