Anyone who has moved house knows the importance of keeping family records so they can be enjoyed by future generations. You may have photos of grandparents on the day they became Australian citizens, documents relating to important personal milestones or letters from relatives who served in wars.

Now imagine the task of the National Archives of Australia – the nation’s record keeper. We hold tens of millions of files on 350 kilometres of shelf space. In our care are paper files, film footage, sound recordings, maps, plans, electronic records – and, of course, many millions of letters – that document Australian history, from dramatic events that shaped the nation, to decisions that touched the lives of Australians. The collection is full of stories of immigration, citizenship, Indigenous Australians, public works, war, sport, the arts and natural disasters. It’s a national collection about people, from the ordinary to the famous. Unique and irreplaceable, it belongs to us all.

I am delighted that the National Archives is able to participate in celebrating Australia Post’s significant milestone by being a partner in Letters of a Nation. The project has the potential to unearth letters that are able to touch and inform us all. The 200 most significant letters – the letters that have shaped the nation – will be added to the National Archives’ collection.

I encourage you to look for your own family’s letters – perhaps tucked away in a drawer for many years. They will contain the stories of individual Australians, important to you, important too to help us all understand who we are as Australians. They could become part of Letters of a Nation.

Ross Gibbs
Director-General
National Archives of Australia