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What Records Are Held in the Archives?

Records Held

The City of Sydney Archives holds the following archival records:

  • Non-current records created by the City of Sydney Council since 1842 and retained due to their long-term business or research value. These may include records of responsibilities once, but no longer, performed by the City, as well as records for areas previously, but no longer located within the City of Sydney boundary.
  • Non-current records created by municipal councils absorbed by the City of Sydney at different times. These include: Camperdown (1862-1908) absorbed in 1908; Alexandria (1868-1948), Darlington (1864-1948), Macdonaldtown/Erskineville (1872-1948), Glebe (1859-1948), Newtown (1862-1948), Redfern (1859-1948), Paddington (1860-1948) and Waterloo (1860-1948) absorbed in 1949, Northcott/South Sydney Municipal Council (1968-1981); and South Sydney City Council (1989-2004).
  • Non-current records of other organisations with strong links to the City of Sydney Council and for which the City Archives is responsible, such as Sydney Festival Ltd.
  • The Sydney Reference Collection, which includes publications and ready-reference files about many aspects of Sydney history, primarily from a local government perspective. This collection is particularly useful for students doing project work and others whose research needs can be met without recourse to detailed study of original records. A leaflet is available online which provides more information.

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Records Not Held

  • Current planning and building records: The City of Sydney CBD Location can assist with enquiries about current planning and building records. Records less than seven years old normally are accessed through Council's Location in the CBD even if they have been archived.
  • Records for matters that fall outside the City of Sydney's responsibilities eg. births, deaths and marriages.
  • Records for areas that have never been located within the City of Sydney boundary.
  • Freedom of Information: The City's Freedom of Information (FOI) Officer can provide assistance under The NSW FOI Act for access to records that might not otherwise be available for consultation.

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Before You Start

Before you start your research with the City of Sydney Archives, it is important to clarify:

  • Whether your research topic is linked to a current or former City of Sydney responsibility
  • Which Council controlled the part of Sydney you are interested in, during the years you wish to focus on. An useful tool is the leaflet Records of Absorbed Councils, which summarises local government boundary changes in Sydney.

If still uncertain, please contact the Archives for assistance.

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Last Updated: Wednesday 22 April, 2009

Please Note:
While care is taken to ensure accuracy, the City of Sydney cannot guarantee that information expressed here is correct and recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use. The City of Sydney makes no warranty or undertaking, whether expressed or implied, nor does it assume any legal liability, whether direct or indirect.