Historical Links

Links for Historians

[Previous post:Olivet House, Stirling SA … Next post: Federation Renovation]

Archives

• State Records NSW
• National Archives of Australia
• Public Records Office of Victoria
• Noel Butlin Archives, ANU Canberra
• Directory of Archives in Australia

• Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts

  Databases

• Australian Dictionary of Biography
• Dictionary of Sydney
• Foundation Documents of Australia and its States
• Gazetteer of Australia – Place Name Search

• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Studies

  Heritage Sites

• Brisbane Heritage trails
• Heritage register | Brisbane City Council
• National Trust of Australian (NSW Branch)
• National Trust’s HeritageSpace web portal
• Queensland Heritage Register
• State Heritage Inventory – NSW Heritage Office
• Register of the National Estate
• The Rocks
• Cockatoo Island
• Historic Houses Trust
• Australian Heritage Council
  

  Libraries

• State Library of NSW
• National Library of Australia
• State Library of Victoria
• Australian Libraries Gateway
  

  Local preservation groups

• Australian Heritage

• Australian Heritage Council
• Brisbane’s Living Heritage Network
• Federation of Australian Historical Societies
• GlebeNet
• Hornsby Heritage Register
• Radical Terrace archive
• Randwick & District Historical Society
• Royal Australian Institute of Architects
• St. Kilda Historical Society Inc
• Wahroonga Conservation Group

• Museums

• Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
• National Museum of Australia
• Migration Heritage Centre, NSW
• Australian Museum, Sydney
• Australian National Maritime Museum

• Museum of Australian Democracy

  Peak History Organisations

  • History Council of NSW
  • Royal Australian Historical Society

  Randwick Sites

  • Randwick City Council
  • Nursing Museum, Little Bay
  • Centennial Parklands
  • University of NSW
  • Botany Bay National Park
  • Federation of Australian Historical Societies

  Photographic Collections

• Picture Australia
• Corbis Photographs

from: Radical Terrace:

• What House Is That? Truly one of the best resources available. A fantastic primer on the evolution of residential architecture over the course of Australia’s built history.
• NSW Heritage The online database is mostly complete; the search function is superior that to that of Heritage Victoria, but you’ll likely have to try a host of different keywords to find the information most pertinent.
• Heritage Victoria Unfortunately, for all of Heritage Victoria’s strong points, its online database is not one of them. That said, plenty of good information exists here.
• ‘Federation House’ This Wiki-group possesses a treasure trove of information about Federation home construction throughout Australia, with particular detail toward the architecture of Sydney’s North Shore. They fastidiously cite their sources, which proves invaluable to any historic researcher.
• Miles Lewis Lewis is undoubtedly the foremost urban historian for Melbourne. His site possesses some kick-ass presentations that include many a historic image and map, most of which can also be accessed through the State Library of Victoria. He also hosts a database of prominent Melbourne Mansions, but unfortunately I’ve never been able to access it. Two of his published works – Suburban Backlash and Melbourne: The City’s History and Development (Vols 1 & 2) – proved to be invaluable resources for me in understanding the growth of the built fabric of Melbourne. In particular, Lewis’ attention to parcel and road sizes and planning principles through the last century and a half is definitive and explains why Melbourne today looks the way it does.
• MMBW Maps c1900 Map enthusiasts, rejoice: this is as good as it gets.