Reserve Bank of AustraliaRBA Museum

Unreserved

Reserve Bank of Australia Archives

Watercolour sketch of the Board Room in the new Reserve Bank head office, c.1964

Reserve Bank Board meeting held in Brisbane, 8 May 1974

Board Room, head office, Sydney, 1969

Reserve Bank Board meeting, head office, Sydney, 1988

Staff at work in Adelaide, c.1960s

Staff at work in the Exchange Control Department records room, May 1971

Staff in the head office cafeteria, May 1971

Files & Documents
3,984 Bound
273 Photographs
4,038 Video
11 Show All
9,012

Welcome to Unreserved

Unreserved is the online platform to access the Reserve Bank of Australia Archives. Unreserved allows you to directly access digitised copies of selected archival records as well as information about our entire archival collection.

The Reserve Bank is custodian of a rich and varied archive of records that spans nearly 200 years of Australia’s economic, financial and social history – from the convict era through to more recent times. This is because the Reserve Bank descended from the original Commonwealth Bank of Australia which had a central banking function and had absorbed other banks with a colonial history.

In addition to directly searching the Archives, there are Research and Series Guides for each Collection. Not all items in our Archives have yet been digitised. As our digitisation program progresses, new content will be uploaded to Unreserved and some will be showcased in Explore our Records. You can subscribe to receive updates.

About the Archives | History of Australia's Central Bank | Scope of Archival Holdings | Guides | Contact Us

Browse Our Collections

Research Guide: Separation – the Commonwealth Bank and the creation of the RBA

Research Guide: Separation – the Commonwealth Bank and the creation of the RBA

Series Guide: Secretary's Department - Bank Management

The Bank Management series is a group of records that were maintained by Secretary’s Department and relate principally to activities carried out in the course of managing the Bank from its orig...

Series Guide: Secretary's Department - Bank Management

Series Guide: The Coombs Collection of Australian Paintings

The Coombs Collection of Australian Paintings represents a cultural legacy that documents the Reserve Bank’s support and promotion of Australian art. Acquired chiefly from the 1950s to the mid-...

Series Guide: The Coombs Collection of Australian Paintings

Research Guide: The Commonwealth Bank of Australia - The legislation that created and developed it - 1911–1959

Research Guide: The Commonwealth Bank of Australia - The legislation that created and developed it - 1911–1959

Research Guide: Float of the Australian Dollar

Research Guide: Float of the Australian Dollar

Research Guide: Dr Herbert Cole Coombs

Research Guide: Dr Herbert Cole Coombs

Research Guide: Colonial Australian Bank Accounts

Research Guide: Colonial Australian Bank Accounts

Research Guide: Sir Leslie Melville KBE

Research Guide: Sir Leslie Melville KBE

Series Guide: Savings Bank of New South Wales

The Savings Bank of New South Wales series contains records dating from the establishment of the Bank in 1832 to its amalgamation with the Government Savings Bank of New South Wales in 1914. It c...

Series Guide: Savings Bank of New South Wales

Explore Our Records

First Peace Loan Campaign in Sydney - Peace Loan Film “Madman up the Pole” (released 26 August 1919) (copy b)

First Peace Loan Campaign in Sydney - Peace Loan Film “Madman up the Pole” (released 26 August 1919) (copy b)

Commonwealth Bank - Sixth War Loan Campaign Activities - Tank Week NSW - April 1918 - Tank in Moore Street (now Martin Place) and speakers (plate 159)

Commonwealth Bank - Sixth War Loan Campaign Activities - Tank Week NSW - April 1918 - Tank in Moore Street (now Martin Place) and speakers (plate 159)

RBA CAREERS - Reserve Bank Of Australia Careers for University Graduates (blue cover) - c.1950s-60s

RBA CAREERS - Reserve Bank Of Australia Careers for University Graduates (blue cover) - c.1950s-60sSize: 8.8MB

Bank's Functions - PNG Division - Educational Facilities for Indigens - PNG Bankers College - Room Language Laboratory - 1968

Bank's Functions - PNG Division - Educational Facilities for Indigens - PNG Bankers College - Room Language Laboratory - 1968

Design artwork by Gordon Andrews for the RBA Emblem / Logo / Symbol / Crest - with notation that it was approved by the Governor on the 4 June 1959Type: Object

Induction booklet for girls - Reserve Bank of Australia - c.1960s

Induction booklet for girls - Reserve Bank of Australia - c.1960sSize: 7.9MB

Bank's Aircraft VH-CBA - Inaugural Flight - (L to R) Mr AW Mason, Mrs Armitage, Leslie Melville, Governor Hugh Armitage - 3 March 1947

Bank's Aircraft VH-CBA - Inaugural Flight - (L to R) Mr AW Mason, Mrs Armitage, Leslie Melville, Governor Hugh Armitage - 3 March 1947

Mobile CSB banking unit, operating from Darwin branch - 1945 (view 1)

Mobile CSB banking unit, operating from Darwin branch - 1945 (view 1)

Staff Group - Rabaul 1917

Staff Group - Rabaul 1917

Savings Bank of New South Wales - Sydney (Head Office) - Mortgage (Investment) Department - Legal Documents - Land Release, John Austin to Thomas Wylde - 2 September 1824

Savings Bank of New South Wales - Sydney (Head Office) - Mortgage (Investment) Department - Legal Documents - Land Release, John Austin to Thomas Wylde - 2 September 1824Size: 2.4MB Series: Savings Bank of New South Wales

Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Barrack Street, Sydney - Authorities & Declarations - Guard Book of Certificates by Trustees as to Account being Bona Fide (Indexed) - 1916

Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Barrack Street, Sydney - Authorities & Declarations - Guard Book of Certificates by Trustees as to Account being Bona Fide (Indexed) - 1916Series: Government Savings Bank of New South Wales

Head Office - Vacuum Cleaning Machinery in operation on ground floor - 5 September 1916

Head Office - Vacuum Cleaning Machinery in operation on ground floor - 5 September 1916

The Bank at Work - Head Office - Banking Department, Judy Symonds drawing graphs with Bill Robinson - 1960

The Bank at Work - Head Office - Banking Department, Judy Symonds drawing graphs with Bill Robinson - 1960

Female staff uniform - February 1969

Female staff uniform - February 1969

Staff - Social functions - Head Office 65 Martin Place - Dr Coombs lunches with the Governor and Senior officers to celebrate his 70th birthday - L to R: Don Sanders (Deputy Governor), Dr Coombs and Harry Knight (Governor) - 27 February 1976

Staff - Social functions - Head Office 65 Martin Place - Dr Coombs lunches with the Governor and Senior officers to celebrate his 70th birthday - L to R: Don Sanders (Deputy Governor), Dr Coombs and Harry Knight (Governor) - 27 February 1976

Unreserved

Reserve Bank of Australia Archives archives@rba.gov.au

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The Reserve Bank of Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia as the Traditional Custodians of this land, and recognises their continuing connection to Country. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

While we make every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of information, some of the content on this site may contain inconsistencies or errors regarding dates and spelling, as recorded by different individuals or agencies.

Material in this archival collection may contain content or language that reflects the author’s views or those of the period in which it was created, but which may not be considered appropriate today. The content is provided in its historical context.