Sport Collections

Sport collections preserve and showcase the rich history of sport through objects, memorabilia, documents, and stories. These collections can be held by museums, libraries, archives, and sporting organisations.

National Collections

National Library of Australia

The National Library of Australia, opens in a new tab collects, preserves, and provides access to resources of national significance relating to Australia and its people. It is a key resource for books, newspapers, magazines, videos, and oral histories on Australian sport. Through its online platform, Trove, opens in a new tab, the Library aggregates content from libraries, museums, archives, and universities across the country.

Sport projects:

• Sport Oral History Project, opens in a new tab. Supported by the Australian Sports Commission and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, this project records the stories of prominent figures in Australian sport, including athletes, administrators, and professionals in sport science and medicine.
• Australian Centre for Paralympic Studies Oral History Project, opens in a new tab. A joint initiative between Paralympics Australia and the National Library, this project documents the experiences of individuals who played a key role in the development and success of Paralympic sport in Australia.
• Grit & Gold Exhibition: Tales from a sporting nation, opens in a new tab. The exhibition ran from 9 June 2023 to 28 January 2024 in Canberra. Through a collection of books, magazines, paintings, drawings, photographs and memorabilia, the exhibition retold stories that have brought joy, sorrow and everything in between to every Australian household (and sports pub) on game day and beyond. A virtual tour of the exhibition remains accessible on the website.

Australian Sports Commission

Through the National Sport Information Centre and the Clearinghouse for Sport, a wide-ranging collection of videos, books, journals, magazines, and images are available—particularly relating to the history of the Australian Sports Commission (including the Australian Institute of Sport). These materials document significant events, policy developments, and milestones in Australian sport. The Catalogue of Australian Sport Sector Library Collections, opens in a new tab provides searchable access to parts of this collection, although some items may have access restrictions.

Paralympic Australia

The Australian Paralympic History Project, opens in a new tab collects and shares the story of the Paralympic movement in Australia. Paralympics Australia holds a large video collection—accessible through the Clearinghouse for Sport, opens in a new tab—which includes footage from Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, athlete interviews, and sponsor advertisements. Thousands of photographs from past decades have been gathered, with more being added as connections with former athletes and staff continue. Non-commercial images are made available through Wikimedia Commons, opens in a new tab. The Paralympic oral history collection, opens in a new tab is available through the National Library of Australia.

National Film and Sound Archive

The National Film and Sound Archive, opens in a new tab collects and preserves Australian feature films, documentaries, and television footage. Its sport collection includes historic material such as the 1896 Melbourne Cup, the Bodyline cricket series, the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, and other significant moments in Australian sporting history.

Curated collections:

• The Commonwealth Games, opens in a new tab. This collection presents highlights from Australian Commonwealth Games held in Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982 and Melbourne in 2006.
• Summer Olympics, opens in a new tab. This collection spotlights some of the most memorable Olympic moments in Australian history through news footage from the NFSA collection.
• First Nations Sporting Greats, opens in a new tab. Johnny Milner shines a light on some of the most triumphant moments in sport by First Nations athletes.
• Australian Paralympians, opens in a new tab. This collection highlights memorable Australian moments at the Paralympic Games through news footage from the NFSA collection.

State and Territory Libraries and Archives

These institutions hold a range of sport-related materials including historical records, photographs, publications, oral histories, and ephemera documenting local clubs, major events, athletes, and community participation.

• ACT Library Services, opens in a new tab
• ArchivesACT, opens in a new tab
• State Library of New South Wales, opens in a new tab
• NSW State Archives Collection, opens in a new tab
• Library and Archives Northern Territory, opens in a new tab
• State Library of Queensland, opens in a new tab
• Queensland State Archives, opens in a new tab
• State Library of South Australia, opens in a new tab
• State Records of South Australia, opens in a new tab
• State Library and Archives of Tasmania, opens in a new tab
• State Library of Victoria, opens in a new tab
• Public Record Office Victoria, opens in a new tab
• State Library of Western Australia, opens in a new tab
• State Records Office of Western Australia, opens in a new tab