Aerial photographs of Australia, the Australian Antarctic Territory and Papua New Guinea

The Alston Collection is a treasure trove of over 1,800 works on philology and linguistics. From rare books and manuscripts to Robin Alston’s personal drafts and correspondence, this collection is a must for anyone exploring the history of language and early bibliographical studies.

Paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and manuscripts by George French Angas.

Microform collections documenting the anti-slavery movement from the 18th-20th centuries and selected monographs

Explore the rich history of boxing in Australia through the Arnold Thomas Collection. This unique resource features over 1,000 photographs, souvenir programs, match day cards and ephemera spanning from the 1870s to the 1990s. 

Delve into Ireland’s rich history and culture with the Auchmuty Collection. Featuring rare books, pamphlets, and journals from 1900 to 1950, this specialised resource explores Anglo-Irish relations, the Irish Free State, and more. A treasure trove for researchers, donated by Margaret Auchmuty in 1983.

Tripitakas, books and audio recordings dealing with Buddhist history, biography, literature, doctrines, philosophy and way of life and Buddhist folk tales.

Diaries, papers, photographs, maps and other material related to Australia's involvement in the Antarctic

The Australian Inland Mission established 15 nursing homes, bush hospitals and services in remote Australian locations.

Explore Australia's literary heritage with the Australian Literature Society Collection. Home to over 500 works, including novels, verse, and essays, it showcases iconic authors like Patrick White, Joseph Furphy, and Kylie Tennant. Founded in 1899, this collection highlights the society's crucial role in shaping Australia’s vibrant literary tradition.

Papers, pamphlets, books and periodicals relating to communism, socialism, fascism, capitalism, international relations, public finance, politics, World War II, and the Vietnam War.

Papers, maps, photographs and other publications largely relating to Daisy Bates' research on First Australians.

Books, booklets, pamphlets, leaflets and hundreds of photographs and postcards mainly relating to New South Wales country towns.

Mostly Australian and New Zealand sheet music, the majority from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries collected by Charles Begg.

Oral history interviews recorded by Neil Bennetts with leading Australian figures in a wide range of sports.

Memorabilia of musical, theatrical, social events in Queensland collected by the Benvenuti family musicians.

Papers, including manuscripts on Philippine ethnography, books and pamphlets in various languages on a wide range of subjects with a focus on the Philippines, photographs and printed and manuscript maps collected by Henry Otley Beyer.

Oral history recordings by Barbara Blackman, mostly of Australian painters, sculptors, potters and others concerned with the visual arts.

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

Overseas and Australian sheet music, including some manuscripts, with the main strengths popular songs and piano music of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Family papers, maps of the Hong Kong and Macau region, pictures, photographs and a large collection of books and pamphlets predominantly historical works, particularly histories of Portugal, the Portuguese colonies, China and Japan.

Around 10,800 items from the period 1829-1922 ranging from a single page to hundreds of pages and documenting British reactions to particular events, problems and crises, as well as Britain's relations generally with particular countries and regions.

Over 3,000 printed pamphlets, leaflets and issues of periodicals, mostly published 1900-1970, plus a collection of microfiche and microfilm of other publications, produced by left-wing parties and organisations in the period 1961–88.

Extensive personal papers and about 200 books and serials mostly relating to Chinese art but also including some works on Chinese history, language and literature and reprints of early travels. 

Small collection of books, pamphlets and serials on race and class relations, migration, urbanisation and other aspects of contemporary society in the Caribbean and Latin America collected by Leonard Broom.

Photographs and papers, memorabilia and books relating to railways collected by John Buckland.

Papers, photographs, ephemera, books and journals from Europe, Asia, America and Australia ranging from 1850-1950 collected by Eric Keast Burke.

Photographs of Australian steamships, nine paintings and an unpublished manuscript 'Dictionary of Australian steamships' by Terence Callen.

Papers related to Clyde Cameron's long political career, and 12 oral history recordings conducted by Cameron with other political figures.

Books and pamphlets relating to Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia, mostly published in Portugal or the colonies from 1840-1950.

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.

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

Collections of papers from several significant Australian authors collected by Harry Chaplin.

Small collection of books, pamphlets, catalogues and serials on angling ranging from the 17th to the 20th century collected by Gilbert Charles.

Papers, maps and a large collection of photographs related to Papua New Guinea mainly from the period 1910-1940.

Papers, books, pamphlets, maps and ephemera about Ceylon, with an emphasis on the tea industry, collected by Manfred Claasz.

Over 10,000 volumes and 1500 pamphlets in English, Latin, French, Italian, German and Spanish, with particular strength in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Books, pamphlets, reprints and single issues of serials, mainly in French, relating to the ancient history, archaeology and culture of Southeast Asia.

Featuring over 4,700 photographs of ancient art and architecture across Southeast Asia is the Coffin Collection. Captured between 1955 and 1972 by Yves Coffin, this collection highlights Khmer monuments at Angkor, Cham sculptures, and Thai temples, alongside the art of Java and Bali. A valuable visual record of Southeast Asia's rich cultural heritage.

Around 4,000 books and serials on theosophy, Indian philosophy, comparative religion and related topics.

1809 books and serials, published in Australia, Europe and America, relating to gardening, horticulture, botany and agriculture.

The Crome Collection includes papers, photographs, ephemera, aero-philatelic material, objects, books and pamphlets relating to Australian aviation collected by Ernest Alfred Crome.

Around 6500 books, 160 serial titles and 918 reprints of individual articles in the subject areas of patristic studies, liturgy, canon law, Biblical studies, church history, biography, cathedrals and other religions.

Charts, plans, coastal views, letters, books, pamphlets and books relating to Alexander Dalrymple.

Papers and oral history recordings conducted by Gwenda Davey on Australian folklore, with an emphasis on children's folklore.

1290 recordings of interviews and readings from many of Australia's poets, artists, writers, composers, actors, academics, publishers, librarians, scientists, anthropologists, public servants and some politicians

Family papers and about 1600 books of the De Salis family from 1850-1920. Covering a broad range of subjects, including classics, religion, history, politics, literature, science, art, and children's books, reflecting the families intellectual interests.

Country house library collection of 1648 books and 54 serials with strength in English and French publications of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

The Deakin Collection includes personal papers, photographs and memorabilia documenting Alfred Deakin’s political career and legacy as a key architect of Federation.

The Deane Collection features 70 original caricatures and cartoons of federal politicians from 1915 to 1925, assembled by public servant and arts patron Percy Deane.

Oral history interviews by Diana Giese with Chinese Australians, Cambodian refugees and community leaders, and with people involved in the Australian publishing industry.

Music scores and music related material created or collected by the composer, conductor and musicologist Richard Divall.

Discover the legacy of Don Banks, one of Australia’s most innovative composers, in the Don Banks Collection. Featuring music manuscripts, sound recordings, and personal papers, this collection celebrates Banks' pioneering work across jazz, classical, and film music. A true trailblazer, his fusion of genres continues to inspire and shape Australia's cultural landscape.

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

The Dryer Collection includes 2286 titles, mainly monographs but also including manuscripts and music material about the history of Ireland and Australia.

About 6200 books about European literature, history and culture, mostly published in the period 1880-1960. 

About 4000 books, mostly published in France in the 19th and early 20th century, as well as a number of German, Italian, Latin and Greek books.

Two collections of pamphlets published in the Netherlands from 1567-1852 dealing with political, diplomatic, military and legal matters, and the administration of the Batavian Republic.

168 original paintings and drawings by Augustus Earle.

919 watercolours and gouaches of flowers and birds of Australia and Papua New Guinea painted between 1870 and 1920, plus a small quantity of personal papers.

Personal papers of Norman Ellison, pictures, books and other other manuscripts relating to aviation and early aviators. 

Personal papers of Warren Fahey’s activities as an entrepreneur, musician and writer from 1967-1998 and a collection of folkloric recordings.

Around 400 Slavic monographs, 700 pamphlets on the economics and politics of Europe from the 1930s-1970s, and miscellaneous Harvard University departmental reports and academic papers.

A major collection of around 6000 titles in Chinese and Western languages, with strengths in Chinese history, biography, literature and philosophy, especially the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and 20th century.

A comprehensive collection of original records of the Federation movement plus books, pictures, music and other material related to Federation.

Over 32,000 items, including rare books, pamphlets, maps, and ephemera, covering topics such as Oceania, transport, and literature. Compiled by Sir John Alexander Ferguson, it is a key resource for Australian history and bibliography.

About 300 books including incunabula and early editions of classical texts, plus limited edition reprints of celebrated English writers, mostly published in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

About 1750 musical scores comprising general musical arrangements by Flynn, and also both printed and manuscript orchestral and vocal scores, scripts and parts arranged for Radio 3GB.

911 water colours by Adam Forster of Australian flowers, painted between 1916 and 1927.

2457 plays published in France between 1701 and 1840. They include tragedies, comedies, historical dramas, vaudevilles, comic operas and operas.

Explore how the 'Age of Pamphlets' ignited a fervor for free expression during the French Revolution, transforming the streets of Paris into a battleground of ideas - until fear turned the tide.

Explore the artistic legacy and complex history of Donald Friend through diaries, letters, and personal papers. 

Papers and microfilm of original records relating to the German colonies in the Pacific from 1884-1914, and a selection of other books on this topic.

Official records, reports, minutes and correspondence from the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority, Cooma Municipal Council and the Monaro County Council and around 750 Australian town and district maps.

95 watercolours and about 80 wash, sepia wash or pencil drawings plus a large number of lithographs and chromolithographs engraved by S.T. Gill, as well as wood engravings, lithographs and photolithographs based on his paintings and sketches.

Papers, maps, plans, photographs, paintings and other material related to early Canberra and the work of architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin.

About 200 books and 260 pamphlets, plus personal papers and photographs mainly related to Australian history, politics, law, literature and religion from Sir Ernest Littleton Groom.

Personal papers and about 600 books and pamphlets from 1900-1960 on international relations, political biography, migration and more with a focus on the Commonwealth and United States. 

Photocopies of 18 unpublished Australian plays by writers such as David Ireland and Dymphna Cusack. 

91 charts of Australia and the Pacific produced by the British Admiralty and Hydrographic Service.

About 7600 music scores and albums, mainly piano and vocal works published in France, Britain, Germany, Austria and Italy in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Books, pamphlets, photographs, posters and a small number of maps relating to war and aviation.

Personal papers of Hevingham-Root, biographies and autobiographies of opera singers and composers, theatre and concert programs, vocal scores, song books, anthems, sacred songs, oratorio, lieder and folk songs.

Albums and pieces of sheet music published in Australia and overseas, around 2700 books and pamphlets, mostly related to Western music, manuscript scores, papers from some composers and orchestras, and personal papers of Kenneth Hince.

Books, pamphlets, broadsides, posters, periodicals, newspapers and some manuscripts mostly relating to Federation and political and constitutional history.

Books illustrating the history of printing in Europe and Australia, plus a medieval manuscript, and personal papers of Brian Hone.

About 240 recordings of folk music, folklore, and oral histories documenting family history, local history, work experiences, music and other arts.

Collection of Australian drama consisting of 197 unpublished plays in typescript or manuscript form by Australian authors.

Large collection of papers from the politician William Morris Hughes including correspondence, official papers and reports, diaries, notebooks, newspaper cuttings, speeches, invitations and more.

About 6500 lantern slides, glass negatives and photographs, mostly of Australian ships, especially sailing ships.

Over 10,000 black and white negatives and colour transparencies, about 1000 exhibition prints, several photograph albums, a group of stereographs, plus maps, diaries and personal papers.

Photographs, programs, cast lists, souvenir booklets, invitations and ephemera relating to Australian ballet, plus personal papers of Geoffrey Ingram and Edouard and Xenia Borovansky.

Pamphlets, tracts and leaflets published in Britain and Ireland between 1770 and 1976 that describe, debate and criticise the political, economic, social and religious affairs, divisions and conflicts in Ireland.

1,011 plays and libretti published in Italy between about 1,720 and 1,900 including a number of Italian translations of plays written by French, German and other European dramatists.

Our James Cook collection showcases the Library’s most famous item - Cook’s HMS Endeavour journal.

About 360 titles, particularly strong in first editions of English poetry and novels published in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century.

453 books, pamphlets and leaflets in French or Latin that had been condemned and suppressed by ecclesiastical and civil authorities, as well as commentaries on those writings.

553 books from the 19th to mid-20th century with a particular strength in botany and gardening, among many other subjects.

5482 titles published 1564-1965 and written in Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. They cover a wide range of subjects, mostly related to religion, philosophy and the Society of Jesus.

Over 13,000 negatives, transparencies, and photographs of cattle stations taken between 1951 and 1961, as well as 52 British Hydrographic Office charts and maps of Australia and the Pacific and personal papers of Johnston.

Negatives, transparancies, photographs, books, serials, personal papers and oral history interviews related to motorcycles, races and vintage cars.

Books on music and printed music published in Britain from the mid-17th century to the 20th century.

Personal papers from 1938-1974 plus pamphlets, leaflets and other publications relating to socialist, communist, anti-communist and peace organisations in both Australia and overseas.

950 books on bibliography, history, law, religion, ethnography, archaeology and fine arts of Indonesia, 629 books relating to the languages of Austronesia and some manuscripts, including transcripts of a collection of Sudanese manuscripts.

Papers of the barrister and politician Sir John Latham, including correspondence, family and personal documents, notes, speeches, diaries, minute books, account books, cuttings, photographs, pamphlets, invitations, menus, programs, receipts, maps and tourist publications.

Papers including letters, newspaper cuttings, published caricatures, original cartoons, letters and literary manuscripts, mostly related to Australian and New Zealander writers, journalists, composers and artists.

421 photographs taken in the period 1858–1910 in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia, mostly of public buildings, street scenes, rural scenes and events.

This small but significant collection of early 20th-century German and Austrian books includes poetry, plays, novels, essays, fairytales, folklore, art books, memoirs, and works on theatre and opera. Many are rare or limited editions, notable for their fine bindings and illustrations.

Over 6000 books, pamphlets and journals mainly related to Australian history and politics, as well as personal papers and a significant number of British and American imprints.

A large number of photographs and negatives taken by Loke Wan Tho on his ornithological expeditions to the Pacific, Asia and Europe in the 1950s and early 1960s, as well as papers, books and maps.

722 books, pamphlets, leaflets, manuscripts, newspapers and maps, mostly written in Chinese. Mainly Christian works, plus works on the Chinese language, reprints of classical writings and works relating to the Taiping Rebellion of 1850-64.

Oral history recordings, manuscripts and papers relating mainly to Australian folklore and Lowenstein's books Weevils in the flour and Under the hook.

About 2000 books, pamphlets and serials in various languages, mostly about the history and culture of countries in Asia, particularly Burma/Myanmar.

An album with 20 watercolours and 22 individual watercolours by Joseph Lycett. Most of the pieces focus on studies of Aboriginal people and drawings of native plants.

50 oral history recordings with 149 interviewees containing reminiscences, stories and music relating to Scottish oral traditions in Australia.

Personal papers and legal material that record of one of the most important and controversial legal cases in Australian history and the life of the man who is chiefly associated with the case.

Literary manuscripts submitted to the Bulletin in 1918–20, personal papers, 185 books related to Australia, some very rare, plus 30 books published in Tahiti by the London Missionary Society in 1817–37.

About 500 books, pamphlets, reports, leaflets, circulars, reprints and transcripts, mostly published 1920–1950, relating to communism, the labour movement and international politics. About half are Australian.

Papers and photographs related to Clark's life and work as an Australian historian of renown.

614 books and pamphlets, mostly published overseas in the period 1850–1950, including children’s books, novels, atlases, scripture readings, prayer books, hymn books, works on theology, school textbooks and some historical works.

145 original works of Conrad Martens, consisting of four oil paintings, 91 watercolours, and 51 sepia wash, pencil and wash, or pencil drawings, plus a number of his lithographs

About 5000 books, pamphlets, reprints and journals published 1760-1940 in English, French, German, Italian and Russian. They relate to all aspects of ornithology in all parts of the world, with a special focus on Australian birds.

About 2,100 books, pamphlets, government publications, tourist booklets, magazines and other works about Mauritius and the Indian Ocean. Mostly in French or English, but also a few items in Mauritian Creole.

Folklore performances and oral history interviews recorded between 1981 and 1989, containing music, recitations and recollections of performances and local history.

About 350 titles and a total of about 3000 issues of comics published between 1940 and 1960. Most are Australian publications, although many are reprints of US or British publications.

Recordings of interviews made by Siobhán McHugh while producing various series for the ABC and also when working on her book Minefields and Miniskirts, together with papers and manuscripts.

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

81 Korean books, 44 Japanese books and 11 Chinese books. Subject matter of the Korean books ranges from history, literature and religion to cooking and gardening.

Discover the legacy of Dame Nellie Melba, one of opera’s greatest voices, through her unique collection. Featuring sheet music, personal letters, and rare items from her iconic career, this collection offers an intimate glimpse into her rise from Australian talent to international soprano. Explore her artistry, personal connections, and lasting impact on the world of opera.

Large collection of papers of Sir Robert Menzies, including correspondence, cards, commissions, diaries, speeches, invitations and other printed ephemera, subject files, newspaper cuttings, photographs and more.

Recordings of Australian folk songs, dance music, recitations and oral history, collected by folklorist John Meredith (1920–2001). The collection also includes photographs and manuscripts documenting folk traditions and the bush music revival.

Oral history interviews with prominent Australian women.

Papers of Munro Ferguson, dating from 1914 to 1920, that form one of the finest personal archives of an Australian governor-general. They consist largely of correspondence with:

• the King
• generals
• politicians
• judges
• state governors

plus speeches and diaries.

About 5,000 books, pamphlets and periodicals, over 11,000 paintings, drawings and prints, around 800 maps and over 300 manuscripts mostly published 1770–1900. Largely relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific including Antarctica.

Over 10,000 books, pamphlets and issues of periodicals, published between the late 16th and mid-20th century. The main strength is English literature, particularly of the 18th century.

Recordings of Australian folk songs, some British folk songs, Greek and Turkish music, African songs, dance music, recitations, poetry, jokes, children’s rhymes, yarns, and recollections recorded in Victoria 1953-1969.

Pamphlets, newspapers, printed ephemera, transcripts from archives in Ireland and Australia, records of Irish organisations in Australia, and personal papers of Irish nationalists and Catholic clergy. Also about 1200 photographs of Australian places and people with an Irish connection.

1534 children's books written by Australians, with significant Australian content, or with an Australian as one of the main characters, published between 1813 and 1981. They include novels, short stories, picture books, plays, poetry and non-fiction books.

667 books and periodical issues in English relating to Japan published between 1856 and 1942. The subject range is broad, including history, biography, religions, politics, literature, folklore, fine arts, gardening sports and more.

3099 books & pamphlets, plus modern facsimile editions of medieval manuscripts with a strength in English philology, including English dialects, as well as European poetry, novels, literature, and religion.

About 200 American books and a smaller number on the French Revolution and Napoleon, plus 15 letters by 18th- and 19th-century scientists and physicians.

4,000 books published by Penguin and its related imprints from 1935 to 1964.

1,300 pamphlets and tracts published in Britain between 1829 and 1882. They provide a valuable record of the issues that were discussed and debated in Britain in the middle decades of the 19th century.

Personal papers including correspondence, manuscripts of books, newspaper articles, lectures and material concerning writers, artists and literary organisations as well as about 2500 books published from 1900 to 1960, many inscribed by the authors and is particularly strong in novels, poetry and history.

Recordings of the music of various language, nationality or region-based communities in Melbourne, from 1975 to 1983. Also includes oral history interviews with people who lived in the Illawarra region from the 1920s to 1990s and people involved with the 1989 Newcastle earthquake.

14,000 books and pamphlets about numerous subjects such as Australian poetry and literary criticism, English and Scottish poetry, Greek and Roman literature, Australian history, labour history and religion. Also includes personal papers of Pearce and other Australian writers.

A collection of approximately 1,225 books published in France from the 17th to 20th centuries, including works by major, popular, and lesser-known authors.

Oral history interviews with people involved in all aspects of forest and around photographs depicting various aspects of forests and forestry work.

80 oral history interviews with musicians, dancers and others, and recordings of songs and performances, as well as sheet music, imprints and personal papers.

About 15,000 books and pamphlets. The great strength of the collection is in Pacific voyages and early Australiana with many very rare items. Also manuscripts including papers of Joseph Banks, maps and pictures.

Around 830 books mainly relating to Buddhism, but also to Hinduism, Indian history and Western philosophy, in German, French and English and mostly published from 1870 to 1945.

About 350 photographs, including glass negatives, and a small number of pencil sketches, majority depicting paddle steamers sailing or moored on the Murray or Darling rivers.

About 440 books published by William Pickering between 1820 and 1854 including reprints of classics and 17th-century Anglican religious works, plus contemporary writers of his time.

2780 music scores for songs and vocal and piano selections from American, British and Australian musicals, music theatre, films and television shows produced from about 1920 to 1990.

182 original field sheets, representing 32 map sheets, dating from 1915 to 1936 including surveys carried out in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

2121 books, pamphlets, programs, periodicals and plays published between 1755 and 1972. 

Ten signed stencil prints by Pablo Picasso. 54 sketchbooks of John Power, a small group of personal papers of Power, and 262 books relating to art and architecture.

975 books, including many relating to the essayist and poet Charles Lamb and his circle and books by or relating to the poet Edward Thomas.

Explore the Prout Collection, featuring 2 oil paintings, 41 watercolours, and 38 pencil and wash drawings by John Skinner Prout, created between 1841 and 1848. This collection showcases stunning Tasmanian landscapes, including scenes of Hobart, Mount Wellington, and Port Arthur, alongside views of New South Wales and Victoria. Prout, a self-trained artist who emigrated to Australia in 1840, captured the essence of the Australian landscape, leaving a lasting influence on colonial art.

Pamphlets, journals and other publications documenting many strands of American radicalism.

Oral history interviews with Charles Perkins, a key figure in Aboriginal rights, alongside a pilot project on how people form mental maps. It also includes ongoing interviews for the 'Seven Years On' project, launched in 1995, which focuses on emerging Aboriginal leaders. This collection offers valuable insights into Aboriginal activism, leadership, and personal stories that have shaped history.

Extensive personal and family papers of Henry Handel Richardson (Pseudonym of Ethel Florence Lindesay Robertson (née Richardson)). The Richardson Collection also includes original manuscripts of the music composed by Richardson for many songs.

Thousands of pamphlets, booklets, leaflets, speeches, brochures and other material from political parties, trade unions, pressure groups and other bodies concerned with the Australian labour movement from the 1890s to 1960s.

387 books, mostly related to Australia, but also several works on New Zealand and the Pacific. It is strong in accounts of the exploration of Australia and Pacific voyages.

1576 pamphlets, leaflets, speeches, newspaper and serial issues relating to trade unionism, socialism, left-wing parties in Australia, economics and labour issues, as well as the papers of Lloyd Ross and his father the socialist journalist RS Ross.

99 first-issue charts and views of Australian coasts published by the Admiralty between 1814 and 1861.

40 recordings of folk music, folklore and reminiscences from people in rural New South Wales recorded from 1983 to 1988.

More than 400 Russian socialist pamphlets published mainly in the period 1900-1945, and 2 microfilm collections from Stanford and Harvard Universities of Russian revolutionary literature from 1898-1922.

More than 1,000 comics, mostly published in Australia and including some overseas titles reprinted in Australia, from the 1940s to 1970s, as well as fanzines and personal papers.

About 2600 books, mostly in Japanese including military works, biographies of the Japanese Royal Family and leading figures in Japan and Western countries, Chinese and Japanese classics and more.

Around 186 Chinese newspapers and serials, mostly published from 1949 to 1984, plus a small number of government documents of the period 1969 to 1977, monographs, pamphlets, mimeographed works, and some works published during the Japanese occupation of China.

1,066 Japanese books, nearly all published in the 20th century. They mostly relate to Japanese literature and include a large number of novels and also poetry, plays, essays, biographies of writers, literary history and critical works.

Recordings of folk songs and dance music from Queensland and also stories, legends and recollections of customs and immigrant settlement, particularly German and Scandinavian in rural Queensland.

Recordings of folk music, dance music, folklore and oral history from New South Wales and Queensland recorded during the period 1955 to 1990.

Personal papers, manuscript scores, literary manuscripts, sound recordings and family photographs of Peter Sculthorpe, plus videos of films for which he wrote the music and television interviews.

Wolfgang Sievers' remarkable legacy with about 19,000 prints and 52,000 negatives and transparencies captured from 1938 to 1991. His work offers an extraordinary glimpse into Australian architecture, mining, and industry. 

3,300 books and serial issues in a range of languages relating to Asian and European literature, politics, history, religion and more. 

696 books and pamphlets relating to freshwater fishing mostly from Britain, as well as many from Australia, New Zealand and America.

A comprehensive collection of manuscript pencil scores, drafts of compositions, and fair copies of Sitsky's music dating from 1958 onwards.

About 15,500 items of sheet music and about 700 music albums from the late eighteenth century to the 1980s, as well as the personal papers of Snell.

The microfilm collection includes 78 manuscripts copied by the South Pacific Commission, created by missionaries, anthropologists, and linguists between 1900 and 1956. 

12,569 music scores which were used in Australian cinemas in the silent film era (roughly 1896 to 1929).

Papers of Christina Stead including diaries, manuscripts of her works, correspondence, personal documents, cuttings and photographs as well as papers of her biographers.

Manuscripts of poems and stories and letters from over 70 writers that Stephens assembled in the years in which he was editing the ‘Red Page’ of the Bulletin and later the Bookfellow.

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.

108 oral history interviews recorded by Sturgess between 1976 and 1986 while writing his 2 books and working on various ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) productions.

Discover the Symphony Australia Collection, featuring unpublished music by Australian composers from 1910 to 1970, including Alfred Hill, Peter Sculthorpe, and Margaret Sutherland. With chamber, choral, orchestral, and vocal pieces, as well as works from the colonial era and Eugene Goossens, this collection, donated in 2001, is a key resource in Australian music history.

About 3,000 books and pamphlets, mostly published in Britain, the majority on astronomy but also some works on geology, physics and chemistry, as well as a small group of Tanock's personal papers.

431 books, mostly Russian works published in countries other than the Soviet Union, including China, the United States, and Australia, in the years after 1917.

About 260 books and pamphlets on American history, as well as papers of the Woodriff family and Tilghman, including about 380 of Tilghman's photographs of the Northern Territory 1925–1927 and Queensland 1931–1933.

About 600 books with particular strength in anthropology, sociology and linguistics and largely related to Indonesia, and most are in Dutch, Indonesian, German or English. Some writings by Tobing, himself.

1,277 charts and maps dating from the 16th to the late 19th centuries, including maps of the Pacific and New Zealand as well as Australia.

About 10,000 stereoscopic view cards produced by both commercial and amateur photographers in all parts of the world and a significant collection of photographic equipment and some books and journals on photography.

Around 6,000 books, mostly in Portuguese, mostly relating to literature, history and religion among many other topics.

This Collection contains around 150 Chinese books, including some very rare works. They cover a range of subjects such as Chinese history, literature, society, classics, philosophy and religion.

Around 500 titles by minor and obscure British poets of the 19th century, most having been published during the reign of Queen Victoria – some earlier imprints extending back to 1801.

Around 270 books, pamphlets and serials, mostly published in the Philippines 1900-1965 but also some items from the USA, Spain and Spanish-speaking countries.

The Vryonis Collection is a comprehensive archive of around 1,600 books and periodicals on Byzantine history, art, literature, and the Greek Orthodox Church, along with its interactions with Islamic and Slavic cultures. Spanning languages such as English, Greek, Turkish, and more.

A vast repository of over 4,000 books, primarily in Chinese, covering history, culture, politics, and religion. Collected between 1950 and 2000, it includes rare texts from Taiwan and China, reflecting the richness of Chinese scholarship. 

139 pencil drawings and watercolour paintings produced by Westall, all but 2 from the voyage of HMS Investigator (1801-03).  Capturing landscapes, coastal profiles, and Indigenous peoples, these works offer a vivid, accurate record of early Australian encounters. As one of the first professional artists to visit Australia, Westall’s collection is a significant historical and cultural treasure.

Discover the Whelan Collection, a remarkable archive of Australian literature with over 1,000 autographed books, manuscripts, and letters from 1892 to 1967. Collected by bibliophile Philip Whelan, it offers a rare glimpse into Australia’s rich storytelling heritage and vibrant literary culture.

Personal papers of Patrick White, plus letters from White to other Australian writers acquired as part of their papers. Also papers of White's biographer David Marr and those of the artist and theatre designer Desmond Digby who had a long friendship with White.

About 3200 books, pamphlets, serials, maps, newspapers and ephemera mainly related to Japan plus some works on China and Korea.

The JC Williamson Ltd archives include a wide range of materials, such as business records, playscripts, libretti, music, programs, magazines, books, costume designs, and photographs. It also contains personal papers from Williamson's business partners, the Tait family and George Tallis.

One of the largest oral history collections in Australia with recordings of over 900 individuals in all States, as well as folk groups, singing groups, bands and choirs.

Drawings, sketches, plans and photographs of Australian colonial architecture, ancient buildings from China and Greece, furnature designs and sketches for a proposed "ideal city" of Kurrajong.

27 recordings of traditional music, recitations, folklore and oral histories made in New South Wales between 1968 and 1995.

715 Chinese and Japanese books. Most date from the period 1911–1940, 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.

About 140 oral history interviews, the majority for his Maltese-Australian and Polish-Australian folklore and social history projects. Personal papers of York plus papers of the historian Michael Cigler. Also a large quantity of Maltese newspapers, student newspapers, radical pamphlets and ephemera.

About 600 books and 66 serials, mainly relating to entomology and the natural sciences. Includes works on British entomology as well as Europe, North and South America. About one-third were published in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Over 530 pamphlets collected by Meyer (Max) Zwalf on socialism and related subjects published in Europe from 1875 to 1950.