Using the Pictures collection | National Library of Australia (NLA)
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Using the Pictures collection

This page provides guidance on how to find and use items in the Pictures collection.

Finding pictures

Most pictures are listed in our catalogue.

Tip: To limit your search to pictures only, use the format filter and select 'Picture'.

Search our catalogue

To view original material, visit the Special Collections Reading Room. 

Accessing pictures

Most pictures are available for research, but some require permission or may not be accessible. Before you visit, check the catalogue or Ask a Librarian.

Requesting material

Order photographic material before your visit to avoid delays as some collections take longer to prepare.

  1. Log in to the catalogue with your Library card.
  2. Submit an online request.
  3. View material in the Special Collections Reading Room when it's ready.

Delivery and preparation time

Some collection items are not fully arranged or described and need extra time to be prepared before they can be used. For more information, review our collection delivery times.

Download or order copies

You can download a low-resolution digital copy, or you can order a high-resolution copy using Copies Direct.  

Download a low-resolution copy

  1. Find the item you would like a copy of in our catalogue.
  2. If the record has a thumbnail or digitised image, you can download it directly.
  3. Click on the image or 'View online' button to download a low resolution (72 dpi) copy.
  4. Click the 'Download' icon.
  5. Select an available formats or page range, then click on 'Start download'.

Order a high-resolution copy

  1. Find the item you would like a copy of in our catalogue.
  2. Click on the 'Order a copy' button.
  3. Follow the instructions provided by the Copies Direct service.

Fairfax archive images

Images from the Fairfax archive of glass plate negatives are out of copyright, but the Library has a licence from Fairfax to use them only for non-commercial purposes. You can save or print these images for research, study, or personal use. For any other use, please submit an Intention to Publish form.

Ordering Fairfax archive images

  • To order a high-resolution copy for research, study, or personal use, go to Copies Direct.
  • To order or license an image for publication or commercial use, visit the Fairfax Syndication website.

Copyright and publishing

Not all images on our website are freely available for public use, even if they are out of copyright. In many cases, the Library has permission to display images for research and study only.

If you want to use an image for anything beyond research and study, please complete our Intention to Publish form.

More information 

Citing items

To ensure the correct citing of items obtained from the library, please review

Contact us

To submit an enquiry about pictures, use our service Ask a Librarian.

Landscape watercolour showing trees, hilly, grass covered terrain, few small buildings and a mountain in the distance

H M Rolland, Canberra, view from Camp Hill looking towards St. John' s Church, Mt. Ainslie in the distance, 1924, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135217175

H M Rolland, Canberra, view from Camp Hill looking towards St. John' s Church, Mt. Ainslie in the distance, 1924, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135217175

A frog is hanging from a twig. The frog is showing its belly, which is white. It's legs are orange and out stretched between two branches.

Peter Dombrovskis, Litoria burrowsae, Mount Wellington, Tasmania, 1969, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151417897

Peter Dombrovskis, Litoria burrowsae, Mount Wellington, Tasmania, 1969, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151417897

A high aerial shot of a flooded landscape. Creeks and rivers have over flowed.

Peter Taylor, Channel country in south-west Queensland in flood, Nappa Merrie Station, Cooper Creek, August 1983, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147618690

Peter Taylor, Channel country in south-west Queensland in flood, Nappa Merrie Station, Cooper Creek, August 1983, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147618690

Image of a colour sketch of a heavily snow covered town of Hobart houses with water and mountains in the background in 1882

HJ Graham, Severe snow storm over Hobart, 1882, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135529606

HJ Graham, Severe snow storm over Hobart, 1882, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135529606

Costume design for Guest 8 from a J.C. Williamson production, 1875

J.C. Williamson, Costume design for Guest 8 from a J.C. Williamson production, 1875, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-139011985

J.C. Williamson, Costume design for Guest 8 from a J.C. Williamson production, 1875, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-139011985

Watercolour painting of Banksia bush and flowers

Ellis Rowan, Banksia serrata L.f., family Proteaceae, 1782,  nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138824614

Ellis Rowan, Banksia serrata L.f., family Proteaceae, 1782,  nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138824614

Page published: 28 Jul 2025

More to explore

About the Pictures collection
Our rich and varied Pictures collection focuses on Australian people, places and events, from early European exploration of the South Pacific to contemporary events.
Drawing of a king parrot

George Raper, King parrot (Alisterus scapularis), 1788, nla.obj-150068793

Rights and the Pictures collection

A summary of copyright and rights in the Pictures collection.

Information article
Blue tile
Discover the Pictures collection

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