Nouvelle Hollande - wombats

South Australiana

Materials in this collection date from before formal 1836 colonisation of the state, to the present day, including the Northern Territory before 1911. Many items have been donated by members of the South Australian community. 

What's inside

Explore the collection

Advance Australia [PRG1471/3/11]

Advance Australia - South Australia and Federation

A bibliography of South Australia and Federation highlighting the development of our nation and South Australia's role in it.

View the website
Portrait photograph of Don Bradman [PRG 682/16/97]

Bradman collection

The Bradman Collection is an extensive archival collection of items that Sir Donald Bradman donated to the State Library for safekeeping. Digital versions of the collection can be viewed online via a dedicated website, a Flickr album or a mobile device app.

View the website
Catherine Helen Spence [B 46492]

Catherine Helen Spence

A research guide that provides a chronological bibliography of Catherine Helen Spence, a professional journalist, political candidate and a social and political reformer.

View the guide
Barrio Adelaide Festival Poster

Digital Collections

Showcasing selected items with a focus on South Australiana.

View the website
Passengers disembarking at Port Misery, South Australia

Colonial history of South Australia

A timeline of South Australia's colonial history, from establishment, to settlement, through to Australian federation membership.

View the timeline
The Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin tablet [PRG 280/1/5/18]

Encounter 1802 - 2002

Celebrates Matthew Flinders' and Nicolas Baudin's expeditions searching the southern coast of Australia.

View the website
Film crew [B 69530/722]

Film collection

The State Library's collections include home movies dating back to the 1930s, silent films, documentary material, and feature films and television productions made in South Australia and by South Australians who have made careers throughout the world.

View our YouTube channel
Stone Axe Mountford-Shread collection [PRG1218/34/671B]

Indigenous Collections

The State Library has a significant and developing amount of specialist material relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including the Mountford-Sheard Collection.

How to access the collection
Adelaide Parks and Skyline [B 70747]

Manning Index of SA History

Historian Geoff Manning’s subject index to South Australian newspapers 1837 to 1937 can sometimes find that elusive item which Trove has missed.

 

View the website
Star of Greece [B 12016]

Maritime history in SA

The sea and waterways were vital to South Australia’s settlement and development. Explore immigration, trade, ports, riverboat history, shipbuilding, shipwrecks and rescues.

View the website
Mary Lee [B 70647]

Mary Lee. Let her name be honoured

To commemorate the centenary of the passing of the Women's Suffrage Bill 1894 and to honour Mary Lee, a tireless social and political reformer.

View the website
Open Data Sets

Open Data Sets

Providing access to a range of data sets which can be freely used and subject only to the requirement to attribute and share alike.

View the data sets
Handover of the Once Upon a Wireless project [B 62102]

Oral Histories

A selection of unique interviews by South Australians are available on the Digital Collections website. You can find more oral histories via the Catalogue, which are available when you visit us.

View the website
Three men with a camera, [PRG 1316/3/160/2

Photograph collection highlights

Dip into our huge collection of South Australian photographs of people, places and events, as well as artworks, post cards and posters.

Search for photographs
PS Marion on the River Murray [B 428]

River Murray in SA

Our Downstream website explores people, issues, places and events along the River Murray. Challenges and reactions to the river’s survival are also explored.

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Ron Boland caricature

Ron Boland Newspaper Reading Area

The Ron Boland Newspaper Reading Area and website at the State Library of South Australia recognises the achievements of one of Australia's greatest newspaper figures, former managing director of Adelaide's The News, Ron Boland.

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Thelma Afford costume design [PRG689/1/27]

South Australia in the 20th Century

From Federation to the 21st Century, these are the events that shaped South Australia, 1901 to 2001.

View the timeline
Two women on a beach [B 52679]

SA Memory

An online exhibition of South Australian history drawing on the Library’s incredible and unique archival and other heritage collections.

View the website
SA sheet music

SA Sheet Music

A list of catalogue references to South Australian sheet music within the library's collection.

View the website
Pinterest

Pinterest

View and pin images from across our collections.

View Pinterest
Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith pioneer aviators - cropped [PRG18/1/27/g]

Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, pioneer aviators

In the 100 year celebration of their prize-winning flight, we celebrate pioneer aviators Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith and their significant achievement which paved the way for postal and commercial flights to Australia.

View the website
South Australians at War

South Australians at War

Within the collections of the State Library are thousands of stories of the sacrifices and contributions South Australians have made to international conflicts.

Visit the website
Red Cross Letter packets

South Australian Red Cross Information Bureau

The Bureau undertook research into over 8,000 enquiries from family and friends of missing Australian WW1 soldiers.

View the website
Rhapsodies of 1935 [B 3127764]

Treasures of the State Library

Showcasing the unique treasures of the State Library's collection.

View the website
Page from an original diary kept by Charlie Johnstone on the Overland Telegraph Line [D 7265]

Transcripts

The State Library has a Transcription Program which selects interesting or significant handwritten letters and diaries in our Archival Collection that are transcribed by a team of volunteers into electronic documents, which can be read as word-searchable PDFs. 

View the guide
Hindley Street, Adelaide, circa 1920 [B 4475] - cropped

Walking tours

Download for free six tours that explore and connect our historical collections to the bustling city streets of Adelaide.

Read more
Binary tunnel

Web archive

The State Library is involved with the PANDORA archive initiative by selecting and archiving online publications such as websites so that they can be preserved in a form that resembles the original as closely as possible.

View more
Women and politics in SA

Women and politics in SA

The curated website celebrates the role of women in the social and political development of South Australia.

View the website

Overview

Published material

Published material includes formats such as:

  • books
  • pamphlets
  • newspapers
  • magazines
  • maps
  • ephemera, such as: menus and theatre programmes
  • audiovisual material
  • a copy of every item published in South Australia (read about Legal Deposit).

Large or fragile items, such as newspapers and indexes are copied onto microfilm or microfiche to protect and preserve them while making them available for public use.

Search the catalogue

Archival material

Archival items are unpublished papers and records of individuals, businesses, and community organisations which are considered worthy of preservation for the future. The State Library collects archival material which is predominantly South Australian in content, or is by or about South Australians and has research value such as:

  • letters
  • diaries
  • minutes
  • photographs
  • oral histories.

The State Library's archival collections began in 1920, when a South Australian Archives was established: the first State archives in Australia. The collection contains material dating back to the early colonial period of the 1830s, in some cases predating white settlement in South Australia.

The archival collection includes over 75,000 digitised images which are viewable on the State Library Catalogue.

Please note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the collections may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.

Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded, but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of the State Library. While the information may not reflect current understanding, it is provided in an historical context.

View the guide

Need help?

Ask Us, Roland Eime, librarian in charge of Youth Lending, assisting a customer [B 72589/3]

Ask Us

For all your research or reference queries our librarians are here to help you!

Using our collection materials, view of customers in the reading area.

Using our collection material

View our policies, procedures, conditions of use and frequently asked questions about using and accessing our collections. 

Youth Lending Service, circa 1970 [B 68890]

Join the State Library

Did you know that State Library membership is free? Being a State Library members provides you with greater access to the collection. Check out the benefits and sign up for a card today.

Plan your visit

How do I get to the State Library by public transport?

The 'State Library, Art Gallery, Museum' tram-stop is just outside the State Library. There are bus stops close by near the War Memorial on North Terrace. The closest train station is the Adelaide city station on North Terrace.

You can plan your journey via Adelaide Metro.

Is there car parking near the State Library?

The nearest car park is Wilson's Adelaide Central car park, 225 North Terrace, next to David Jones.

There is paid metered street parking along Kintore Ave and Victoria Drive.

Where is the wheelchair and stroller access?

Access to the Spence Wing first floor and the Mortlock Chamber is via the lift in the glass foyer entrance of the library.

There is on-street disabled parking available in the nearby roads. View more information and maps of Adelaide City Council's Disability parking for permit holders.

How do I check if the Mortlock Chamber is open when I plan to visit?

You can visit the Mortlock Chamber on the ground floor to look at the exhibition bays. All upper levels of the Mortlock Wing will remain closed, including quiet study areas.

Is there a cafe at the State Library?

Yes, the State Library Cafe by St Raphaels located on the ground floor in the glass foyer, but for now the cafe will remain closed but keep an eye on our website and social media channels for the latest updates.