Public records
National Archives of Australia
You can find records related to the Australian Constitution and Federation, Cabinet, Defence, Anzac Centenary projects, Migration and citizenship, Security and intelligence through the National Archives of Australia.
- Using the collectionAn introduction to using the collection.
- Research guidesThese guides go into more detail about specific areas than the popular research topics and fact sheets.
- RecordSearchThe basic search in RecordSearch is useful for topics you don't know a lot about yet.
- RecordSearch forumGet help from other users of the archives in this forum.
Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV)
You can find records created by Victorian Government departments and authorities including the State’s courts, local councils, schools, and public hospitals and other public offices from mid 1830s - present through the Public Records Office of Victoria. They include information relating to areas of activity managed or regulated by government such as the administration of justice, immigration, health and welfare, land, education, Indigenous communities, planning, transport, and resource management.
- Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV)Access the PROV collection.
- Research GuidesGreat place to find help using the PROV website and database. Browse the collection by research topic to get an idea of what is out there in your field.
Searching in PROV
- PROV's digitised records and online indexesGuide to digitised records.
Public records from other state archival authorities
- Queensland State ArchivesUse the indexes for easiest access.
- State Records of South AustraliaUse the indexes and special lists for easiest access.
- Tasmanian Archives OnlineUse these guides to records for easiest access.
Projects with public records and archives
Examples of historical projects that facilitate access to digital public records:
- Find & Connect resourceDigitised information about Australian orphanages, children's homes, and other institutions.
- Invisible Australians: Living under the White Australia PolicyUses biographical information from government records to link together their lives of those who have migrated to Australia.
- Closed AccessThe Australian Archives Act 1983 defines ‘exempt’ Commonwealth records that can be withheld from the public for a variety of reasons, including the defence of national security, and the protection of individual privacy, and this project facilitates access to the information about these “closed access” records.
- Historic HansardCommonwealth of Australia House of Representatives (1901-1965) Hansard presented in an easy-to-read format. Browse by year, parliaments, people or Bills for easiest access.