Angas Street, Adelaide, 2004

Location

The National Archives’ Adelaide presence began in the early 1950s. The 1954 office and repository at Brompton Park, an inner city suburb, began life as a Wesleyan Methodist schoolroom. In 1963 the Archives moved to Collinswood, also an inner city suburb.

Researchers were often heard to comment on the Tardis-like quality of the Collinswood office, which seemed small from the outside but much bigger on the inside. In 2001 the office and repository moved to Angas Street in the city, occupying an 1880s building that had been a hotel for over 100 years.

The collection in Adelaide

The Adelaide office holds a small but diverse collection ranging from 19th century colonial records to substantial holdings on immigration and defence in the 20th century. Of particular interest are the Defence Science and Technology organisation records and material relating to railways and internment in South Australia.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation records include files, slides and plans of the Woomera testing site. This collection also includes the human side of the missile testing in South Australia with the Gibber Gabber newsletter, and Bulldust news sheet produced by staff involved in atomic bomb testing.

The railway collection contains files, plans, and photographs, captures the broad history of mainland rail – Australian National as well as Central Australian Railways, Northern Australian Railway and the Trans Australian Railway – reflecting South Australia’s central role in the rail industry.

The records of the Loveday internment camp document security service aspects of individual people’s internment. They include personal particulars, arrangements for appeal and release, security service, tribunal notes and mail censorship material.

Old Adelaide office

Adelaide

78 Angas Street
ADELAIDE SA 5000
Tel: (08) 8409 8400
Fax: (08) 8409 8499
PO Box 6356
HALIFAX STREET ADELAIDE SA 5000