Fact sheet 254 – The Immigration Photographic Archive
After World War II, the Australian Government began an immigration program designed to provide the population and labour force needed to equip the country for postwar development. Migrants came to Australia from the United Kingdom and southern and western Europe, including from refugee camps. Most immigrants arrived on assisted passages or resettlement programs, as child and youth migrants and through employment and family reunion programs. From the 1960s immigration schemes saw migrants from Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East and Africa settle in Australia.
The Commonwealth Department of Immigration was responsible for implementing Australia’s postwar immigration programs. From its creation in 1945, the department employed photographers to record the arrival and resettlement of migrants and their integration into the Australian community. Their photographs were used to advertise and promote Australia to potential migrants, to illustrate reports and other publications, and as a resource for research into immigration.
The National Archives of Australia holds this collection of images as the Immigration Photographic Archive, series A12111. The collection consists of 36 000 black-and-white and colour images catalogued with the subject and a consecutive number with a year prefix. For example, a photograph relating to ‘Apex Sponsorship Scheme for British’ migrants taken in 1946 would be identified as ‘46/1/1’. Colour photographs have an additional ‘C’ prefix.
Access to the Immigration Photographic Archive
More than 10 000 images from the Immigration Photographic Archive have been digitised and can be accessed through the National Archives image bank, PhotoSearch. Search for ‘A12111’ as series number, then refine the search using keywords.
Captions for all photographs in the Immigration Photographic Archive are listed in the RecordSearch database. Search RecordSearch with keywords and ‘A12111’ in the reference number field. PhotoSearch and RecordSearch are available in all National Archives reading rooms and on our website.
Copies of images that have not been digitised may be requested through the National Reference Service.
Examples from A12111, Immigration Photographic Archive
Further information about immigration to Australia
The National Archives has prepared a number of fact sheets about immigration to Australia. A list of some of these and an overview of records relating to the arrival and resettlement of migrants is available in Fact Sheet 227 – Immigration records.
Further information and resources about records of migration, citizenship and travel can be found on the National Archives website under Collection. You can also use our database NameSearch to find records about individuals. NameSearch is available in all reading rooms and on our website.
