Victoria
Our Victoria Office is open to the public. Bookings are required to visit.
South Australia
Our South Australia Office is open to the public. Bookings are required to visit.
Annual release of Cabinet records
Find out about media access to Cabinet records about to be released.
Corporate plan 2020–21 to 2023–24
Read the National Archives' corporate plan for the period from 2020–21 to 2023–24.
Agency Digitisation Service
Access to unclassified paper records is provided via the Agency Digitisation Service (ADS
Using the collection
Find out what records you can access and how to order them via RecordSearch.
Australian Capital Territory
Our Australian Capital Territory Office is open to the public every day except Good Friday and Christmas Day.
Digital preservation planning
An important aspect of digital continuity is digital preservation. Many records have retention periods longer than the life of the systems they are captured in.
When to use the Freedom of Information, Archives and Privacy Acts
To see Commonwealth government records which have not previously been made public you will normally need to apply for access under either the Freedom of Information Act 1982 or the Archives Act 1983.
ASIO records – exempt information
Because of their sensitive nature, many ASIO records contain information that is exempt from public access.
Retrieving records from the National Archives for agencies
From 1 January 2018, the National Archives will provide agencies access to unclassified paper records through the Agency Digitisation Service .
Army – Boer War: 1899–1902
The Boer War spanned Australia's pre- and post-Federation period. Post-Federation records of the war are held by the National Archives.
National description strategy 2021–2024
The main purpose of the National Archives of Australia‘s descriptive work is to facilitate public access to the archival records it holds.
2001 Cabinet release summary
An overview of Cabinet records created in the year 2001 which became available to access on 1 January 2022.
2000 Cabinet release summary
An overview of Cabinet records created in the year 2000 which became available to access on 1 January 2021.
2003 Cabinet release summary
An overview of Cabinet records created in the year 2003 which became available to access on 1 January 2024.
Research centres
We have a research centre in each capital city where you can access documents, maps and audio-visual material from our collection.
Corporate plan 2024–25 to 2027–28
Read the National Archives' corporate plan for the period from 2024–25 to 2027–28.
Community Heritage Grants
The Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program supports our aim to protect and provide access to Australia's cultural heritage.
Danniella McGowen
Access & Public Engagement Branch – Danni McGowan
