National Archives of Australia

03/09/2026

How do you go to school when your teacher is hundreds of kilometres away? 📻

In 1951, School of the Air brought a new approach to distance education to remote Australia.

From student magazines and drawings to lesson summaries and photographs, the national archival collection captures what life was like for students and teachers learning across the outback.

You can see this display at National Archives in Canberra, or read more about the history of School of the Air: https://bit.ly/4ukwB5m

02/09/2026

How do you choose a national flag? 🇦🇺

In 1901, Australia put the question to the public.

More than 32,000 designs were submitted to a competition to create a flag for the new Commonwealth. Five virtually similar designs were selected as joint winners.

The design was approved by King Edward VII in 1902 and, in 1904, Federal Parliament resolved that it be flown on Commonwealth forts, vessels, saluting places and public buildings.

It wasn’t until 1953 that the Flags Act formally declared it to be the Australian National Flag and prescribed its form and use.

125 years after it was first flown, explore records from the original competition and discover more about the flag’s story: https://bit.ly/4i7dhWn

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Image descriptions:

Image one: Hand-drawn flag design on a blue field, with the Union Jack in the upper-left corner and six stars underneath. The Southern Cross constellation appears on the right, with a cross-shaped mark in the centre. Handwritten notes appear around the design

Image two: Two hand-drawn flag designs. The upper design has a blue field, a diagonal white band with black stars and the Union Jack in the upper-right corner on a red background. The lower design has a white field, red stars arranged in the shape of the Southern Cross and the Union Jack in the upper-right corner.

Image three: Hand-drawn flag design with the Union Jack in the upper-left corner, blue and white horizontal stripes and a red section on the right containing white stars in the shape of the Southern Cross.

Image four: Cover of the 'Flags Act 1953’. The page has the Australian Coat of Arms above the title and text referring to the Queen, Senate and House of Representatives.

Image five: Document showing two Australian flags. The Australian National Flag has a blue field with the Union Jack, a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star and Southern Cross. The Australian Red Ensign has the same design on a red field.

02/09/2026

How can archives better connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities with their archival materials?

Join Dr Narissa Timbery for the Australian Society of Archivists 2026 Loris Williams Memorial Lecture.

Drawing on her journey from Aboriginal archival studies student to academic and researcher, Dr Timbery will share the experiences, challenges and insights that have shaped her career.

📅 Tuesday 8 September
🕒 2 to 3:30 pm AEST
💻 Online
🎟️ Free

Register now: https://bit.ly/4gONYG9

Please join us online for the 2026 Loris Williams Memorial Lecture, presented by Dr Narissa Timbery.

NAIDOC week 2026 '50 Years Deadly' celebrated looking back at what came before, where we are now, and what is to come. A time to reflect on and celebrate our Elders, Leaders and Communities. In honouring the Archival Community, 2026 marks 20 years from the inaugural Loris Williams Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Kirsten Thorpe and Ann Wright.

The presentation in part, assessed the current position of Indigenous people employed in archives & undertaking studies in archives and records in Australia. As an Aboriginal archival student at the time Narissa was counted in that small group. 2026 also marks 30 years on from the first ASA Policy on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Records.

Throughout this lecture Narissa will share some highs and lows that have framed her career, kept her grounded and were why she loved the work she did.

FREE, but registration is essential.

📅 Tuesday 8 September 2026 | 2:00–3:30 PM (AEST) | 📍 Online

🔗 https://buff.ly/bZ8iJpj

31/08/2026

What if the archives held a photo of your family you'd never seen before? 👀

Archival Officer Tash discovered exactly that when she found a record about her grandfather.

What could you discover about your family? Start your search at the link in our bio 🔎

27/08/2026

18,000 people ordered a car they hadn’t even seen. 👀🚗

When Prime Minister Ben Chifley launched the 48-215 in 1948, he had just three words for Australia’s own car:

‘She’s a beauty!’ 🇦🇺

Better known as the FX, it was an instant hit. Before it even hit the roads, 18,000 people had put down a deposit without seeing it.

At £733, it cost the average worker the equivalent of 94 weeks’ wages. But demand was so strong, Holden couldn’t make them fast enough.

Between 1948 and 1953, Holden produced around 120,402 FXs, helping establish it as an Australian automotive icon.

Discover the people, innovations and decisions behind General Motors-Holden in Rear vision: the Holden collection, now on display at National Archives in Canberra.

‘Rear vision: the Holden collection’ is an exhibition developed by the State Library of South Australia in partnership with Adelaide University.

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Image descriptions:

Image one: Promotional pamphlet for the Holden 48-215, titled ‘Australia's Own Car’, showing a Holden car against a blue background with promotional text.

Image two: Black-and-white photograph of Prime Minister Ben Chifley at the launch of the first Holden car in 1948. Chifley stands beside the Holden 48-215 with other people gathered around the car.

Image three: Black-and-white photograph showing the bonnet of a Holden car, with the Holden emblem and bonnet ornament visible.

24/08/2026

📍 A look inside our NT office in the heart of Darwin City, located on the traditional lands of the Larrakia people.

Close to the Territory Library and Archives, you can spend the day discovering records that tell the story of the Northern Territory, its government and its people.

The Research Centre is open Wednesday–Friday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, with visits booked in advance.

🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cIwfwJ

20/08/2026

Your family history might be sitting in your phone. 📱

Digital photos, videos, scanned documents and emails are all part of your family archive. But without the right care, these memories can become difficult to access over time.

Here are three simple ways to protect your digital collection:

📁 Organise your files with clear names and folders
💾 Keep backup copies in more than one location
🔄 Check your files regularly and update them as technology changes

Small steps today can help preserve your family stories for generations to come.

Learn more about caring for your personal digital collection: https://bit.ly/4fNesqZ



Image description: A group of four people sitting on a couch, smiling and taking a selfie together. Text on the image reads, 'How do you preserve your family history in the digital age?'

19/08/2026

What happens after you arrive in a new country?

After arriving in Australia from Malta after the Second World War, Alfred and Aida Bayliss worked hard to build a life for their family while maintaining their connection to their heritage.

Their story is one of many migration stories preserved in the national archival collection.

🔗 Explore more stories from the archives: https://bit.ly/3GHEieP

Images:

Slide one: Italian cane cutters aboard the Flaminia at Cairns, 1955. NAA: A12111, 1/1955/4/74

Slide two: Minister for Immigration Alexander Downer meets Alfred Bayliss, 1960. NAA: A12111, 1/1960/4/9

Slide three: Alfred Bayliss with his wife Aida and daughters Christine and Diana,1960. NAA: A12111, 1/1960/4/8

Slide four: Burmese miners studying in Australia under the Colombo Plan play cricket with newly arrived migrants at the Greta Migrant Centre, 1957. NAA: A1501, A490/2

18/08/2026

These lines on paper tell the story of Earth’s changing magnetic field. 🌏🧲

For decades, scientists used specialised instruments to track Earth’s magnetic field, creating paper magnetograms that captured changes in the invisible forces surrounding our planet.

These fragile records preserve valuable scientific observations, helping researchers study changes in Earth’s magnetic environment and better understand our planet over time.

Many of these magnetograms were created by the Bureau of Mineral Resources, which later became part of Geoscience Australia.

Together with Geoscience Australia, we are digitising thousands of these historic magnetograms, preserving them and making their information more accessible for future research.

From paper traces to digital data, this collaboration is helping ensure these important scientific observations remain available for future generations.


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Image descriptions:

Image one: Magnetogram showing fluctuating magnetic readings recorded at the Heard Island magnetic observatory between 30 April and 1 May 1952.

Image two: Peter McGregor operates a magnetograph at Mawson Observatory, Antarctica, in 1956. The equipment is set up on a makeshift table supported by two barrels.

Image three: A person sitting at a desk at National Archives of Australia. Two computer monitors display the National Archives of Australia logo and digitised magnetograms.

17/08/2026

Today, we commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day and remember the more than 60,000 Australians who served in the Vietnam War.

The national archival collection holds a range of records relating to Australia's involvement in the conflict.

This includes military operations, government decisions, conscription, those who objected to the war and diplomatic correspondence.

Explore these records and learn more about Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War: https://bit.ly/46rAkTX



Image: Prime Minister John Gorton with Australian soldiers at Nui Dat, South Vietnam, 1968. NAA: A1200, L73423A
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Image description: Prime Minister John Gorton stands with a group of Australian soldiers wearing military uniforms and slouched hats. They are outside, smiling and talking to each other. A clear sky is visible in the background.