Correspondence files, class 1 (general, passports)

The Correspondence files, class 1 (general, passports) is a series of records dating from 1892 to 1970 held by the National Archives of Australia. It contains records concerning the activities of the Commonwealth Department of the Interior from 1939 to 1945 and the Commonwealth Department of Immigration from 1946 to 1950. Some of the records relate to child migration, the Overseas Children Scheme, and the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

Access Conditions

The majority of these records are open access, however some are open with exception, meaning portions of the files are restricted to protect personal privacy. Some of these records have been digitised and are available online.

Records can be ordered for viewing in the reading room in Canberra, or a digital copy can be ordered for online delivery. Users will need to log in to RecordSearch to order records. Open access records can be ordered directly. For access to closed or not yet examined records, users will need to submit an access application via RecordSearch.

For more information on ordering records please contact the National Archives of Australia.

Records

This series contains records relating to Child Migration & the Overseas Children’s Scheme, as well as records relating to the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The following records were identified using a keyword search. There may be other relevant records in this series that are not listed here.

Child Migration Records

Burnside Children Group Nomination (1938-1941)

Reference Number: 1940/1/192
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80386

Fairbridge farm school – Deduction of Commonwealth subsidy – Annual requisition for children [3cm folios] (1932-1939)

Reference Number: 1945/1/505
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=1895597

Overseas Childrens Scheme – Nominations forwarded to London from Tasmania (1940)

Reference Number: 1940/1/6451
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=740575

Overseas Children Scheme-Record of children and custodians (Tasmania), 1940-44 (1940 – 1944)

Reference Number: 1944/1/3283
Access Status: Open

Catholic Emigration Association, London – Scheme to emigrate children to Catholic institutions in Western Australia

Reference Number: 1945/1/499
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=81127

Overseas Children Scheme – Record of custodians and children (Western Australia) (1940 – 1943)

Reference Number: 1943/1/4132
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80970

Overseas Children Scheme. Record of children and custodians (NSW) Part 1 (1940-1944)

Reference Number: 1944/1/355
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=81073

Overseas Children Scheme – Record of children and custodians (Queensland) Part 1 (1940-1944)

Reference Number: 1944/1/1134
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=81085

Overseas Children’s Scheme – Record of Children and Custodians (Queensland) – Part 2 (1944-1945)

Reference Number: 1944/1/3895
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=81115

Overseas Children Scheme – Report on arrangements in Queensland for reception and placement of children from MV BATORY (1940)

Reference Number: 1940/1/7621
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=650335

Overseas children scheme – Record of children and custodians (South Australia) (1940-1945)

Reference Number: 1944/1/1815
Access status: Open

Overseas Children Scheme – Transfer of war orphans (1939-1944)

Reference Number: 1941/1/1261
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=650338

Overseas Children Scheme – Nominal rolls (1940)

Reference Number: 1946/1/4518
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=741968

Records relating to the removal of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children

Half caste home – Darwin (1923-1940)

Reference Number: 1939/1/15580
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80365

Half-caste home – Pine Creek, NT(1931 – 1941)

Reference Number: 1940/1/7551
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80563

Half Caste Home, Alice Springs, Northern Territory (1939 – 1942)

Reference Number: 1942/1/4499
Access Status: Open, not digitised.

Half caste home, Alice Springs, Northern Territory [496 pages] (1928-1939)

Reference Number: 1939/1/996
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=137342

Groote Eylandt Mission (Church Missionary Society), Part 1 (1918-1942)

Reference Number: 1943/1/70
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80846

Roper River Mission, NT (1907-1942)

Reference Number: 1941/1/1118
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80600

Ernabella Mission, NT – Report by Rev Love, J R B and Dr Balfour, L (1937-1942)

Reference Number: 1941/1/221
Link to digitised record: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=80587

Methodist Federal inland mission – T L 376,317,267,302 – Alice Springs and Katherine (1934-1940)

Reference Number: 1940/1/146
Access Status: Open, not digitised