Australiana Collection

The Australiana Collections comprise books, serials, newspapers and pamphlets published in Australia, on Australian subjects, or by an Australian author. The principal Australian collection originated from books that were formerly on the Library’s open shelves and added to over time. This extensive repository forms the hub of the Australiana collections, and comprises materials published before 1900 that were previously held in the University of Melbourne’s original library collections, along with facsimile and fine art editions published after 1900. It is a rich and representative general collection, with strengths in subject areas such as exploration, natural history, literature and early narratives of colonial life.