Archive & Research Services

Archive records reveal a history of the community movement to preserve significant places for all Australians.

Archives are collections of important records. Archives matter because they hold much of our personal, corporate, and social memory.  Archives are maintained in many formats, from paper records (documents, maps and drawings) to photographs to recordings of sound and moving images.

Archives can include a variety of records, including:

  • Diaries;
  • Architectural drawings;
  • Digital content such as videos;
  • Letters;
  • Manuscripts;
  • Newspapers;
  • Magazines;
  • Official documents (such as birth, marriage and death certificates;) and
  • Files created by business or government.

The National Trust Archives safeguards the state’s memory of historic places, cultural landscapes, natural environments, the conservation movement and of course, our own organisation’s history.  Our collection also includes detailed records of National Trust own properties and contain comprehensive histories such as conservation, interpretation, archaeological and collection management.

We collect, preserve and manage documents and other evidence that record important events in NSW’s built, natural and cultural history and make them available to the public.

 

Digital Objects & Library

Our unique collection includes images, drawings, research files and press clippings from all over New South Wales that capture the history of the NSW's heritage places and the community's work to conserve and protect them.

Our collection includes histories of individual sites  and documents the  threats they have faced since 1945 and the community’s work to protect them.

The Trust has records of many heritage places across the state, from cultural landscapes, natural environments and historic places.  We hold records on places listed on the National trust register as well as many not currently listed by us.

The Archives and Library are carefully digitising our content to make it more accessible.  Digital records, research and high resolution images are available at a nominal fee.

You are also welcome to access the archives in person for research (contact details below) or search our full online collection via e-hive.

Explore our Online Collection Highlights

For the first time, the National Trust’s significant collection of 5,137 books, manuscripts, magazines and submissions is now easily accessible online.

The public can look forward to a myriad of hidden gems that will be released from the vault.  The Archives Team will be adding more records to this archive every month, so be sure to check back in regularly to see the latest instalments.

In the meantime, here are some of our newly digitised records to get you started.

 

Related content section

National Trust Quarterly Journals

Explore our journals from 1961 - 1980.
Search for National Trust Bulletins and Quaterly Journals
Launched in 1961, the National Trust Bulletin is a wonderful resource for members and the public, providing rich details of our campaigns and issues over the last six decades. The battles to save heritage that seem almost unbelievable now - Macquarie Street, Customs House, The Rocks to name only a few local examples. Explore this fascinating collection and be inspired.

More

National Trust Signature Publications

Our National Trust’s publications cover around 1,300 items that are being digitised. The publications cover campaigns, lectures, heritage lectures and conference papers.
This month our highlight is a collection of essays on the history, conservation and management of our garden heritage. Published in 1997, the Trust's "Gardens of Heritage Significance" remains a highly relevant guideline to gardens of significance.

More

Beautiful Bookmarks!

The Archives and Library are pleased to launch the first of our series of bookmarks.
The first series features Everglades in Leura, photographs by Harold Cazneaux (c.1936). You can collect these at Everglades or the National Trust Centre, Millers Point. The Mawlands Collection of Everglades photographs are availanble at eHive

More

Interwar Houses - our middle class dream

Read the papers from the Trust's 1998 Seminar exploring suburban housing in the period 1918-1944, a time that shaped our Australian cities and towns.

More

Search our full online collection via E-Hive

Our archivist have unlocked our records and released the first batch online via e-hive. New records will be added to our online collection every week.

More

Saumarez digitisation project

The Saumarez Digitisation Project is digitising and cataloguing diaries, letters, photos and collection objects (furniture, textiles, artworks, clothing) including collecting oral histories.

Some of the objects are highly fragile, including silver nitrate photos. The collection has been very well maintained and now it will have a broader reach and encourage people to travel to Armidale to view the magnificent house for themselves!

More

Visit our Archives

Archive & Research Services

Address:

National Trust Centre, Upper Fort Street, Millers Point

Open:

Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, by appointment only.
Contact Archives and Library Manager James Bosanquet

Phone:
(02) 9258 0128
Email:
archives@nationaltrust.com.au
What we offer: