Research Guides
Welcome to the National Archives of Australia's Research Guides website
The National Archives has two series of guides to assist researchers to find relevant records in our collection. Several of our books also offer advice on finding records.
Twenty–two guides in our Research Guide series cover a broad range of topics. These include guides on immigration (British, Chinese, Jewish, child), foreign relations (with Japan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea), military history (HMAS Sydney, Boer War) and various other topics.
Six guides in the Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers series provide short biographies and extensive archival listings on 11 former prime ministers.
You can browse and purchase copies of our research guides from our online shop, or download them for free from the links below. Orders can be placed by phoning (02) 6212 3609 or contacting Publication Sales, PO Box 7425, Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610.
See below for our latest research guide, followed by a list of our other research guides. At the bottom of the page is a list of Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers series research guides.
Our latest research guide
Malcolm Fraser: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers (2012)
Elizabeth Masters and Katie Wood
Other research guides
Commonwealth Government Records about the Northern Territory (2011)
Ted Ling
Research Guide no: 22
Chinese–Australian Journeys: Records on Travel, Migration, and Settlement, 1860–1975 (2005)
Paul Jones
Research Guide no: 21
Allies, Enemies and Trading Partners: Records on Australia and the Japanese (2004)
Pam Oliver
Research Guide no: 20
Australia in Focus: Photographs in the National Archives (2003)
Peter Nagle
Research Guide no: 19
A Nation’s Imagination: Australia’s Copyright Records, 1854–1968 (2003)
Merilyn Minell
Research Guide no: 18
Sound Recordings in the National Archives (2001)
Helen Cross and Margaret Chambers
Research Guide no: 17
Near Neighbours: Records on Australia's Relations with Indonesia (2001)
Karl Metcalf
Research Guide no: 16
Working for the Dole: Commonwealth Relief during the Great Depression (2001)
Don Fraser
Research Guide no: 15
Collections in Perth: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records (2000)
Dan Midalia
Research Guide no: 14
Cockatoo Island Dockyard: A Guide to the Records (2000)
Margaret Chambers
Research Guide no: 13
Safe Haven: Records of the Jewish Experience in Australia (1999)
Malcolm Turnbull
Research Guide no: 12
Good British Stock: Child and Youth Migration to Australia (1999)
Barry Coldrey
Research Guide no: 11
Citizenship in Australia: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records (1999)
David Dutton
Research Guide no: 10
The Boer War: Australians and the War in South Africa, 1899–1902 (1999)
Craig Wilcox
Research Guide no: 9
Collections in Melbourne: A Guide to Commonwealth Records (2003)
Celia Blake
Research Guide no: 8
More People Imperative: Immigration to Australia, 1901–39 (1999)
Dr Michele Langfield
Research Guide no: 7
Parliament House Canberra, 1927: Records relating to the Design, Construction and Opening of the Provisional Parliament House (2003)
Gay Hogan
Research Guide no: 6
Royalty and Australian Society: Records relating to the British Monarchy held in Canberra (1998)
Kate Cumming
Research Guide no: 5
Papua New Guinea Records 1883–1942: Microfilm Collections (1998)
Peter Nagle
Research Guide no: 4
The Sinking of HMAS Sydney: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records (1999)
Richard Summerrell
Research Guide no: 3
Aboriginal Deaths in Custody: The Royal Commission and its Records, 1987–91 (1997)
Peter Nagle and Richard Summerrell
Research Guide no: 2
Chinese Immigrants and Chinese–Australians in NSW (1997)
Julie Stacker and Peri Stewart
Research Guide no: 1
Guides to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers series
Malcolm Fraser: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers (2012)
Elizabeth Masters and Katie Wood
John Curtin: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers (2004)
David Black and Lesley Wallace
Harold Holt: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers (2003)
Pennie Pemberton
Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers (2003)
John Connor
Our First Six: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers (2002)
Susan Marsden and Roslyn Russell