Broken Hill Outback Archives, New South Wales

Broken Hill Outback Archives, New South Wales

• Broken Hill City Library, Outback Archives
• State Archives and Records NSW – Broken Hill Regional Archives Centre

• Municipal
• State

Since the early 1960s the Broken Hills city's librarians had collected a considerable quantity of archival material which was kept in the city library.
This was the first dedicated area for historical material concerning Broken Hill and the development of the West Darling district of New South Wales.
Now known as the Broken Hill Outback Archives, in addition to holding records of regional organisations, businesses, associations and individuals, the Archives is a regional archive centre for State Archives and Records NSW, holding records from a range of public offices such as schools, police and local courts, State government agencies (see State Archives and Records NSW - Broken Hill Regional Archives Centre. )
The Archives thus holds significant industrial, social, and historic documentation of Broken Hill, Australia’s First Heritage Listed City, and surrounding districts such as Silverton, White Cliffs, Menindee and Wilcannia.

Officer in charge: City Librarian

Aim at developing a comprehensive collection of material relating to the history, geography, geology, economy and culture of the City of Broken Hill and Far Western New South Wales Region.

The holdings include:

• Industrial, political and organisational history material: Records from organisations, businesses and individuals.
• Social history of Broken Hill material from 1883
• Local history resources, including books, article files, newspapers, photographs, maps and plans.
• Barrier Field Naturalist Collection
• Broken Hill City Council records, including photographs, minutes, reports, files, regulations.
• Photographs relating to Broken Hill and the region, 1880s to the present day.
• Local newspapers on microfilm or digitised on Trove, 1880s-1954
• White Cliffs Collection including objects, photographs, books and publications, maps, research files and a few paintings.
• Indigenous Collection: A collection on local Aboriginal heritage and history.
• State Archive and Records NSW: records from, for example, schools, police and local courts, State government agencies, as well as a microfilm/fiche collection containing records relating to the early colonisation of Australia and subsequent development of NSW (see State Archives and Records NSW - Broken Hill Regional Archives Centre).
  For further details, see https://www.brokenhill.nsw.gov.au/Facilities/Library/Broken-Hill-Outback-Archives/Collections

Outback Archive by appointment only. (Check website: https://www.brokenhill.nsw.gov.au/Facilities/Library/Broken-Hill-Outback-Archives. The Archive was temporarily closed - as at website check on 9 March 2023).

One day should be allowed for approval of application. Advance notice of visit is advisable. Closed period as specified by State Archives of New South Wales applies to most records. Access to records not normally available for research can be gained by authorisation from State Archives of New South Wales.

General reference assistance, paid referral to researchers and an introductory brochure are available.

General copying services available.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Thematic area)
• Arts and Culture (Thematic area)
• Built Environment (Thematic area)
• Education (Thematic area)
• Environment (Thematic area)
• Family / Domestic Life (Thematic area)
• Genealogical (Thematic area)
• Indigenous (Thematic area)
• Industry, Manufacturing and Commerce (Thematic area)
• Labour (Thematic area)
• Law and Justice (Thematic area)
• Local Studies (Thematic area)
• Politics and Government (Thematic area)
• Social Organisations and Activities (Thematic area)