State Library of New South Wales

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The State Library of New South Wales' major subject strengths are Australian history, culture and literature, including Aboriginal studies, Antarctic exploration, family history and genealogy, business and management, social sciences, applied science, biography, health and law. The State Library is home to one of Australia’s most significant historical and heritage collections. As well as nearly 11 kilometres of manuscripts – from nine 1788 First Fleet journals through to the archives of contemporary organisations and writers – the Library holds more than one million photographs. From the earliest surviving photograph taken in Australia – in January 1845 – through to digital photographs taken last month, the Library’s unrivalled photographic collections document with powerful clarity the way Australians have lived their lives over two centuries. You can find out more about the State Library's photographic collections on our website: www.sl.nsw.gov.au/research-and-collections

When were these photos taken?

341
1825
2025

 

Where were these photos taken?

32% of these photos are geotagged.

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The last upload was 4 December.

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Ice mask, C.T. Madigan, between 1911-1914 / photograph by Frank Hurley

from State Library of New South Wales

  • 267 older comments, and then…
  • Jess Oli. said:
    uau :O
  • daniR© said:
    lol...
  • blippia said:
    omg!
  • Cesare Consoli said:
    fortissimo!!
    che uomini
  • Federico F. said:
    cool!

Bowsprit of the S.Y. Aurora, 1911-12

from State Library of New South Wales

  • John Carson. new Knee OP on 12th said:
    Wow Brilliantly captured Photo and
    Wishing you a wonderful Sunny Day.

    Grand Turk Tall Ships Great Yarmouth (14) See more photos in My Albums
    Seen and admired in Tall ships
    Awarding is Encouraged Post 1 Award at least 1
    Get Three awards Post in New Hall of Fame

    Thank you for giving awards that provide feedback for your fellow Flickr photographers.

    ►Tallship award by the Admin John ◄

Colin Wyatt SLNSW_FL9723806

from State Library of New South Wales

  • 3 older comments, and then…
  • Blue Mountains Library, Local Studies said:
    "With his marriage on the rocks and fearing his wife was having an affair, ex-champion skier Colin Wyatt decided to cope the only way he could think of.

    He began stealing rare butterflies.

    What unfolded over the following months in the late 1940s would become a bizarre search spanning multiple museums and crossing international waters.

    It would also involve thousands upon thousands of tiny flying insects.

    Hundreds of 'the best specimens' taken from museums across Australia
    The first sign of trouble came in early 1947 — some 825 specimens of rare Australian butterflies had disappeared from the Melbourne Museum's George Lyell collection.

    When Melbourne raised the alarm, other museums checked their own collections ... "
    More - www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-02/history-butterfly-theft-au...
    And - science.anu.edu.au/news-events/news/museum-heist-70-years...
  • Jazz Guy said:
    Lower left hand corner... I think that is a blotter to dry off signatures on documents. What year did ball point pens replace quill pens? There's a plot twist in a movie titled "Angel Heart" that involves this.
  • Jazz Guy said:
    And now the big question... Is the bottle of gin in the drawer on his left or on his right? :-)
  • State Library of New South Wales said:
    I read 'The Butterfly Thief' by Walter Marsh over the weekend and saw the image was in the Library collections. Really amazing that he was able to get them all over to the UK as well..
  • Narelle Jarvis said:
    What a story! So where was this picture taken and what is he doing with the photographs?

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