Visit the National Archives of Australia and learn the importance of preserving and protecting the archives
Visit the National Archives of Australia and learn the importance of preserving and protecting the archives
Overview of the National Archives of Australia.
© Behind the News (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
Transcript
NATASHA THIELE: These big, heavy, leather books are getting some pretty special treatment. They're being boxed up, wrapped in plastic and placed in trucks on their way to a new purpose built home. But what's inside these mysterious books that deserve such care and attention?
ARCHIVIST 1: These particular volumes can contain line drawings, fabric swatches, early photographic processes, letters and annotations written in all sorts of different inks.
THIELE: OK. So they might not sound too exciting, but according to the National Archives of Australia, they're an important part of our nation's history and deserve to be protected.
The National Archives has been described as the memory of a nation. It was set up more than 50 years ago to do a few big jobs-- collect, preserve and allow the public access to Australia's most valuable government records and documents, and to make sure the government and its agencies keep track of them.
There are more than 14 million items in the archives collection, from records on births, deaths and marriages to confidential documents like this one from the 60s about an apparent UFO sighting in South Australia. There are also books, artwork, and photos, and even scientific artifacts like this whale tooth from 1964.
Most of the stuff is held in Canberra, but there are storage sites in each state and territory too. A lot of the items have been digitized so people can easily find what they need on the National Archives website. So, for example, let's look up a lighthouse I've visited in South Australia and see what we can find. Or you can come in and see it in real life.
You found something.
ARCHIVIST 2: I did. This is the lighthouse keeper's logbook, the Sturt Lighthouse, Kangaroo Island, from 1857. As you can see, it's not easy to read.
THIELE: It's very hard to read.
ARCHIVIST 2: And this book sort of details, daily weather conditions, but occasionally there'll be things like wrecks that had happened and a bit of an insight into life-- what life was like for the lighthouse keeper.
THIELE: But with so much new stuff being sent to the National Archives each year, the head office in Canberra was running out of room. So they decided to build a new home with specially designed thick concrete walls and plenty of cold storage to keep all their important documents and items protected for the future.
Moving more than 15 million items into the new site has been a huge task. But they're almost done. And while it hasn't been easy, the organization says that it will not only allow them to continue preserving Australia's cultural heritage, but make it easier for everyone to learn about the people and events that helped shape our country.
ARCHIVIST 1: These particular volumes can contain line drawings, fabric swatches, early photographic processes, letters and annotations written in all sorts of different inks.
THIELE: OK. So they might not sound too exciting, but according to the National Archives of Australia, they're an important part of our nation's history and deserve to be protected.
The National Archives has been described as the memory of a nation. It was set up more than 50 years ago to do a few big jobs-- collect, preserve and allow the public access to Australia's most valuable government records and documents, and to make sure the government and its agencies keep track of them.
There are more than 14 million items in the archives collection, from records on births, deaths and marriages to confidential documents like this one from the 60s about an apparent UFO sighting in South Australia. There are also books, artwork, and photos, and even scientific artifacts like this whale tooth from 1964.
Most of the stuff is held in Canberra, but there are storage sites in each state and territory too. A lot of the items have been digitized so people can easily find what they need on the National Archives website. So, for example, let's look up a lighthouse I've visited in South Australia and see what we can find. Or you can come in and see it in real life.
You found something.
ARCHIVIST 2: I did. This is the lighthouse keeper's logbook, the Sturt Lighthouse, Kangaroo Island, from 1857. As you can see, it's not easy to read.
THIELE: It's very hard to read.
ARCHIVIST 2: And this book sort of details, daily weather conditions, but occasionally there'll be things like wrecks that had happened and a bit of an insight into life-- what life was like for the lighthouse keeper.
THIELE: But with so much new stuff being sent to the National Archives each year, the head office in Canberra was running out of room. So they decided to build a new home with specially designed thick concrete walls and plenty of cold storage to keep all their important documents and items protected for the future.
Moving more than 15 million items into the new site has been a huge task. But they're almost done. And while it hasn't been easy, the organization says that it will not only allow them to continue preserving Australia's cultural heritage, but make it easier for everyone to learn about the people and events that helped shape our country.