Archives

The main archives of note are of course those of the State and Federal governments consisting of the recording of their respective bureaucracies. In the case of the NSW State government this includes many records of the Colony of NSW that date back to the earliest days of settlement along the Williams River.

Other archives are those of the Churches, particularly the Catholic and Anglican Churches. Many other institutions perhaps have maintained records that may relate to their activities in Dungog and/or the Williams Valley.

For a list of specific material see the bibliography. Here a few of the more interesting materials are discussed.

Dungog Magistrates Letterbook, 1834-1839

Amazingly, although this is a record of the correspondence of the Dungog Magistrates, it is not to be found in the NSW State Archives (where all subsequent correspondence is found), but rather in the Australian National Library.

Regardless of its location (it is now being copied for inclusion in the NSW State Archives), this is a prime source of much fascinating material on the earliest days of Dungog and includes insights into convicts, Aboriginal and settler relations, transport and communications and relations among the major landholders. For a summary and analysis of the contents of this letterbook see the article: This Anomalous Community.

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