LibGuides: Australian Studies: Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Trove, from the National Library of Australia is a great resource for finding books, images, historic newspapers, maps, music, archives and more.
The Australian War Memorial combines a shrine, a world-class museum, and an extensive archive.
National Archives of Australia preserves Australia’s most valuable government records, encourages their use by the public and promotes good records management by Australian Government agencies.
State Library of Victoria is Victoria's largest public reference library.
Documenting Democracy The Museum of Australian Democracy and the National Archives of Australia present 110 key documents that are the foundation of our nation.
Public Record Office Victoria holds the archives of the State Government of Victoria.

Databases with Primary Source Material

Early Experiences in Australasia: Primary Sources and Personal Narratives 1788-1901
A great database for accessing first-hand accounts of early white settlement
Australian Historic Records Register
AHRR is a list of paper-based records held in private hands in Australia, providing an insight into life in Australia from settlement to 1988 and is a product of the Australian Bicentennial Historic Records Search, the major heritage project of the Australian Bicentennial Authority
Women and Social Movements International
A collection of primary materials drawn from more than 300 repositories, including writings of women activists, their personal letters and diaries, and the proceedings of conferences at which pivotal decisions were made.
Women, War and Society, 1914-1918
This digital collection, of women’s role in Britain’s war effort during the Great War, gathered by the Imperial War Museum, London, features documents, photographs and images from more than 1,000 organisations and interpretive essays by leading scholars

Licensing information: Please read what you can and can't do with each resource in the A-Z Databases under 'License Information'. Queries can be sent to the Publisher Licensing Consultant.

What are Primary Sources?

Primary sources are records that provide firsthand accounts or evidence of historical events or experiences. You might also find primary source material reproduced within a secondary source, such as a published biography or documentary history book.

Types of primary sources can include:

Books
Photographs and images
Magazine and Newspaper Articles
Cartoons and Advertisements
Diaries and Journals
Movies, videos, DVDs
Memoirs and Autobiographies
Audio recordings
Interviews
Public Opinion Polls
Letters
Speeches
Research Data
Statistical documents produced by organizations and agencies.