Access the Storylines Aboriginal history database

Engage with Aboriginal stories, language, perspectives and history.
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Storylines is an online archive managed and hosted by the State Library of Western Australia, with advice and guidance provided by an Aboriginal reference group with ongoing state-wide consultation.

The Storylines database has more than 2500 photographs from around the state, as well as a number of oral histories, family trees, historical documents and other media files.  

Items on Storylines are sorted by different criteria including people, places, collections and language groups.

There are more than 3,800 people identified in the system.

Cultural Warning

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that the Storylines database includes images, sounds and names of deceased persons. Storylines also contains images of people which are not yet identified, and some historical images contain nudity.

How to Get Involved

The State Library hosts sessions with people and organisations to identify aspects of these collections.  Information about these sessions can be found on the events page.  

The library is also interested in working with community groups to provide training and access to the archive, and can provide one-on-one or small group sessions for group or individual visiting the State Library.

If you are interested in discussing the possibility of including your photographs, images, movies or music in the database please contact the project team at storylines@slwa.wa.gov.au.