First Australians

A black and white photo of a man playing a guitar on a boat

Frank Hurley, A diver entertains while on his way to the fishing grounds, 1910, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-157724827

Highlights collection items in our catalogue from the 5 major island clusters in the Torres Straits Region.

Research guide

Leigh Henningham, Protester holding a placard that reads, Our Future is in Your Hands, during the School Strike 4 Climate rally, Melbourne, 21 May 2021, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2956718607

Protest and dissent research guide

Use this guide to help find and access resources about the movements that have shaped social and cultural change in Australia.

Research guide

Mabo Collection

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.

Collection guide

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

A handwritten diary entry in an old fashioned script.

George Thomson, Diary entry for Tuesday 26 May 1868, Diary of George Thomson, 1868-1869, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3308197449

Indigenous Australian cricket team touring England in the 1860s

Australians have often gone to great lengths to see their favourite sporting teams, even back in the 1860s!

News article

Norman B Tindale, Map showing the distribution of the Aboriginal tribes of Australia, 1940, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-230054338

First Australians language collections

Explore manuscripts and records that give a glimpse into the approximately 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.

Research guide

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

First Australians collections

We hold a diverse range of material, offering a rich interpretation of Australia's past and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Information article

Cover of book 'Lookin for your mob: a guide to tracing Aboriginal family trees'

Diane Smith and Boronia Halstead, Lookin for your mob : a guide to tracing Aboriginal family trees by Diane Smith and Boronia Halstead, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn354970

Finding First Australians family history

Access resources to help you research your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family history.

Research guide

Copying and re-using works with Indigenous cultural content

Copyright law applies to Indigenous works in the same way as it applies to other works, however there may be additional legal and cultural issues.

Information article

Two men hug and another man shakes one of their hands

Juno Gemes, Countrymen, elders from Arakun and Mornington Island greeting each other before a ceremony, Mornington Island, Queensland, 1978, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147616168

Bringing Them Home Oral History project

Between 1998 and 2002, people from all over Australia told us their stories as part of the Bringing Them Home Oral History project.

Information article

A black-and-white postcard depicting a forest scene with a large wooden structure resembling a natural shelter or barricade. The structure is made from wooden logs and branches, arranged in a semi-circle or arch. The dense forest in the background features tall trees, ferns, and thick underbrush, creating a secluded and mysterious atmosphere. The ground appears rough, with scattered debris and fallen logs. The image is reminiscent of a hidden or protected space within the wilderness.

Postcard of a sketch by William Knight of a native camp, Midlands, Tasmania, sketch made on the spot, 1924, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3265441693

Bates Collection

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

Collection guide

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