Western Sydney University Archives’ goal is to capture, preserve, manage and make available a documentary heritage resource of the Western Sydney University, its predecessors, local communities and those people and organisations with which it has had a close association.

The Archives’ holdings include those records required to be kept under the State Records Act (1998) as State Archives, and those records that have historical value to the University and surrounding community.

They include:

• records of the university governing bodies, such as, the Board of Trustees, Academic Senate, University Management Advisory Committee (UMAC), College Boards of Studies and other significant committees
• records of predecessor institutions – Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Hawkesbury Agricultural College of Advanced Education, Nepean College of Advanced Education, Milperra College of Advanced Education, and Macarthur Institute of Higher Education
• official University publications – calendars, annual reports, handbooks, staff and student newsletters, journals and reports
• administrative files
• personal papers of senior staff and other members of the university
• photographs, maps, and plans
• film, video and sound recordings
• records deposited by outside groups – the Community Arts Workshop, Friends of the Library, Diamond Hill Papers of the Kurrajong Hills Committee, and private donations from former students and/or their relatives.

The majority of material is openly available to researchers. However, some collections have access restrictions placed upon them by depositors or legislative requirements.

Information is supplied by mail, phone, fax and email. Charges may apply for copies of photographs and documents. Photocopying is subject to the fragility of the records and to copyright or donor restrictions.

Simple enquiries may be conducted by Archives’ staff on behalf of the researcher.

More complex research will need to be undertaken by the researcher. Archives staff will give assistance to help locate the records that are relevant to the research.

Access to the Exhibition and research facilities are available by appointment at the following times:

Monday to Friday – 9 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 4 pm.

Closed during University closedown periods (Including between Christmas and New Year) and Public Holidays.

Sections of the University Archives are now available online to the public. Open Archives is an ongoing project, visit often to see the latest additions.