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First Australians

The National Library of Australia acknowledges First Australians as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and pays respect to Elders – past and present – and through them to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Indigenous collections study

Two First Nations women smiling holding a large Aboriginal flag

Cole Baxter, First Nations women standing on stage during the Invasion Day protest, Forrest Place, Boorloo/Perth, Western Australia, 26 January, 2023, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3146588009

We’d love to hear from you

We are partnering with Instinct and Reason, an independent market research agency, in collaboration with 100% Aboriginal-owned consultancies, to understand the experiences of First Nations and other visitors and researchers’ engaging with the Library’s Indigenous-led initiatives and collections.

Register your interest

 

Shared stories

Wirangu Elder, Sandra Miller looking at a photo album and pointing at a piicture of a relative

Lutheran Koonibba Mission, South Australia, 1920-1930, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-152896940

First Nations family history research guide

This guide will help you find resources both in and outside our collection to make your journey of discovery easier.

Research guide
Video
Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue sitting in an armchair and smiling

Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, image by Leanna King, courtesy of the Lowitja Institute

Speeches of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue now available online
04 Feb 2025

The Library has recently digitised the speeches of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG.

News article
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
Four framed pictures hanging on a wall that has an image of an island on it.
Mabo v Queensland (No. 2): 30th Anniversary
Daily

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Mabo decision, the Library invited Gail Mabo, Eddie’s daughter, to select material for display to mark this landmark moment in Australian legal history.

Exhibition
First Australians
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Assistance animals welcome
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible
Six women smiling as they play football. One has just kicked the ball.

Darren Clark, The Stronger Sisters playing football at the Tennant Creek football Grand Final, 2011, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-152960442

In our collections

Find out more about First Australians content in our collections

A man and a woman sit in chairs on stage with a picture of a campfire behind them. The woman holds a microphone and the man is speaking into a microphone.

Joe Williams and Dr Alethea Beetson in conversation as part of our Deadly Dialogues series.

Events

See previous events and programs, many with recordings available

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