Discover Australia through the words of Captain James Cook in the Journal of the H.M.S. Endeavour, get to know Australia's first prime minister, Sir Edmund Barton, through his papers, or find out how Australia's most iconic song 'Waltzing Matilda' came into being.
Explore over 8800 items online by viewing the selection showcased below or browse all digitised items from the Manuscript Collection in our catalogue. To review our progress read Manuscripts digitisation - progress so far and Digitisation - overview.
Letter from James Griffiths in Portsmouth, to his mother dated July 11th, 1822
Billy Hughes sitting with two children and holding a teddy bear
Lontar about 'how to treat or what to do with a corpse' c.1800-1971
Peter Finch and others on the set of Eureka Stockade 1947
Cyphered and translated cablegram from Sir Walter H. James to Alfred Deakin 1905
Leone Vining Brown's Portrait of a dancer in Ian Spink's Figurescape 1973
Letter from Hans Heysen to his daughter Nora Heysen 1935
Dr Peter Russo with unknown man at a Merdeka rally in Singapore
Flyer seeking information about the disappearance of Kingsford Smith 1935
Catholic Church Book of hours ca. 1500
Papers of Sir Keith Arthur Murdoch, War correspondent (1914-1918)
J.C. Williamson Ltd. Magazine Programme, His Majesty's Theatre December 1936
Journal of Arthur Bowes Smyth (1750-1790)
Moya Beaver in Indian style costume and pose ca. 1934
William Bligh Notebook and list of mutineers 1789
Observations on the Southern Cross constellation c.1523 Letter of Andrea Corsali
One peso note, New Australia Colony Paraguay c.1905
The Astrologer c.1935 Algeranoff PapersThis image was recently identified as the only known vintage print of Roald Amundsen's expedition party honouring the Norwegian flag after arriving at the South Pole. Part of Tasmanian views, Edward Searle's album of photographs of Australia, Antarctica and the Pacific, 1911-1915.