Photograph Archive

The Royal Western Australian Historical Society owns a collection of rare photographs dating back to the introduction of photography in Western Australia in the 1850s. The collection consists not only of paper-based photographic images but also glass plates, tintypes and ambrotypes.

There are approximately 40,000 photographs in the collection; about 20,000 records, including images, have been digitised and can be accessed from this website.

Collection Overview

You can search the digitized Photograph Archive records at the Collections: Research Western Australian History page.

Obtaining Copies of Images

Where records include low resolution thumbnail images you may print off copies for research or private use.

Online JPEG images (either 300 ppi or 600 ppi) may be ordered and paid for via our online Shop using the “Buy now” tab under the selected image record. It will then be supplied and sent to you by email. For higher resolution images (if available) follow the same ordering and payment process but it will be posted to you on a disc.

Before you can complete the purchase order for any of the Society’s images you will be required to agree to its Conditions of Use of Photographic Images.

It should be noted that the Photograph Archive is managed by Volunteers on a part-time basis and they will do their best to respond to your order quickly.

For further details on access to and use of the photograph archive complete and submit the Library Enquiry Form or telephone: +61 8 9386 3841.

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