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.
Changes to RecordSearch in May 2025 have blocked the weekly harvests and made it impossible to update this dashboard. The last data harvest was on 11 May 2025.
There have been 214 weekly harvests since March 2021. The most recent harvest was on 24 May 2026.
Files digitised last week (17 May 2026 – 24 May 2026)¶
1,024 files were digitised last week. Here are the number of files digitised per day.
| title | item_id | series | control_symbol | date_range | date_digitised | series_title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | [Concerning internees Blach for embarkation to... | 9542524 | B3811 | 70/1/130 | 1941 – 1941 | 2026-05-23 | Secret correspondence files, multiple number s... |
| 1 | POTHITOS Konstantinos - Nationality: Greek - A... | 9528915 | B78 | GREEK/POTHITOS KONSTANTINOS | 1939 – 1972 | 2026-05-23 | Alien registration documents |
| 2 | Aliens attending Melbourne Technical College | 826748 | B13 | 1940/51731 | 1940 – 1940 | 2026-05-23 | General and classified correspondence, annual ... |
| 3 | Mitsui Bussan Kaisha Ltd, Shanghai - Trading w... | 825866 | B13 | 1940/50786 | 1940 – 1940 | 2026-05-23 | General and classified correspondence, annual ... |
| 4 | Identity of Nellie Glenister Pow Loong - Daugh... | 787226 | B13 | 1924/6633 | 1924 – 1924 | 2026-05-23 | General and classified correspondence, annual ... |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 1019 | Firemen/duty crew training [RAAF Williamtown c... | 24103132 | C1342 | 57/4/AIR PART 1 | 1967 – 1981 | 2026-05-18 | Correspondence files, multiple number series w... |
| 1020 | WEMMER, KARL [box 3] | 202840560 | D399 | S1968/10231 | 1961 – 1971 | 2026-05-18 | Correspondence files, annual single number ser... |
| 1021 | Ktisti, Stavros Georgiou [born in 1903 - Immig... | 202833926 | D399 | S1968/1889 | 1968 – 1968 | 2026-05-18 | Correspondence files, annual single number ser... |
| 1022 | Brescacin, Elio [born in 1933 - Immigration NS... | 15890310 | SP1122/1 | N1961/12709 | 1952 – 1961 | 2026-05-18 | General correspondence files, multiple number ... |
| 1023 | MARCON Renato [Italian migrant; naturalisation... | 12231874 | SP1122/1 | N1957/48166 | 1952 – 1961 | 2026-05-18 | General correspondence files, multiple number ... |
1024 rows × 7 columns
The files came from 174 different series. Here are the 25 series which contain the most files digitised last week.
| series | series_title | total |
|---|---|---|
| M5197 | Colour photographic (kodachrome) slides illustrating the life and career of Sir Keith Charles Owen Shann CBE | 263 |
| A11753 | Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons who travelled to Australia per Fairsea departing Naples 21 September 1949 | 99 |
| D4881 | Alien registration cards, alphabetical series | 94 |
| A705 | Correspondence files, multiple number (Melbourne) series (Primary numbers 1-323) | 89 |
| SP857/1 | Correspondence on acquisition of and claims re Commonwealth properties, NSW | 41 |
| B78 | Alien registration documents | 28 |
| SP908/1 | Application for Registration of Aliens (other than Asiatics) | 17 |
| MP551/1 | Ships' drawings and specifications, together with those for two floating docks | 16 |
| A1337 | Applications for Registration of a Design | 16 |
| A2478 | Non-British European migrant selection documents | 15 |
| E1579 | Cards containing personal information on the Aboriginal population of the Northern Territory, alphabetical series | 12 |
| SP351/1 | Property files | 12 |
| MT269/1 | Forms for registration under the War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916 and the Aliens Registration Act 1920 (Forms A, A2 and E) | 10 |
| A471 | Courts-Martial files [including war crimes trials], single number series | 10 |
| SP16/4 | Property files for sites in NSW hired or acquired for the Department of Defence during World War II | 8 |
| SP155/1 | Specifications | 8 |
| B13 | General and classified correspondence, annual single number series | 8 |
| SP42/1 | Correspondence of the Collector of Customs relating to Immigration Restriction and Passports | 7 |
| C321 | Case files, annual single number series with 'N' (NSW) prefix | 6 |
| K1331 | Alien registration documents, alphabetical series | 6 |
| P1579 | Correspondence files two number series with year prefix | 6 |
| P2476 | Aboriginal Development Commission project files, multiple number system with alpha/word prefix | 6 |
| A4157 | Exhibits of the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry, single number series | 5 |
| MP250/4 | Personal and medical documents of Maltese migrants | 4 |
| MP287/1 | General correspondence files | 4 |
Files digitised this year (2026)¶
4,726 files have been digitised this year. Here are the number of files digitised per month.
The files came from 398 different series. Here are the 25 series which contain the most files digitised so far this year.
| series | series_title | total |
|---|---|---|
| D4878 | Alien registration documents, alphabetical series | 1,000 |
| M5197 | Colour photographic (kodachrome) slides illustrating the life and career of Sir Keith Charles Owen Shann CBE | 650 |
| A705 | Correspondence files, multiple number (Melbourne) series (Primary numbers 1-323) | 426 |
| 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. | 399 |
| A11753 | Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons who travelled to Australia per Fairsea departing Naples 21 September 1949 | 396 |
| D4881 | Alien registration cards, alphabetical series | 181 |
| MP551/1 | Ships' drawings and specifications, together with those for two floating docks | 161 |
| MT1139/1 | First World War munition workers dossiers | 90 |
| B78 | Alien registration documents | 82 |
| A1337 | Applications for Registration of a Design | 71 |
| SP857/1 | Correspondence on acquisition of and claims re Commonwealth properties, NSW | 44 |
| A2478 | Non-British European migrant selection documents | 42 |
| SP908/1 | Application for Registration of Aliens (other than Asiatics) | 34 |
| D5582 | Agency consignment lists, numerical series with variable alpha prefixes | 27 |
| A8769 | Aboriginal Affairs colour transparencies reversed date and single number series with 'CT' (Colour Transparencies) prefix | 26 |
| K1331 | Alien registration documents, alphabetical series | 24 |
| SP42/1 | Correspondence of the Collector of Customs relating to Immigration Restriction and Passports | 23 |
| P1579 | Correspondence files two number series with year prefix | 22 |
| B13 | General and classified correspondence, annual single number series | 21 |
| C5528 | Screen Australia Stills Collections, numerical series | 21 |
| B73 | Personal case files, World War I | 20 |
| A1861 | Applications for Artistic Copyright (with exhibits) | 19 |
| MT269/1 | Forms for registration under the War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916 and the Aliens Registration Act 1920 (Forms A, A2 and E) | 19 |
| E1579 | Cards containing personal information on the Aboriginal population of the Northern Territory, alphabetical series | 18 |
| C320 | Investigation files (Persons and Organisations), single number with alphabetical prefix | 17 |
Files digitised since 4 February 2021¶
1,407,356 files have been digitised since 4 February 2021. Here are the number of files digitised per year.
The files came from 2,889 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 | 313,093 |
| B884 | Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 | 284,171 |
| A9301 | RAAF Personnel files of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and other ranks, 1921-1948 | 189,820 |
| 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 | 33,906 |
| A6135 | Photographic colour transparencies positives, daily single number series with 'K' [Colour Transparencies] prefix | 19,624 |
| A13150 | Specifications, examiners reports and correspondence relating to the Registration of Victorian Patents - Second system | 17,472 |
| A714 | Books of duplicate certificates of naturalization A(1)[Individual person] series | 13,603 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| A705 | Correspondence files, multiple number (Melbourne) series (Primary numbers 1-323) | 10,458 |
| 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 | 8,962 |
| A13149 | Applications for Registration of Victorian Patents - Second system | 8,852 |
| 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 |
| AP476/1 | Petitions for South Australian Colonial patents with specifications. | 6,484 |
| 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 |
| D1051 | Original drawings, plans and prints of National Estate properties | 4,484 |
| C610 | Australian Women's Land Army - personnel cards, alphabetical series | 4,330 |
Created by Tim Sherratt for the GLAM Workbench.