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The Research and Collections team manage the City of Parramatta’s cultural collections and historical archives. Explore the collection - Parramatta History and Heritage
The Local Studies Research Team manage the City of Parramatta’s Local Studies and Family History collection. This collection is located within the Parramatta Library in PHIVE.
Research articles and online research guides on a range of topics are accessible on the History and Heritage website.
Our teams can be contacted via the enquiry form on the History and Heritage website.
Research
(Back to top)The Research Library contains a large collection of books, magazines, newspaper clippings, photographs and journals related to the history of Parramatta and Western Sydney.
Our specialists can help you to research your family and house histories, as well as provide access to genealogy databases and websites to trace historical newspapers, street directories and electoral rolls.
We supply online research guides on a range of topics including Indigenous Peoples, land and property information, military records and cemeteries.
Collections
(Back to top)The City of Parramatta Cultural Collections manages and preserves objects which relate to the people, places, art, environment and events which have made an important contribution to Parramatta’s culture.
The significant objects are varied in scope and include:
- A horse-drawn baker's cart
- Historic mural by artist Tom Thompson
- Commemorative colonial foundation stones
- Ephemera relating to Parramatta's popular cultural memories
The Cultural Collections also hold a range of artefacts from local archaeological excavations which provide insights into the life and culture of Aboriginal peoples from 40,000 years ago, through to the arrival of Europeans in 1788 and successive waves of migration.
Archives
(Back to top)The City of Parramatta Council Archive holds comprehensive records which document the history of our local administration and government since its creation in 1861. Our oldest record is a minute book from Parramatta’s first municipal government, dated 1846.
The archival holdings for Parramatta LGA include:
- Council minutes for City of Parramatta (1862-2015) which provide details of Council meeting discussions and decisions.
- Rate books for all types of properties.
- Valuation records which give an account for when a property was built or changed ownership.
- Historic maps, plans, photographs and videos.
We also preserve community archives which document the unique identity and collective memory of the Parramatta LGA.
Volunteer with us
(Back to top)We offer opportunities for individuals who want to volunteer their time, energy and expertise to help preserve and make the rich history of Parramatta accessible to everyone.
To find out more contact us via the History and Heritage website.
Contact us
(Back to top)If you’d like to make an enquiry, or learn more about our cultural collections and archives, please contact us via the the History and Heritage website or visit PHIVE to view the Local Studies and Family History library collection.
Parramatta boasts the most fascinating and historically significant heritage sites – Explore Parramatta’s Heritage sites here
