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Archives / Collection & Research / Research A-Z / Access to the Records

Access to the Records

  • Indexes
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Guide content

  • Accessing the Records Guide
  • Access to State records - Your Rights
  • Accessing patient-identifying records
  • Archives Resources Kit (ARK)
  • Community Access Points
  • Using Collection Search
  • Websites: finding our archives online
  • Where else can you find copies of NSW State archives

 

Other resources

All Access to the Records resources

Back to Research A-Z

 

Accessing the Records Guide

The State Records Act 1998 establishes a general entitlement to access to State records that are at least 30 years old. Not all such records, however, are open for public access. Some contain information, such as sensitive personal information, that require a longer period of closure. The Register of Access Directions lists whether records are open or closed to public access.

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Access to State records - Your Rights

Public access to the records of government is a fundamental right in a democratic society. The State Records Act 1998 promotes the principles of accountability and access by requiring public offices to create records of their business and administrative transactions and ensuring that records of significant value are preserved. The underlying principle is that all relevant records of enduring value will be publicly available in due course.

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Accessing patient-identifying records

Provides information on how to access patient identifying records from NSW operated mental health facilities and asylums for the poor/infirm and destitute.

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Archives Resources Kit (ARK)

The ARK is held by 40 community access points across NSW. The majority of access points are libraries. The ARK consists of microfilm copies of our most popular and heavily used colonial records. Included are records relating to convict arrivals, assisted immigrants, births, deaths and marriages, publicans' licences, electoral rolls, naturalisation, returns of the colony ('Blue Books'), land grants, and the wide range of functions of the Colonial Secretary (1788-1825).

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Community Access Points

We have made some of the most useful State archives for family and local history available in the Archives Resources Kit, located at 40 community access points around NSW

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Using Collection Search

Search series, items, digital images and online index entries all in the one place. The new Collection Search is a powerful single search tool that provides access to the 1.9 million items in the State Archives Collection and the 1.7 million Online Index entries in the one place for the first time. This includes 6,500 never before seen series and 300,000 new items.

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Websites: finding our archives online

Some of our archives are listed on other websites such as Ancestry, Find My Past, Family Search and Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters. 

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Where else can you find copies of NSW State archives

If you can't make it to our Western Sydney Reading Room other organisations hold copies of some NSW State archives. This page lists where those records are held.

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Research A-Z


 
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Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Country on which we live and work, and pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the impact colonialism has had on Aboriginal Country and Aboriginal peoples and that this impact continues to be felt today.
Was, is, and always will be Aboriginal land.

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