In 1978, at the Fourth National Homosexual Conference in Sydney, Graham Carbery presented “A proposal for an Australian Gay Archives”. In the 45 years since, the Australian Queer Archives has collected, preserved, and celebrated the histories of LGBTQIA+ people and communities, providing a safe place for the abundance of diverse materials that document the history of the Australian LGBTQIA+ movement.




This work continues today, but in the face of emergent and ever-changing archival challenges. Digitisation continues to raise questions, from the how-to to the “where do we keep this?"", while broader sociocultural and technological changes have seen a shift from newsletters and zines made at kitchen tables to overwhelming quantities of born-digital materials. Archival metadata held in excel spreadsheets is still waiting for the acquisition of a cataloguing system, and more donations arrive by the day, providing endless exciting distractions…and endless processing work.




In addition to challenges, there are also aspirations. Strengthening relationships with First Nations communities, and especially queer mob. Developing collections to include more records of trans, bisexual, and First Nations people. Enhancing the accessibility of collections both virtually and in-person. And continuing to share and celebrative diverse LGBTQIA+ histories by activating our collections in an ever-growing number of ways—including exhibitions, presentations, symposiums, workshops, and walking tours.




In this keynote session, members of the Archives’ Committee will explore the journey of AQuA over the last 45 years, showcase highlights of the Archives’ diverse collections, and share some of the continued challenges faced by a volunteer-run community archive as it continues to grow and evolve. We invite you to come and learn about the Australian Queer Archives and its community, and share your professional insights and experience with us as we move into our next 45 years.