National Archives of Australia Digitisation Dashboard¶
The National Archives of Australia's online database, RecordSearch, includes a list of recently digitised files, but this list only includes files digitised in the last month, so it's not possible to examine long-term changes. Since March 2021, I've captured weekly harvests of this list and saved them to a GitHub repository. This dashboard aggregates the weekly harvests to display digitisation progress in the last week, the current year, and since harvests began in 2021.
A dataset containing annual compilations of the weekly harvests is available from Zenodo.
There have been 207 weekly harvests since March 2021. The most recent harvest was on 13 April 2025.
Files digitised last week (6 Apr 2025 – 13 Apr 2025)¶
6,394 files were digitised last week. Here are the number of files digitised per day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- MaxRowsError Traceback (most recent call last) File /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.10.16/x64/lib/python3.10/site-packages/altair/vegalite/v5/api.py:4033, in Chart.to_dict(self, validate, format, ignore, context) 4031 copy.data = core.InlineData(values=[{}]) 4032 return super(Chart, copy).to_dict(**kwds) -> 4033 return super().to_dict(**kwds) File /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.10.16/x64/lib/python3.10/site-packages/altair/vegalite/v5/api.py:1998, in TopLevelMixin.to_dict(self, validate, format, ignore, context) 1995 except TypeError: 1996 # Non-narwhalifiable type supported by Altair, such as dict 1997 data = original_data -> 1998 copy.data = _prepare_data(data, context) 1999 context["data"] = data 2001 # remaining to_dict calls are not at top level File /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.10.16/x64/lib/python3.10/site-packages/altair/vegalite/v5/api.py:283, in _prepare_data(data, context) 281 elif not isinstance(data, dict) and _is_data_type(data): 282 if func := data_transformers.get(): --> 283 data = func(nw.to_native(data, pass_through=True)) 285 # convert string input to a URLData 286 elif isinstance(data, str): File /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.10.16/x64/lib/python3.10/site-packages/altair/vegalite/data.py:42, in default_data_transformer(data, max_rows) 39 return pipe 41 else: ---> 42 return to_values(limit_rows(data, max_rows=max_rows)) File /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.10.16/x64/lib/python3.10/site-packages/altair/utils/data.py:165, in limit_rows(data, max_rows) 162 values = data 164 if max_rows is not None and len(values) > max_rows: --> 165 raise_max_rows_error() 167 return data File /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.10.16/x64/lib/python3.10/site-packages/altair/utils/data.py:148, in limit_rows.<locals>.raise_max_rows_error() 135 def raise_max_rows_error(): 136 msg = ( 137 "The number of rows in your dataset is greater " 138 f"than the maximum allowed ({max_rows}).\n\n" (...) 146 "on how to plot large datasets." 147 ) --> 148 raise MaxRowsError(msg) MaxRowsError: The number of rows in your dataset is greater than the maximum allowed (5000). Try enabling the VegaFusion data transformer which raises this limit by pre-evaluating data transformations in Python. >> import altair as alt >> alt.data_transformers.enable("vegafusion") Or, see https://altair-viz.github.io/user_guide/large_datasets.html for additional information on how to plot large datasets.
alt.Chart(...)
The files came from 100 different series. Here are the 25 series which contain the most files digitised last week.
| series | series_title | total |
|---|---|---|
| B883 | Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 | 2,026 |
| A705 | Correspondence files, multiple number (Melbourne) series (Primary numbers 1-323) | 1,162 |
| B6288 | Photographs and negatives of Commonwealth building sites and DHC/ACS departmental activities, single number series with 'V' (Victoria) prefix | 878 |
| A714 | Books of duplicate certificates of naturalization A(1)[Individual person] series | 723 |
| D1989 | Application forms, medical examination documents and related papers of British and Foreign Immigrants (including Ex Service) in receipt of free and assisted passages, chronological order of ship arrival. | 598 |
| J1732 | Personal history cards for Civil Constructional Corps members, alphabetical series | 366 |
| PP246/4 | Personal Statement and Declaration forms, alphabetical order within nationality | 185 |
| ST1910/7 | Army pay cards (forms WF3/WF3H ‘Pay ledger and history cards’ and WF45/WF45H, ‘Allotment ledger cards’) - Permanent Military Force NSW - World War Two | 85 |
| J2774 | Architectural plans, single number series with 'W' (Works) prefix | 62 |
| NTAC1979/8 | Files and plans relating to Palmerston arterial road | 48 |
| SP32/1 | Post Office files | 35 |
| PP9/4 | Alien passports and travel documents, alphabetical series | 33 |
| P1556 | Files containing Antarctic Station Reports with Station Log Books interspersed, chronological series | 18 |
| A471 | Courts-Martial files [including war crimes trials], single number series | 17 |
| D1901 | Loveday Internment Camp internees files, single number series with variable alpha prefix | 12 |
| D4881 | Alien registration cards, alphabetical series | 11 |
| C3058 | Television film registration applications, annual single number series with 'TV' prefix | 9 |
| P531 | Colombo Plan Students files, alphabetical series | 5 |
| A9301 | RAAF Personnel files of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and other ranks, 1921-1948 | 5 |
| A1838 | Correspondence files, multiple number series [Main correspondence files series of the agency] | 5 |
| K669 | Applications for Australian Citizenship, single number series with alphabetical prefixes | 4 |
| MP151/1 | Correspondence files, multiple number series ('201' series) | 4 |
| SP467/1 | Correspondence, annual single number series with 'TA' (Telephone Administration) prefix | 4 |
| A1877 | British migrants - Selection documents for free or assisted passage (Commonwealth nominees) | 3 |
| D2994 | Army payfiles (1 AIF), alphabetical series | 3 |
Files digitised this year (2025)¶
48,590 files have been digitised this year. Here are the number of files digitised per month.
The files came from 666 different series. Here are the 25 series which contain the most files digitised so far this year.
| series | series_title | total |
|---|---|---|
| A714 | Books of duplicate certificates of naturalization A(1)[Individual person] series | 10,409 |
| B883 | Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 | 7,428 |
| BP308/1 | Wacol Migrant Centre accommodation history cards, alphabetical series | 5,658 |
| B6288 | Photographs and negatives of Commonwealth building sites and DHC/ACS departmental activities, single number series with 'V' (Victoria) prefix | 4,902 |
| PP246/4 | Personal Statement and Declaration forms, alphabetical order within nationality | 3,117 |
| SP300/1 | ABC Talk Scripts - General | 2,560 |
| A471 | Courts-Martial files [including war crimes trials], single number series | 2,479 |
| A705 | Correspondence files, multiple number (Melbourne) series (Primary numbers 1-323) | 1,263 |
| A2403 | Photographic negatives, single number series with 'X' [Miscellaneous visits and conferences] prefix | 974 |
| A11016 | Construction of Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, black and white photographic negatives, single number series | 788 |
| D1989 | Application forms, medical examination documents and related papers of British and Foreign Immigrants (including Ex Service) in receipt of free and assisted passages, chronological order of ship arrival. | 600 |
| A11015 | Glass lantern slides, single number series | 585 |
| ST1910/7 | Army pay cards (forms WF3/WF3H ‘Pay ledger and history cards’ and WF45/WF45H, ‘Allotment ledger cards’) - Permanent Military Force NSW - World War Two | 558 |
| J2774 | Architectural plans, single number series with 'W' (Works) prefix | 551 |
| A6135 | Photographic colour transparencies positives, daily single number series with 'K' [Colour Transparencies] prefix | 534 |
| B3712 | Folders of construction drawings, numerical series | 493 |
| SP300/7 | Vance Palmer collection - Scripts of talks presented during his regular ABC radio programme | 435 |
| J1732 | Personal history cards for Civil Constructional Corps members, alphabetical series | 370 |
| PP9/4 | Alien passports and travel documents, alphabetical series | 329 |
| D4881 | Alien registration cards, alphabetical series | 297 |
| A10605 | Personnel Occurrence Reports | 223 |
| SP32/1 | Post Office files | 202 |
| P1556 | Files containing Antarctic Station Reports with Station Log Books interspersed, chronological series | 194 |
| F941 | Correspondence files, annual single number series - [portion transferred to NT Archives Service] | 182 |
| A1721 | Western Australia - Fine Arts copyright files | 180 |
Files digitised since 4 February 2021¶
1,451,220 files have been digitised since 4 February 2021. Here are the number of files digitised per year.
The files came from 2,937 different series. Here are the 25 series which contain the most files digitised since 4 February 2021.
| series | series_title | total |
|---|---|---|
| B883 | Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 | 320,511 |
| B884 | Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 | 284,168 |
| A9301 | RAAF Personnel files of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and other ranks, 1921-1948 | 189,839 |
| A2571 | Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla] | 162,204 |
| A2572 | Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla] | 101,983 |
| A9300 | RAAF Officers Personnel files, 1921-1948 | 33,908 |
| A714 | Books of duplicate certificates of naturalization A(1)[Individual person] series | 24,012 |
| A6135 | Photographic colour transparencies positives, daily single number series with 'K' [Colour Transparencies] prefix | 20,158 |
| A13150 | Specifications, examiners reports and correspondence relating to the Registration of Victorian Patents - Second system | 17,546 |
| D3481 | Photographs (black and white, colour) of buildings, installations, sites, etc | 13,389 |
| D874 | Still photograph outdoor and studio negatives, annual single number series with N prefix (and progressive alpha infix A-K from 1948-1957) | 12,328 |
| A1500 | Photographic colour transparencies [positives], single number series with 'K' [Colour] prefix | 11,866 |
| A705 | Correspondence files, multiple number (Melbourne) series (Primary numbers 1-323) | 11,295 |
| A7109 | "Dead" card index of Registered Aliens | 10,618 |
| A14435 | Stanley Fowler photographs showing the Australian fishing industry and coastline, numerical series with ‘LA’prefix | 10,512 |
| E607 | Negative film of photographs taken of every lot of Darwin after Cyclone Tracy, two number series | 9,510 |
| J853 | Architectural plans, annual single number series with alpha (denoting Papua New Guinea and discipline) prefix and/or alpha/numeric (denoting size and amendment) suffix | 9,023 |
| A13149 | Applications for Registration of Victorian Patents - Second system | 8,876 |
| MT1486/1 | Applications to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force | 7,999 |
| A1 | Correspondence files, annual single number series [Main correspondence files series of the agency] | 7,621 |
| BP308/1 | Wacol Migrant Centre accommodation history cards, alphabetical series | 6,568 |
| AP476/1 | Petitions for South Australian Colonial patents with specifications. | 6,484 |
| B6288 | Photographs and negatives of Commonwealth building sites and DHC/ACS departmental activities, single number series with 'V' (Victoria) prefix | 4,902 |
| D1423 | Original plans (negatives), single number series with alpha prefix denoting discipline | 4,722 |
| K1145 | Certificates of Exemption from Dictation Test, annual certificate number order | 4,550 |
Created by Tim Sherratt for the GLAM Workbench.