Discover the Whelan Collection, a remarkable archive of Australian literature with over 1,000 autographed books, manuscripts, and letters from 1892 to 1967. Collected by bibliophile Philip Whelan, it offers a rare glimpse into Australia’s rich storytelling heritage and vibrant literary culture.

139 pencil drawings and watercolour paintings produced by Westall, all but 2 from the voyage of HMS Investigator (1801-03).  Capturing landscapes, coastal profiles, and Indigenous peoples, these works offer a vivid, accurate record of early Australian encounters. As one of the first professional artists to visit Australia, Westall’s collection is a significant historical and cultural treasure.

A vast repository of over 4,000 books, primarily in Chinese, covering history, culture, politics, and religion. Collected between 1950 and 2000, it includes rare texts from Taiwan and China, reflecting the richness of Chinese scholarship. Founded by Sing-wu Wang, this collection remains a cornerstone of the National Library of Australia, offering invaluable insights into East Asia’s past and present.

The Vryonis Collection is a comprehensive archive of around 1,600 books and periodicals on Byzantine history, art, literature, and the Greek Orthodox Church, along with its interactions with Islamic and Slavic cultures. Spanning languages such as English, Greek, Turkish, and more.

Around 270 books, pamphlets and serials, mostly published in the Philippines 1900-1965 but also some items from the USA, Spain and Spanish-speaking countries.

Around 500 titles by minor and obscure British poets of the nineteenth century, most having been published during the reign of Queen Victoria, but there are some earlier imprints extending back to 1801.

Around 150 Chinese books, including some very rare works, about a range of subjects such as Chinese history, literature, society, classics, philosophy and religion.

Around 6,000 books, mostly in Portuguese, mostly relating to literature, history and religion among many other topics.

About 10,000 stereoscopic view cards produced by both commercial and amateur photographers in all parts of the world and a significant collection of photographic equipment and some books and journals on photography.

1277 charts and maps dating from the 16th to the late 19th centuries, including maps of the Pacific and New Zealand as well as Australia.