The National Archives of Australia (NAA) was established in 1998. It was formerly known as the Australian Archives. The National Archives collects, preserves and makes publicly available records of the Australian government. The collection includes records related to family history research, as well as records relevant specifically to child welfare and child migration. The head office of the National Archives is located in Canberra, with smaller repositories and reading rooms in all state and territory capital cities.
The National Archives collection comprises many files and documents related to the activities of the Government. However it also includes other types of records including film and sound recordings, plans and posters, and many photographs.
Collections in the Archives can be searched on-line or by visiting one of the reading rooms. There is no charge for viewing records but different types of records are subject to different types of access conditions. The website of the National Archives provides further information about access.
Under the Archives Act 1983, most Commonwealth records in the open access period are available for public access. The open access period is 20 years after the date of the creation of the record. Some records are subject to exemption for various reasons. Care leavers and other researchers need to apply for access to records if they are not already open. The National Archives website provides further information about access.
This page was written by Lee Butterworth, last updated 10 February 2023.
