A guide to accessing and using NSW Government publications both in print and online
Two related titles for the New South Wales government gazette are:
New South Wales government gazette, and
Government gazette of the State of New South Wales
Until 7 March 1832 when publication of the New South Wales government gazette commenced, The Sydney gazette and New South Wales advertiser functioned as the government gazette.
The New South Wales government gazette includes information covering parts of what is now Queensland and Victoria until the 1850s. However, the gazette does not seem to include the Port Phillip District gazettes, administered by New South Wales until 1851. (See the Victorian government publication guide for access to the Port Phillip District gazettes.)
SLV's most complete holding of the NSW government gazette, 1832-1900, is on microfilm.
2001-2010
Freedom of Information gazettes
All agencies, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1989, are required to publish in the Freedom of Information government gazette, an up-to-date Summary of affairs. The requirements are specified in
section 14 of Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act.
The Summary of affairs has to contain a list of each of the Agency's policy documents, advice on how the agency's most recent Statement of affairs may be obtained and contact details for accessing this
information.
The summaries have to be published by the end of June and the end of December each year and need to be delivered to Strategic Communications and Government Advertising two weeks prior to these dates.
2001-
NSW government gazette
Gazettes are available in pdf formats.
2001-
Search gazette and statutory instruments (as originally made)
This search includes content from the government gazettes, statutory instruments and environmental planning instruments, from 2001.
1999-2008
Former unofficial notices of legislative events
1836-1851
NSW, Port Phillip & Victoria government gazettes
Victoria (Port Phillip district) separated from New South Wales in 1851. Prior to this date government notices, regulations, forms and orders relating to Victoria, were published initially in the New South Wales government gazette.
1832-2001
The State Library of NSW and the National Library of Australia have worked collaboratively to digitise and make available NSW Government Gazette (1832 to 2001) in trove. This is a fully searchable database.
1803-1842
The Sydney gazette and New South Wales advertiser functioned as the government gazette and is available from trove.
1980-2013
NSW government gazette Index
Indexes are in pdf format.
2000 to 2010
Government gazette of the State of New South Wales
Gazettes are bound every three months with quarterly index. Subscription cancelled.
All issues since Feb. 2001 also available online.
Use online version, 2001-, in preference to hard copy.
1901 to 1999
Government gazette of the State of New South Wales
For most years gazettes are bound every three months with quarterly index. For 1900 to 1903, volumes were bound every two months with bi-monthly index.
For partial coverage of these dates use the online New South Wales government gazette index, 1980-2013, to establish exact date/issue; no online coverage of dates 1901 to 1980.
1840 to 1900
The New South Wales government gazette
Early years are bound annually, from about 1850s bound half yearly, from 1860s bound quarterly and from 1883 bound every two months.
For partial coverage of these dates use the online New South Wales government gazette, 1836-1851.
1832 to 1840 (excluding 1833)
The New South Wales government gazette
1833 volume not held in printed version by SLV. Is available at National Library of Australia and State Library of New South Wales.
Use microfilm on open access in La Trobe Reading Room microfilm area rather than retrieving printed version from Rare Books.
1803 to 1811
Facsimile editions published in 1963-1970 (1803/04, 1804/05, 1805/06, 1806/07, 1808/09, 1810, 1811) by State Library of New South Wales and in 1973 (1811) by the Roebuck Society.
Use the digitised version in trove rather than hardcopy.
Scattered issues in the RARE collection (Use microfilm rather than issues in Rare Books.)
Miscellaneous newspapers, Boxes 1-5
Sydney gazette and New South Wales advertiser 1803, 1807, 1809-1816, 1820-1823, 1827, 1829, 1831, 1834, 1842
Use the digitised version in trove rather than hardcopy.
Early colonial newspapers
vol. 1, no. 8 (1803 Apr. 24), 1824 Feb. 5-1837 Aug. 12; incomplete
Use the digitised version in Trove rather than hardcopy.
1901 to date
No separate indexes. Quarterly or bi-monthly indexes are bound with each volume of full text.
Use the online index, 1980-2013, for partial coverage rather than hardcopy.
1853 to 1854, 1858 Jan. to June 1860, 1861, July 1862 to 1869 and 1871 to 1900
No separate indexes. Use indexes bound in volumes of full text
1832-1851, 1852, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1859, July-Dec. 1860, Jan.-June 1862, 1870
Note that SLV has index for 1833 . 1832 to 1851 bound in one volume; other years bound haphazardly.
The Sydney gazette and New South Wales advertiser, 1803-1831, functioned as the government gazette and is available from Trove.
1832 to 1900
The New South Wales government gazette
On open access in the La Trobe Reading Room microfilm area. Use this in preference to hard copy in Rare Books. Pre-arrange access to microfilm weekdays after 6pm.
For partial coverage use The Sydney gazette and New South Wales advertiser, 1803-1842, and the New South Wales, Port Phillip and Victorian government gazette, 1840-1859.
As well as Government gazette of the State of New South Wales, the Police Gazette may be of interest.
First produced in about 1862 with the title New South Wales police gazette and weekly record of crime. There was a title change to Police gazette some time between 1950 and 1974.
This is not held by our Library. State Library of New South Wales has the most complete holdings for the earlier title. National Library of Australia has the best holdings for the later title but both are incomplete.
