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Finding Images: Australian images

Information on finding images in library databases and the open web, and finding Copyright Free and Creative Commons licensed images.

Australian collections

  • Ancestory.com historic prints and maps (Out of copyright prints and maps for download by Steve Bartrick via Ancestory server. Attribution
    required. Credit ancestryimages.com or antiqueprints.com for any images used. Can search for Australian content.)
  • Australian War Memorial (No Known Copyright Restrictions. The collection includes material from 1789 to the present.)
  • CSIRO Science Image (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Science Image is an image library specialising in science and nature images. It is presented by CSIRO, Australia's major science research organisation.)
  • Design & Art Australia Online (See individual images for copyright information. ​An open source scholarly e-Research tool that links biographical data about Australian artists, designers, craftspeople and curators with information about artworks, event histories and collection details.)
  • Monash University Image library (Monash University business purposes only. A range of quality images for use in printed and online material promoting Monash University. If you want to use this for other than Monash business, you will need to contact the relevant department, organisational unit or faculty for permission.)
  • Museum Victoria Biodiversity collection (100,000+ pages in the Museums Victoria Library Collection. Contains rare and old books, with plant and animal images, journals and pamphlets from the Museums Victoria Library who are the Lead Agency for BHL Australia, a national project funded by the Atlas of Living Australia.)
  • Museum Victoria Collections (See individual images for copyright information. Museum Victoria's online database of images of collection items and articles about them. Articles licensed under Creative commons but images vary. Check the 'reuse image' button on the right hand side of the screen. Can request permission if not copyright free. Includes collection Melbourne's Biggest Family Album useful for social history and everyday images of life in Melbourne. Any photos taken before 1955 are out of copyright.)
  • National Archives of Australia (See individual images for copyright information. Any photos taken before 1955 are out of copyright in Australia. Select date range pre 1955 for public domain.)
  • Powerhouse Museum (No Known Copyright Restrictions. Photographs from the Museum's collection of glass plate negatives.)
  • State Library of New South Wales (No Known Copyright Restrictions. Library of New South Wales Photo collection.)
  • State Library of Victoria Digital Image Pool (Any photos taken before 1955 are out of copyright. Others see individual images for copyright information. Victoria's history is brought to life in almost 200,000 (and growing) amazing historical images.)
  • Trove Australia in Pictures (See individual images for copyright information. Images of social, political, contemporary and or historical
    events of local or national significance.)