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The State Library of NSW, in partnership with the National Library of Australia, has digitised over one million pages of historic NSW Government Gazettes to make the entire collection now available online – for free!

“The Gazettes are significant official records relating to every facet of government, from the smallest local council notices to the establishment of our nation,” says Lucy Milne, Acting NSW State Librarian and Chief Executive.

“They are essential to anyone examining the history of NSW and Australia, and now, thanks to the Library’s NSW Government funded Digital Excellence Program, they are all there online, available for everyone to use for free,” says Ms Milne.

The State Library’s newly digitised Gazette collection dates back to 1832 in the early days of the colony and continues right up until 2001 when the Gazette entered the digital age and began to be published electronically.

“You can find just about everything in the Gazettes,” says State Library curator Margot Riley. “The early editions contain information like the names of convicts arriving in NSW, so they’re great for researching your family history and Australian history in general.

State Library curator Margot Riley, who can speak about the weird and wonderful things that can be found in the Gazettes like:

  • why would your name appear in an issue of the Gazette
  • why do so many people search for cattle brands in the Gazettes
  • how much did the NSW government give public servants for their tea allowances over the years
  • the odd titles classified under the Obscene and Indecent Publications Act – for example, AMAZING ADULT FANTASIES, No. 2, DOPE FIEND FUNNIES, No. 1 & CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, No. 3

Explore the gazettes

Image courtesy State Library of NSW.