Western Sydney Records Centre

The Western Sydney Records Centre, located at Kingswood near Penrith, serves as the primary preservation and access facility for the NSW State Archives. It plays a crucial role in managing, storing, and safeguarding the official records of New South Wales government agencies. As the state’s central archival repository, the centre provides long-term protection for documents that hold administrative, legal, and historical significance. Its operations support government accountability while offering the public structured access to materials that illuminate the development of the state.

What the Records Centre Does

The facility was purpose-built to handle the specialised demands of archival storage. It includes environmentally controlled repositories that maintain stable temperature and humidity levels, ensuring that paper, film, photographs, and digital media remain in good condition for extended periods. The scale of the storage areas allows for the accommodation of a wide range of formats, from early nineteenth-century manuscripts to contemporary administrative files. Careful monitoring systems and rigorous preservation protocols contribute to the centre’s capacity to protect records of varying age and fragility.

In addition to its storage functions, the Western Sydney Records Centre houses the main Reading Room for public research. This space enables researchers, students, family historians, and members of the public to consult original records under supervision. Staff provide guidance in navigating the extensive catalogue, identifying relevant series, and understanding the context in which documents were created. The centre also maintains access to microfilm copies, digitised collections, indexes, and specialised reference tools that support efficient research. Through these services, the centre facilitates informed engagement with the documentary history of New South Wales.

The facility also serves as a base for archival processing. Newly transferred records from government agencies undergo appraisal, description, and arrangement before they are placed in storage. These tasks ensure that each archival series is correctly documented and retrievable. Archivists assess long-term value, apply retention decisions, and prepare catalogue entries that reflect the structure and function of the creating agency. The centre’s work in this area is essential for maintaining a coherent and accessible archival system that supports both government requirements and public research.

Digital Records

The Western Sydney Records Centre further contributes to digital transformation in the archives sector. While physical records remain the core of its holdings, the centre supports digitisation programs that increase public access and reduce handling of fragile materials. High-resolution imaging, quality control, and metadata creation form part of this work. Digitised content is then made available through online platforms managed by NSW State Archives, broadening access to historical information for users across Australia and internationally.

Tour of the Archives

In conjunction with the Museums of History, an open day at the Western Sydney Records Centre allowed us to see behind the scenes and view the operation. Unfortunately, most photography was banned due to the nature of the records held but what we saw was very interesting.

The volume of the records held is huge and the building has been extended several times to cope with increased demand. Not only are paper records held, but plans of buildings and ships, often a long with the builder’s model. We saw several ships models each over two metres long, as well as the original models for the Sydney Olympics stadium.

Conservation of documents is also part of the archives’ role. We saw conservators working on books and plans when we visited.

This was an interesting visit to somewhere not usually open to the public where we were able to see how a modern archive operates.