Archives In Brief 25 - NSW State archives relating to Aboriginal people

• Records held as State archives
• Public access to the records
• Note on content of some records
• How to find information in archives
• Significant agencies
• Further details
• Contacts

Records held as State archives

State Records holds a significant number of records as State archives that document the governments' dealings with Aboriginal people. The nature and impact of these dealings has varied greatly over time according to the policy of the day.

The records were usually 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 or loss.

Public access to the records

Many of the records relating to Aboriginal people are closed to public access because they contain sensitive personal information. The government agency responsible for the records administers access to records closed to public access. For example access to the records of the Aborigines Welfare Board is administered by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

The Register of Access Directions provides details on what records are open and what records are closed to public access. For more information on how to access records closed to public access see Archives in Brief 78.

Note on content of some records

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.

How to find information in archives

State archives are kept in the original order in which they were created by government agencies. To find records relating to people it is important to know what government agencies they may have had contact with.

While State archives relating to Aboriginal people can be found throughout the collection there are some functions and agencies of government that have created more records about Aboriginal people than others. To help people identify agencies and find records we have published A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Aboriginal people. The Guide lists only those records in our custody which had been arranged and described as of 1998. Researchers should ask State Records staff about records not included in the Guide.

Significant agencies

The implementation and administration of policies affecting Aboriginal people has been conducted by many government agencies overtime from the Colonial Secretary's Department and the Aborigines Welfare Board to current agencies such as the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. Agencies that carry out functions such as Education, Health, Social and Community Services, Law and Order and Labour are also likely to create records relating to Aboriginal people.

List of some significant agencies

1788-1883
Aborigines Protectorate, Port Phillip
Attorney General and Justice 
Clergy and School Lands Corporation
Clerk of the Peace 
Colonial Secretary Department
Commissioners of Crown Lands 
Corrective Services
Courts of Petty Sessions
Education
Governor
Health
Judge Advocate
Lands
Mines
Police
Supreme Court
Surveyor General
Treasury

1883-1969
Board for the Protection of Aborigines
Aborigines Welfare Board 
Housing Commission of New South Wales
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Premier's Office — Premier's Department 

1970-present
Aboriginal Services Branch, Department of Community Services
Aboriginal Lands Trust 
Board of Studies
Department of Aboriginal Affairs
Department of Community Services
Office of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment
Land and Environment Court
Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
NSW Aboriginal Land Council
Office of Aboriginal Affairs

Further details

In addition to A Guide to NSW State Archives relating to Aboriginal People information on records relating to Aboriginal people can also be found in the following Archives In Brief:

• Archives in Brief 42: Aborigines Welfare Board 1883-1969
• Archives in Brief 43: Aborigines Welfare Board Photographs, c. 1919-1966
• Archives in Brief 44: Aboriginal Schools, 1876-c.1979, and
• Archives in Brief 78: Access to records relating to Aboriginal people.

For information on all records held as State archives check Archives Investigator.

Contacts

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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