State Archives Collection
Making history every day
The NSW State Archives Collection documents the daily work of the NSW Government and its agencies from 1788 to today. This vast collection records history as it happens, providing valuable and at times life-changing evidence of events and decisions that have shaped, and continue to shape, our history, communities and lives.
Online indexes, research guides & webinars are listed in Subjects A-Z. You can also search all the indexes at once via the catalogue.
Popular research subjects
Browse allAbout us
Browse all![Old books both upright and laying flat on shelving](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/87224d664cae76c20b60af921757aa50c76c93cf-2000x1335.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
How to use the State Archives Collection
The largest collection of records relating to the history of NSW and the lives of its people
![Aboriginal Languages and Nations in NSW & ACT © Reconciliation NSW](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/9f72849687c5d0e1f901f72c90413900058926a3-1563x1563.png?fit=max&auto=format)
First Nations Community Access to Archives
This project aims to improve access for First Nations people to important archival material about culture, kinship, stories, and languages within the State Archives Collection
Collection strengths
Browse allSearch for people & places
Browse all![](https://images.slm.com.au/fotoweb/embed/2023/08/ceed52d803904843ad7fdc50e6645f98.jpg)
Assisted Immigrants index 1839-1896
Passengers arriving in Sydney & Newcastle 1844-59, Moreton Bay 1848-59 & Port Phillip 1839-51
![Early convict indent, 1791](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/aad12a82f7056db7fbaf9fd1aab40542649b2c8c-649x1024.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Convicts index 1791-1873
140,000+ entries including certificates of freedom, bank accounts, & tickets of leave
![](https://images.slm.com.au/fotoweb/embed/2023/08/07a6c24690fb46a28ec44c51e9e5d245.jpg)
1841 Census index
Records the population by police districts, counties & towns. The head of the household is recorded in the returns
![Mugshot of Lottie May Little, 1917](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/ca5dbdcf6506e1070f5e46e29002f0a138846df8-815x899.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Gaol inmates & prisoners photos index
Browse 50,000+ entries & download digitised photos from 1870 to 1930
Watch & learn
Browse all![A man and woman sit at the foot of the stairs of a homestead with a wrap around verandah. A dog sits between them](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/29193c212ca7fc5b24bbf119e2b98b95a3f7b874-1290x993.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Researching your house and property
Learn how to find house and property records in the NSW State Archives Collection
![A last will and testament from 1863](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/80389cff63391a1b19b9ac77a528ac457025af6b-1576x892.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Probate packets
This webinar focuses on the sources for probate in the State Archives Collection and how to find them
![1909 Passenger list for the ship Paloona](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/6a90ac2ccb9573cc39b11b91bac601eb944cbe29-1849x1311.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Unassisted passenger lists online
Unassisted passengers are those who paid their own way. This webinar explains how to search lists of unassisted passenger arrivals to NSW
What can you find?
Browse all![building plan from the Broken Hill Public School file](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/c6c1d175ae8beacef8012c6235fe9bcc5f3af095-921x716.png?fit=max&auto=format)
Schools: what the files can tell you
School files very strongly reflect the growth or decline of towns and are an excellent source for your local history research
![digitised page from a bankruptcy file](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/abc3bd7738ba91ef737d37ec6e02bb67fdd48254-902x703.png?fit=max&auto=format)
Bankruptcy: what the files can tell you
Bankruptcy files contain lists of creditors that the bankrupt person owed money to and debtors that owed money to the bankrupt person
![Directions for making a will, from a 1929 probate file](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/e52fda4e05690b6ea102e5969a57aa65680027be-675x821.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Probate packets: what the files can tell you
Probate packets hold the last will and testament, codicils, an inventory of assets of the estate, affidavits of death and other papers
Stories & articles
Browse all![A view of old Parliament House from the driveway](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/74eab4ac7c2f84a839a6b90620a8c2577fee5355-1920x1143.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Canberra – the federal capital contest
This record series from the State Archives Collection sheds light on the proud efforts a number of towns, villages and other areas took to present their submissions to become the capital of the new Commonwealth
![](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2024/04/9e770d3d4f11454eae817b04ad9f28c5.jpg)
Threads in the archives
Non-paper materials are not common in the State Archives Collection and the wonderful details, colours and textures captured in these items are a beautiful sight to see
![A crowd of people in a rotunda decorated with streamers](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/c45cc128123991aefb40bf5068410a7d22108d2a-3000x2308.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Celebrating federation
The Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed on 1 January 1901. The Federation Pavilion in Sydney’s Centennial Park was the focus of the inauguration ceremonies and a five mile procession through the decorated streets of Sydney was greeted by large crowds
![A collection of old printed documents](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/89127956a3bf5924edb06ca66c860c3eaaa6d344-1600x900.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Cummeragunja Walk Off
This page marks the 80th anniversary of the Cummeragunja Walk Off which began in February 1939 and ended nine months later in October/November.
![A large group of men stand in front of a train carriage at the Eveleigh Workshops in 1917](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/88189e5117130d462bb3946522fe6e9afa118636-1688x1312.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Eveleigh Workshops during the 1917 railway strike
On 2 August 1917 the General Strike began. It started in the Randwick Rail Workshops & Eveleigh Carriage Workshops & quickly spread to other industries until about 100,000 workers were on strike
![https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_large/public/Galleries/US%20Fleet/FL12963.jpg?itok=Q9UgkZx-](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2024/04/d848110b6558443ba27ded975f76ca62.jpg)
The Great White Fleet, 1908
On 20 August 1908 a round the world peace mission by the American fleet arrived in Port Jackson and marked the start of Fleet Week, a week-long celebration of events, parades and parties
!['Lady Hopetoun' docked at Commissioners Steps in front of the Sydney Harbour Trust building](https://images.mhnsw.au/fotoweb/embed/2024/04/b0462463d36d44288cdf13b34a54bad2.jpg)
Maritime Services Board
A sample of the 4000+ digitised glass plate negatives from the Maritime Services Board
![Composite image showing black and white mughsots of Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/a912018a2304bd738a0b4bc81894f80fd8256cf0-1920x1080.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Tilly Devine & the Razor Gang Wars, 1927–1931
Learn about the Razor gangs and their leaders Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh
News
![top half of a page from an inquest file](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/c08b617d9920745878ff77ca6949a33698c73e4a-713x340.png?fit=max&auto=format)
Latest News
Inquest index expanded
Over 9,100 new entries have been added by our volunteers to our inquest index and covers the years 1916–1963
![View of limestone cave](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/6ca9a3729b1a6b6aae3c9f1403daff55f35183a5-731x595.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Latest News
Jenolan Caves in the State Archives Collection
We are donning our speleological hard hats and highlighting digitised material relating to Jenolan Caves held in the State Archives Collection
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/zl9du87e/production/7de68531283fc251d997805e2bd8348524400086-1596x991.jpg?fit=max&auto=format)
Latest News
Volunteers document Liverpool State Hospital records
It's National Volunteer Week and we're highlighting the important work our volunteers do in helping to make the Collection more accessible. Our Collections Volunteers have successfully listed over 57,000 patient admission cards from Liverpool Hospital covering 1884 to 1959