Australian dailies

The Library collects most major Australian daily newspapers from all states and territories. At least one daily newspaper from each capital city is held. We also have national dailies such as the Australian and Australian Financial Review.

Nearly all issues of many historic Australian and Victorian newspapers are held, including Australia’s first newspaper, the Sydney Gazette (1803–42), and the oldest Australian newspaper still in publication, the Sydney Morning Herald (first published in 1831).

The earliest Melbourne dailies were published from the late 1830s and 1840s, and the Library has nearly all issues of these foundation newspapers, including the Port Phillip Herald, later called the Melbourne Herald (1840–1990), the Melbourne Argus (1846–1957) and The Age, established in 1854 and still published today.

Many of these titles are held in print form, with back issues extending well over 100 years in most cases. Since the 1970s and 1980s, microfilm copies of most major newspapers from other states have been retained instead of the original printed issues. Printed copies of all Victorian newspapers continue to be retained permanently.

Many major daily newspapers are being added to the Historic Australian Newspapers website.