• About this Archives in Brief
• Records relating to Aboriginal people
• Public access to State records
• How to access records
• How to access records closed to public access
• How to access records from other government agencies
• Note on the content of some records
• Contacts

This AIB provides guidance on how to access records relating to Aboriginal people held as NSW State archives.

For further information

Additional information about access to records is available in Archives in Brief 9 and the Register of Access Directions.

State Records holds a significant number of records as State archives that document the governments' dealings with Aboriginal people from 1788 until today. The records were mainly created by public servants including those at stations and by reserve managers.

Unfortunately not all records have survived and many are incomplete due to destruction and loss. See Archives in Brief 25 for more information about what type of records we hold that relate to Aboriginal people.

Most State records are open to public access once they are 30 years old. For example, records of Aboriginal schools are open to public access after 30 years. See Archives in Brief 44 for more information on school records.

Records that contain sensitive information, however, are closed for a longer period. For example the ward registers of the Aborigines Welfare Board are closed from public access for 100 years.

State Records maintains the Register of access directions that lists what records are open after 30 years and what records are closed and for how long.

You can learn more about public access to State records in Archives In Brief 9: Your rights of access to State records. If you are unsure what records are open or closed to public access our staff can help you.

State Records has two reading rooms. The Sydney Records Centre (SRC) is located in the Rocks and the Western Sydney Records Centre (WSRC) is located at Kingswood. The SRC only holds copies of records. All original records (uncopied records) are held at WSRC.

To access original records you will need a reader's ticket. To obtain a reader's ticket you must show two forms identification to confirm your name, address and signature.

Before you visit check to see if there are copies you can view at the SRC.

How to access closed records of the former Aborigines Welfare Board

The NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) is the government agency responsible for the records of the former Aborigines Welfare Board. To access closed records you will need to contact the Family Records Unit. The DAA are also responsible for assessing access to records for non-family research. The website provides details of their services and copies of application forms.

The DAA will check indexes to identify if there any records relating to your request.
If there are any records, and they approve your application, the DAA will either send you copies of the records or send you a letter authorising access and/or copying of the relevant records at State Records.

Contact Details

Application process

The DAA will check indexes to identify if there any records relating to your request. If there are and they approve your application the DAA will either send you copies of the records or send you a letter authorising access and/or copying of the relevant records at State Records.

Viewing the records

If you receive a letter you will need to present the letter authorising you to view the records when you visit State Records. If you are viewing original records you will also need to apply for readers' ticket. You will need to supply two forms of identification to obtain a readers' ticket.

To access other government records closed to public access you will need to get the permission of the government agency that is responsible for the records. State Records staff can tell you who to contact.

Researchers should be aware that the records may contain language, descriptions and opinions which reflect the author's attitude or that of the period in which the records were written. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may consider some of the records to be inappropriate and offensive.

For more information on State Records relating to Aboriginal people please contact the Project Officer - Aboriginal Liaison on (02) 8247 8609 or email poal@records.nsw.gov.au.

© State of New South Wales through the State Records Authority, 2003.
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