South Australian Museum
The South Australian Museum offers visitors five floors of exhibits that reveal many fascinating stories. Exhibitions and displays reflect the museum’s extensive collections, including the Australian Aboriginal and Pacific Cultures collections. The Ancient Egyptian Room and the Giant Squid. The Museum houses over four million objects and specimens. They provide irreplaceable records against which we are constantly building and modifying our knowledge and understanding of the natural and cultural world. We enjoy an international reputation for the size and representation of our collections, as well as the breadth and quality of our scientific research.
- www.samuseum.sa.gov.au
- North Terrace
- Adelaide
- South Australia
- 5000
- Australia
- 08 8207 7500
| ID Local | Title | Description Brief | Updated |
| AA 23 | Daisy May Bates (AA 23) | The Daisy May Bates collection in the South Australian Museum Archives comprises: correspondence relating to Australian Anthropology; publications by Daisy Bates and other authors; notes and labels relating to tjuringas and other objects; linguistic data; personal correspondence, clothing and other Items; photographs relating to Australian Aboriginal people; Maps annotated by Daisy Bates; and papers relating to the 'We Remember Daisy Bates' exhibition curated by the National Trust of South Australia. Coverage: Western Australia; South Australia; Nullarbor Plain; Great Victoria Desert; 1904 - 2000 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 267 | Peter Melville Rice (AA 267) | The South Australian Museum Archive collection comprises: narrative and singing recorded at Musgrave Park, South Australia, 1963; photographs taken by Peter Melville Rice including photographs of Tommy Dodd; and maps hand drawn by Tommy Dodd. Coverage: North Adelaide, South Australia; Musgrave Park, South Australia; 1960 - 1969 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 291 | John Michael Skipper (AA 291) | The South Australian Museum's collection comprises of four series. Series one is the oil painting ""Corroboree"". Series two contains negatives, prints and transparencies associated with the oil painting 'Corroboree'. Series three is a collection of prints and negative images of the oil painting 'Skipper Family at Islington'. Series four includes an incomplete biography of Skipper by Herbert Hale, as well as transcribed segments from Mary Thomas' Diary. Coverage: Colony of South Australia; Islington, South Australia; 1840 - 1986 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 346 | Board for Anthropological Research (AA 346) | The collection of the Board of Anthropological research in the South Australian Museum Archives comprises: minutes; drafts and proofs of publications; papers related to expeditions; data cards; genealogies; photographic prints and negatives; crayon drawings; and film. Material dates from 1923 to 1966. Coverage: Victoria, Australia; New South Wales, Australia; Tasmania, Australia; Northern Territory, Australia; Western Australia, Australia; Australia; South Australia, Australia; 1923 - 1966 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 43 | Laurie Bryan (AA 43) | The South Australian Museum collections contains recorded interviews of Aboriginal Progress Association members and residents of the Port Augusta Aboriginal reserve. Coverage: Port Augusta, South Australia; 1965 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 566 | Kruger, Johan Friedrich Carl (AA 566) | The South Australian Museum collection comprises 12 photographs of Aboriginal people in Victoria bound in one album. Eleven of these prints are studio portraits of Aboriginal men, women and children and one print of an Aboriginal family. Each print is mounted on an individual page with titles below the image. Coverage: Coranderrk Aboriginal Mission Station; Victoria; 1877 - 1877 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 632 | John Kevin Raphael Doolan (AA 632) | The South Australian Museum Archive collection comprises stories, songs and vocabularies recorded by Jack Doolan at the Palm Island Government Settlement during 1963-64. The collection contains 20 magnetic reel to reel tapes. Coverage: Palm Island, Queensland; 1963 - 1964 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 640 | Anthony Gladstone Bolam (AA 640) | The Bolam collection in the South Australian Museum Archives comprises photographs that Anthony Bolam took at Ooldea between 1920 to 1925. Coverage: Ooldea, South Australia; Nullarbor, South Australia; Ooldea Siding, South Australia; 1918 - 1995 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 80 | Townsend Duryea (AA 80) | The South Australian Museum Archive holds 4 rare original prints by Duryea (relating to Aboriginal people), as well as some reproduction negatives and prints. Coverage: Adelaide, South Australia; Kadina, South Auustralia; 1855 - 1988 | 30 May 2012 |
| AA 827 | Iris Daphne Dicks (AA 827) | The Iris Dicks Collection consists of 97 black and white photographs taken by Iris Dicks at Ooldea, South Australia between 1937 and 1949. The photographs depict Aboriginal people, landscape scenes and views of Ooldea Siding and Ooldea Mission, and some of Fowlers Bay and other locations on the west coast of South Australia. the collection also includes related documentation and corresspondence. Coverage: Ooldea Siding, South Australia; Ooldea, South Australia; 1937 - 1958 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 1 | Sultan of Johore Jubilee Exhibition Collection | Exhibits at the 1887 Queen's Jubilee Exhibition in Adelaide, donated to the South Australian Museum. c. 130 objects of Malay origin, including models of watercraft, houses, a loom and a bed. Tools, domestic items, hunting and fishing equipment, weapons, musical instruments, betel (areca) nut chewing equipment, clothing, shoes, hats ands natural products. Coverage: Malaya; 1881 - 1892 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 10 | Joseph van Waterschoot van der Gracht Collection | 11 artworks in pencil and crayon have been positively identified as works by Gracht, with another 21 probably of the same provenance, all created by the artist on the first relief voyage of the expedition ship 'Aurora'. They capture polar scenes not otherwise recorded, and inject a large degree of humour the public still find engaging in large part. Coverage: Antarctica; On board Aurora; Antarctic; 1912 - 1913 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 11 | Mountford Collection | More than 1000 Aboriginal artefacts collected by C.P. Mountford, includes collections made during the 1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, and Mountford's 1952 Coverage: Warburton Range (W.A.); Northern Territory; Western Australia; South Australia; Northern Australia; Central Australia; Milingimbi; Groote Eylandt; Yirrkalla; Oenpelli; Melville Island; Arnhem Land; Nepabunna; 1920 - 1969 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 12 | Sayers Collection | More than 670 Aboriginal artefacts collected by D.M. Sayers from Melville and Bathurst Islands, N.T. Coverage: Melville Island; Bathurst Island; Arnhem Land coast; Northern territory; 1907 - 1914 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 13 | Paul Foelsche Collection | More than 300 Aboriginal artefacts collected from the Top End of the Northern Territory during the late 19th century by Paul Foelsche (284 registered artefacts in S.A. Museum collection). Coverage: Port Darwin; Cobourg Peninsula; Darwin; Northern Territory; Katherine River; MacArthur River; Palmerston; Port Essington; Port Keats; Daly Waters; Pine Creek; Powell's Creek; 1877 - 1899 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 14 | Francis Gillen Collection | More 500 Aboriginal artefacts collected by F.J.Gillen from central and north-central Australia. Coverage: Alice Springs; Tennant Creek; Wycliffe River; Central Australia; MacDonnell Ranges; Crown Point; Charlottte Waters; Finke River; Hanson River; Barrow Creek; 1890 - 1902 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 15 | Aiston Collection | More than 230 Aboriginal artefacts collected by mounted police-trooper, ethnographer and store-keeper George Aiston. Coverage: Mungeranie; Mulka; Cooper Creek; Birdsville; Lake Eyre district; Birdsville Track South Australia.; Kanowana; 1912 - 1943 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 16 | Reuther Collection | Close to 1000 Aboriginal artefacts at Killalpaninna (Bethesda) Lutheran Mission, Cooper Creek, S.A., collected by Reuther, late 1890s - 1905. Coverage: Lake Hope; Central Australia; Cooper Creek; Killalpaninna Mission; Lake Eyre; South Australia; Bethesda Mission; Kopperamanna Mission; 1890 - 1905 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 17 | Shepherdson Collection | Close to 700 Aboriginal artefacts collected by H.U. Shepherdson, mainly at Elcho Island and Milingimbi, N.T between 1929 and 1934. Coverage: Howard Island; Glyde River; Cape Stewart; Galiwin'ku; Crocodile island; Elcho Island; Arnhem Land; Castlereagh Bay; Goyder River; Milingimbi; 1927 - 1935 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 18 | McConnel Collection | More than 350 Aboriginal artefacts collected by U.H. McConnel, mostly among the Wik peoples of Cape York, Qld in the 1930s Coverage: Yarrabah; Mapoon; Batavia River; Gulf of Carpentaria; Weipa Mission; Kendall River; Cairns; Daintree River; Princess Charlotte Bay; Archer River; Cape York Peninsula; Queensland; 1927 - 1934 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 19 | Carl Strehlow Collection | More than 180 Aboriginal artefacts made by Western Arrernte people, collected by Carl Strehlow at Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission in the western MacDonnell Ranges, C.A. in 1913. Coverage: Hermannsburg; Finke River; MacDonnell Ranges; Central Australia; Northern Territory; 1913 - 1914 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 2 | Theodore Bevan Papuan Gulf Collection | Exhibits at the 1887 Queen's Jubilee Exhibition in Adelaide, purchased by the South Australian Museum. c.90 objects, mostly from the eastern Papuan Gulf region of Papua New Guinea. Includes carved and painted cult objects, masks, musical instruments, weapons, fishing equipment, body ornaments, containers, etc. Coverage: Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea.; Elema villages, Papua New Guinea; Vailala, Papua New Guinea; Orokolo, Papua New Guinea; Motu Motu, Papua New Guinea; Kikori River, Papua New Guinea; 1887 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 20 | Frank Hurley Whole Plate Photographic Collection 1911-14 | A collection of 189 photographs taken by James Francis (Frank) Hurley (1885-1962) as part of his duties as official photographer, covering expeditionary work on the Aurora Expedition. A Graflex camera was used and the photographs were taken on glass plate negatives (8 ½ by 6 ½ inches). Coverage: Main Base environs (Cape Denison); Antarctic; On board S.Y. Aurora (the AAE was a ship-based and multiple land-based venture); Antarctica; 1912 - 1914 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 21 | Frank Hurley Whole Plate Photographic Collection 1929-31 | A collection of 284 photographs taken by James Francis (Frank) Hurley (1885-1962) as part of his duties as official photographer, covering expeditionary work on the Discovery Expedition. A Graflex camera was probably used and the photographs were all taken on glass plate negatives (8 ½ by 6 ½ inches). Coverage: Antarctic; On board Discovery (BANZARE was a ship-based venture); Antarctica; 1929 - 1931 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 22 | Douglas Mawson Photographic Collection 1908-09 | A collection of photographs taken by Douglas Mawson (1182-1958) during the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09. Mawson undertook a considerable amount of the photographic work, including developing and printing, in addition to his work as Physicist. Attribution of the approximately 1,000 images cannot always be given to Mawson, with the Expedition's Newman & Guardia cameras being used by several members. Coverage: Winter Quarter (Cape Royds) environs; On board Nimrod (BAE was a limited ship-based and multiple land-based venture, 1907-09); 1907 - 1909 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 23 | Watson Stereographic Photographic collection | Andrew Watson, a member of the Western Base party, took 51 photographs in a Postcard Stereo format (3 ½ x 5 ? inches or 87 x 140mm) which provide a fascinating glimpse of life at this remote base in 3D. Coverage: Antarctica; Winter Quarters (Shackleton Ice Shelf); Antarctic; On board Aurora (the AAE was a ship-based and multiple land-based venture, 1911-14); 1911 - 1914 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 26 | Frank Hurley Panoramic Collection 1929-31 | A collection of 125 images taken by James Francis (Frank) Hurley. These images are of a specially wide angle (83 x 254mm), made for dramatic images that took Hurley to the length, breadth and height of the expedition ship. Coverage: On board Discovery and various landfalls of the BANZARE voyages (1929-31); 1929 - 1931 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 27 | Mackellar Library Collection | A collection of seven publications stamped with the words 'Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911, Mackellar Library' in ink. Campbell Mackellar was a supporter of the Aurora Expedition, who donated a library for the men. This Library was comprised of sixty publications - at least one of which is still in situ, at the Winter Quarters. Coverage: Winter Quarters (Cape Denison) Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-14; 1912 - 1914 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 28 | Wilkins Inuit Collection | Twenty Inuit artefacts, including compound bow and arrows, blades, scrapers etc, collected by George Hubert Wilkins, photographer on the CAE. Wilkins learnt invaluable survival skills from the Inuit on this expedition in which so many of the scientists died. Coverage: possibly sub-Arctic; 1913 - 1916 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 29 | Dr Ian Steven African Collection | Collection of 707 items from Africa, predominantly Ethiopian Coptic, including processional, hand held and pectoral crosses, scrolls, scripture books, stone icons, jewellery including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, beads, ornaments, carvings, coins, batik, mats and basketry. Coverage: North Africa; Ethiopia; Africa; East Africa; 1979 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 3 | Edgar Waite's 'North-west Pacific' Expedition Collection | Collection of ethnographic material assembled by Edgar Waite in 1918, then Director of the South Australian Museum, mainly in New Ireland. He also purchased whole collections from various people living in Samarai (Papua), Rabaul (New Britain), New Ireland and the Tabar Islands. 1040 objects, 556 collected by Waite and 484 purchased from other collectors who had objects from as far afield as Manus, the Sepik and Ramu Rivers, and Bougainville. Most significant component is the malangan funerary carvings and masks from New Ireland/Tabar Islands; only the New Ireland collections in Berlin, Chicago, Sydney and Cologne are larger and more representative. Includes Waite's Field Diary (which has been transcribed) and 275 nitrate negatives/prints which have been scanned and indexed. Coverage: Tabar Islands, Papua New Guinea; New Ireland, Papua New Guinea; Papua New Guinea; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Samarai, Papua New Guinea; Goodenough Island, Papua New Guinea; Tami Islands, Papua New Guinea; Schouten Islands; Ramu River, Papua New Guinea; Sepik River, New Guinea; Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; Buka, Papua New Guinea; New Britain, Papua New Guinea; Manus, Papua New Guinea; 1918 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 30 | Native American Collection | Collection of 334 items - 239 from North, 72 from South, 23 from Central. Items include pottery, containers, figurines, basketry, mats, textiles, canoe models, weapons, ornaments, jewellery, clothing, musical instruments, tools and equipment, hunting and fishing, food service. Coverage: South America; Americas; North America; Central America; 1000AD - 1999 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 31 | Ngaut Ngaut (Devon Downs) Excavation Assemblage | Ngaut Ngaut is a rockshelter on the Murray River, Lower Murray Valley, South Australia. The excavation of this rock shelter took place from 1927-8 by South Australian Museum officers Herbert Hale and Norman Tindale and was the first formal archaeological excavation undertaken in Australia. The assemblage includes stone tools, animal bones, shellfish and other organics. Some human remains were also extracted from this site, and these are housed with the Human Biology collection, awaiting repatriation. Ochred artwork was identified on rock fallen into the base of the excavation. Coverage: Lower Murray Valley; Murray River; Ngaut Ngaut; South Australia; 1928 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 32 | Fromm's Landing Excavation Assemblage | Fromm's Landing assemblage was excavated by renowned archaeologist Derek John Mulvaney from 1956-1960. This site is on the Murray River, Lower Murray Valley, South Australia and Mulvaney carried out a very deep excavation in this rockshelter. The assemblage includes stone tools, animal bones, shellfish and other organics. Some human remains were also extracted from this site, and these are housed with the Human Biology collection, awaiting repatriation. Of much interest at the time was the find of a complete dingo skeleton. This specimen was dated to 3,300 years old, making it the oldest dingo specimen thus found in Australia. Coverage: South Australia; Fromm's Landing; Lower Murray Valley; Murray River; 3500 BP | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 33 | Roonka Archaeology | The Roonka site was excavated by former SA Museum staff member, Graeme Pretty from 1969 to 1984. This extensive open site excavation began at Roonka Flat on the Murray River, Lower Murray Valley region, South Australia. Excavation focused on a series of low, deflated sand dunes. A significant amount of stone tools, animal bones, shellfish and other organics were retrieved through excavation. Roonka is best known as a burial site and approximately 200 individuals were retrieved from the main excavation trenches. Occupation and burial cluster between 4,000 to 7,000 years ago, but the oldest burial is associated with an OSL date of 20,000BP. The site was occupied into post contact times, as witnessed by the presence of pearl buttons and a clay pipe with one burial. Coverage: Roonka Dune; Roonka Flat, Murray River, Lower Murray Valley, South Australia; 20000 BP - 4,000 BP | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 34 | Koonalda Cave | Koonalda Cave was excavated by Alexander (Sandor) Gallus at various times between 1956 and 1968 and again in 1973. It quickly gained international recognition for its ancient artwork, witnessed as series of finger groovings on a series rock faces and for its flint mining. Both these activities took place deep underground in total darkness. Excavation was undertaken jointly with Richard VS Wright in 1968. The two excavations yielded similar dating results for cave use between about 20,000 and 7,000 years ago. However Gallus obtained a date of 36,000 from one sample. This much older date was not matched by the other investigation and the oldest date of cave use at Koonalda has been placed at 20,000 years old. Koonalda Cave assemblage does not express occupation. The focus over the 20-7,000 year phase appears to be for mining and art. The mining left behind an enormous quantity of flint debitage and debris and occupation of the cave by Masked and Barn Owls added a significant quantity of small mammal, bird and... Coverage: Koonalda Cave; Nullarbor Plain; western margin of South Australia; 20000 BP - 7,000 BP | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 35 | Allen's Cave | Allen's Cave yielded stone tools and an enormous quantity of animal bone, but little of this relates to Indigenous occupation of the site, having been accumulated through owl pellet deposition and mammalian predator activity. Occupation at this site commences at 39,500 years ago and continued until the recent past. Lubljon Marun undertook the first excavation at this site as part of his doctoral research (ANU, Canberra) in the early 1960s and was followed by Rhys Jones and Scott Cane in 1988/89. Allen's Cave is the oldest and best dated cave site in South Australia and is amongst the oldest occupation site in Australia. Coverage: Allen's Cave; Nullarbor Plain, western margin of South Australia; 39500 BP | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 36 | Moana Sand Dune Excavations and Surface Collections | Moana is a coastal site on the mid- Fleurieu Peninsula, 15km south of Adelaide. The site has been investigated by numerous South Australian Museum staff, external researchers and consultant archaeologists since the early 1930s. The site consists of a series of deflated surfaces exposed between foreshore and back dunes. Extensive surface collections of stone tools were made by Norman B Tindale, who later argued against encroaching housing development across the main site area. Systematic excavations were carried out by Val Campbell in the 1980s as part of her doctoral research thesis. Excavation revealed small stone tools, food remains such as shell and animal bones and charcoal. The site has been carbon dated to about 3,500 years old. A dingo was also excavated from this site. Coverage: Moana Sand Dune; Mid coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 37 | Seton Rockshelter Assemblage | Seton Rockshelter on Kangaroo Island was excavated by archaeologist Ron Lampert in the 1980s. He revealed the oldest occupational layer found on Kangaroo Island. The site yielded stone tools (mostly small quartz implements), bone tools, animal bones and charcoal. Occupation was found to span from about 18,000 to 9,500 years ago. This site is one of only two rockshelters excavated on Kangaroo Island. Coverage: Kangaroo Island; 1980 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 38 | Arcoona Collection | Numerous chert small tools collected from the Arcoona region (Woomera) by amateur archaeologist Ron Hewitt. Whilst based at Woomera, Ron established a keen interest in Indigenous prehistoric occupation. Having met and been encouraged by Walter MacDougall, he began collecting, describing and curating lithics from Arcoona. In 1976 he published a paper on a hoard of stone adzes. Ron gave much of his time and expertise voluntarily to staff at the museum from the 1970s to 90s and has donated a good deal of his collection to the South Australian Museum. The collection is a very valuable expression of the use of fine grained material from a semi arid environment. Coverage: Arcoona Plateau; Woomera, South Australia; 1990 - 1999 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 39 | Hawker Lagoon | Excavation at Hawker Lagoon, in the Flinders Ranges took place in the 1980s by archaeologist Ron Lampert. This excavation provided the first Pleistocene occupation date for the Flinders Ranges. Lampert was particularly interested in the 'kartan' tools, characterised by their large proportions and heavy nature. Kartan tools were recorded by Lampert on Kangaroo Island and up into the Flinders Ranges, particularly at Hawker Lagoon. Hawker Lagoon was investigated again in 2003 by Keryn Walshe in collaboration with Pauline Coulthard from Hawker. This investigation failed to find Pleistocene occupation but did record a series of open hearths around the Lake, dated to about 500-1500 years old. Coverage: Southern Flinders Ranges; Hawker Lagoon; 1500 BP - 500 BP | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 4 | D. Garner Jones Fiji Collection | 140 objects collected by David Garner-Jones, purchased by J.A. Johnson in 1900 and donated to the South Australian Museum. Garner-Jones was headmaster at Levuka Public School. Collection includes tapa cloths, ornaments, weapons, household items. Coverage: Fiji; 1894 - 1900 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 40 | Howchin Type Specimens | In the early 1900s Walter Howchin selected specimens from the Museum collection to begin the first formal descriptions of stone tool types. He concentrated on the Adelaide region and included large and small implements ranging from core scrapers, hammerstones, anvils to blades, scrapers, knives and adzes. These specimens were figured in his publication in 1937. The Museum still holds this figured types as a valuable part of the history of Australian Archaeology. Coverage: Adelaide region; 1900 - 1930 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 41 | Toa Collection | 391 Aboriginal toa objects mainly collected by Pastor Johann Georg Reuther, but also by Pastor Oskar Liebler. Coverage: 1905 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 42 | Spear Collection | Over 4750 Aboriginal spears from all Australian states and the Northern Territory Coverage: Queensland; Western Australia; Victoria; New Soutth Wales; Tasmania; South Australia; Northern Territory; 1850 - 2010 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 43 | Carving Collection | More than 450 Aboriginal carvings in wood and stone. The majority are with provenance to South Australia and the Northern Territory. Coverage: Australia; South Australia; Northern Territory; 1845 - 1855 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 44 | Club Collection | Close to 2000 Aboriginal clubs from all regions of Australia Coverage: Australia; 1845 - 1855 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 45 | Aboriginal Boomerang Collection | 3000 Aboriginal boomerangs from all regions of Australia Coverage: Australia; 1845 - 1855 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 46 | Hermannsburg Collection | More than 400 Aboriginal artefacts collected from Hermannsburg (Mission) area Coverage: Hermannsberg; Ntaria | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 47 | Ernabella Collection | 350 Aboriginal artefacts from the Ernabella (mission) area Coverage: Anagu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands of South Australia; Ernabella (Pukatja) | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 48 | Barunguan Collection | 291 Aboriginal artefacts of the Barunguan group of Queensland Coverage: Queensland; Port Stewart; Flinders Island; 1927 - 1927 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 49 | Ethno-Botanical Collection | Approximately 300 items of botanical material relevant to traditional Aboriginal cultural use. Most of these items come from South Australia and the Northern Territory. Coverage: South Australia; Northern Territory; 1845 - 1855 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 5 | Kenneth Thomas North Sepik Collection | 184 objects collected during Thomas's service as a Patrol Officer for the Administration of the Territory of New Guinea. These include defensive and offensive weapons, tools, paddles, body ornaments, skirts, household items, string bags, canoe models, masks, carved figures, headrests, ritual objects. About half the collection has been on display in the Pacific Gallery since 1947. Coverage: Papua New Guinea; lower Sepik River area, Papua New Guinea; North coast and hinterland of East Sepik Province; North coast and hinterland of West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea; 1927 - 1934 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 50 | Australian Aboriginal Bark Painting Collection | Approximately 530 Aboriginal bark paintings from the Northern Australian coastal region Coverage: Mornington Island; Milingimbi; Elcho island; Crocodile Island; Croker Island; Maningrida; Port Keats; Bentinck Island; Goyder River; Ramingining; Oenpelli; Melville Island; Field Island; Yirrkala; Arnhem Land; Goulburn Island; Groote Eylandt; Northern Australian coastal region; Northern Territory; 1800 - 1899 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 6 | Reverend William Gray Vanuatu Collection | 70+ objects (plus 5 sets of bows and arrows of uncertain number) collected during service as a Presbyterian missionary based on Tanna in the (then) New Hebrides. These include weapons, masks, ritual and magical objects, ornaments, tapa cloths, pots, model canoes, and musical instruments; a few objects were obtained by Gray from Rev. H.A. Robertson who was based on Erromanga. Coverage: From Tanna, Vanuatu to Malekula, Vanuatu; Central Vanuatu; Southern Vanuatu; 1882 - 1895 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 7 | Reverend A.P.H. Freund New Guinea Highlands Collection | 92 objects and associated photographs of the Western Highlands and Kukukuku (Anga) peoples obtained during Lutheran missionary service in those areas in the 1950s. Collection includes tools, weapons, ornaments, clothing, household and personal items. All the objects have been photographed; the objects and associated photographs have been documented by Phil Fitzpatrick in consultation with Rev. Freund. Coverage: Papua New Guinea; Kukukuku (Anga), Papua New Guinea; Yaramanda, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea; Menyamya, Papua New Guinea; Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea; Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea; 1950 - 1963 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 8 | Pretty-Crawford Southern Highlands Collection | c.900 objects collected in 1968-69 during a South Australian Museum expedition to Mendi and Tari in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea; two thirds of the collection was given to the PNG National Museum and one third brought back to the SA Museum. Graeme L. Pretty, Curator of Archaeology at the SA Museum assembled most of the collection and made extensive field notes; Anthony L. Crawford concentrated on photography. Some 270 mono images and 670 colour images were taken by Pretty and Crawford. Coverage: Bela and surrounds, Papua New Guinea; east of Tari, Papua New Guinea; Wabia and surrounds, Papua New Guinea; north of Mend, Papua New Guinea; Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea; 1/12/1968 - 1/01/1969 | 30 May 2012 |
| SAMA 9 | Ernest Sterne Usher Photographs of the South-west Pacific | 630 nitrate negatives/photographs, mainly of the eastern Papuan Gulf region, taken by Usher during 1914-16 while he was working as a geologist/surveyor for oil exploration in the region of the Vailala and Purari rivers. Donated by his sister, Edith Saxton, in 1972. Usher took photographs at other locations in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands during his travel back to Australia on leave but died in a canoe accident soon after return to the Vailala area. Photographs taken by E.R. Stanley, L.L. Wrathall, W.H. Cooper and J.W. Beattie are included in the collection. Coverage: various locations in the central Solomon Islands; Rabaul, Witu Island, Ablingi Island and Lindenhafen, New Britain; South coast of Papua, Port Moresby to Vailala River and the Purari Delta of Papua; 1914 - 1916 | 30 May 2012 |