Australian states and territories | National Library of Australia (NLA)

A black and white aerial image of Charters Towers.

Charters Towers Replenishing Centre, 1952, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2909430463

Aerial photographs collection

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

Collection guide

Hand coloured manuscript map of Australia, on base map titled 'A community survey of Australia', showing reach of Flying Doctor Service in red and reach of wireless communication in blue. Shows locations as Wyndham, Port Hedland, Kalgoorlie, Alice Springs, Cloncurry and Charleville and Broken Hill.

John Flynn, Flying Doctor Service of Australia, 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-481242509

Australian Inland Mission

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

Collection guide

A black-and-white photograph showing a large wedding party posed on the steps of a wooden house. The group includes men, women, and children dressed in formal Victorian attire. The women are in elaborate dresses, some holding small bouquets. The men wear suits, some with top hats, and a small boy peeks around a door frame to the left.

Album of photographs of Bushy Park, Tasmania, and Dandenong, Victoria, 1875, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-139460187

Birth, death and marriage records

Find out how to access and use these records to link generations and branches of your family.

Research guide

Harold Cazneaux's first camera, 1904, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141166704

Harold Cazneaux (1878–1953) was perhaps Australia's best-known photographer of the early twentieth century. He purchased this camera in 1904, shortly after moving from Adelaide to Sydney, and made photographs of Sydney's streets and waterways.

In 1909 he became the first Australian photographer to exhibit his works in a solo show.

Cazneaux was a master of the pictorialist style of photography, using soft focus to capture scenes that were - and remain - familiar to many Australians in a new light. He was able to find a timeless, extraordinary beauty in the everyday.

Cazneaux collection

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

Collection guide

A black and white drawing depicting a very large crowed of people inside an ornate building watching a parade of people and flags entering the building.

Papers of Sir Anthony Musgrave, Microform, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn668402

Federation of Australia

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

Collection guide

A black-and-white photo of a smiling family in swimsuits, standing together in shallow water at Manly Beach. The background shows pine trees and other beachgoers. The picture was taken in 1923 in New South Wales, Australia.

Noel Minchin, A family at Manly beach, New South Wales, 1923, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140924016

Find family and friends

If you're trying to reconnect with friends or relatives, there are a range of resources and organisations that can help you.

Research guide

An antique world map titled 'General Chart' showing the discoveries made by Captain James Cook during his voyages.

Lieut Henry Roberts, A general chart exhibiting the discoveries made by Capt. James Cook in this and his two preceding voyages, 1789, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-230604992

James Cook and his voyages

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

Collection guide