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Reserve Bank of Australia Archives
Staff at work in the banking chamber of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s head office in Moore Street (now Martin Place), Sydney, 6 September 1916Delivery of strong room doors to the Government Savings Bank of New South Wales on a cart drawn by a team of horses, 11 October 1926An installation of archival photographs at the Reserve Bank’s head office, Martin Place, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2010; photographed by Peter Tabor, March 2011Members of the Head Office Patriotic Club collecting for Hospital Saturday at the ‘Gunyah’ stall in Martin Place, 1917Stump capping ceremony for the first War Service Home in Queensland built for Lance Corporal WH Smith, his wife and young son, 21 August 1919VP Kenney winning the 100 yards championship at the staff reunion, Clifton Gardens, 10 January 1920

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

Explore Our Records

Reserve Bank of Australia - New Head Office Building - Watercolour Sketch of Bonds and Stock Banking Chamber - c.1964
Reserve Bank of Australia - New Head Office Building - Watercolour Sketch of Bonds and Stock Banking Chamber - c.1964Type: Object
Savings Bank of New South Wales - Sydney (Head Office) - Mortgage (Investment) Department - Legal Documents - Release, James Underwood to George Miller - 9 & 10 February 1840
Savings Bank of New South Wales - Sydney (Head Office) - Mortgage (Investment) Department - Legal Documents - Release, James Underwood to George Miller - 9 & 10 February 1840Size: 11.1MB Series: Savings Bank of New South Wales
Note Issue Section - Investment Department - staff working on mutilated notes - 1960
Note Issue Section - Investment Department - staff working on mutilated notes - 1960
Savings Bank of New South Wales - Scone - Depositors Ledgers - Accounts 79-1484 (incl. Continuation) - 1892-1902
Savings Bank of New South Wales - Scone - Depositors Ledgers - Accounts 79-1484 (incl. Continuation) - 1892-1902Series: Savings Bank of New South Wales
State Savings Bank of Western Australia - Perth (Head Office) - Indexes of Depositors Accounts - "A-Z" - 1870 - 1893
State Savings Bank of Western Australia - Perth (Head Office) - Indexes of Depositors Accounts - "A-Z" - 1870 - 1893Series: State Savings Bank of Western Australia
Premises - Government Savings Bank of NSW - Branches - Sydney, R.A.S. Showground - 1923
Premises - Government Savings Bank of NSW - Branches - Sydney, R.A.S. Showground - 1923
Coombs, HC with Mrs Coombs and family - March 1951
Coombs, HC with Mrs Coombs and family - March 1951
Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Souvenir of Official Opening of the new Head Office - 13 December 1928
Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Souvenir of Official Opening of the new Head Office - 13 December 1928Size: 28.0MB
The Bank at Work - Head Office - Accounting Department - Electronic Data Processing (EDP) Section - January 1972
The Bank at Work - Head Office - Accounting Department - Electronic Data Processing (EDP) Section - January 1972
Commonwealth Savings Bank - Booklet - 'Friendly Fables' - October 1958
Commonwealth Savings Bank - Booklet - 'Friendly Fables' - October 1958Size: 4.1MB
Staff - Sport - Commonwealth Bank Head Office - Economic and Secretary's Department Tennis day - early 1950s
Staff - Sport - Commonwealth Bank Head Office - Economic and Secretary's Department Tennis day - early 1950s
Commonwealth Bank - Booklet -"Peter's Pony"
Commonwealth Bank - Booklet -"Peter's Pony"Size: 2.3MB
Premises - Government Savings Bank of NSW - Head Office 48-50 Martin Place - Exterior - View of Martin Place from the Balcony on the 2nd floor - 1928
Premises - Government Savings Bank of NSW - Head Office 48-50 Martin Place - Exterior - View of Martin Place from the Balcony on the 2nd floor - 1928
Money Box - one Government Savings Bank of NSW money box - c.1912
Money Box - one Government Savings Bank of NSW money box - c.1912Type: Object
Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Sydney (Head Office) - Chief Inspector's Department - Staff Records - Officer's Service Cards - A - J - circa 1906-1932
Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Sydney (Head Office) - Chief Inspector's Department - Staff Records - Officer's Service Cards - A - J - circa 1906-1932Size: 155.1MB Series: Government Savings Bank of New South Wales

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

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 visitors should be aware that this Unreserved website may contain images or names 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 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.

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