Function and purpose

This series consists of negative films of aerial survey photographs of Australia. The photography was captured for the purposes of army and civil topographic mapping, hydrographic charting, exploration for the development of natural resources and various engineering and agricultural applications. Most of the photography was taken systematically with the aircraft flying across the block taking photographs in parallel strips. These blocks usually correspond to 1:100,000 or 1:250 000 map areas.

Related legislation

Using the series

The reels of film were digitised by an external provider in about 2003 and the resulting images may have gaps in the usual sequential numbering. While it is not certain it appears that these photographs were defective in some way and were not kept; therefore missing numbers do not indicate that the original photographs were not digitised.

Digital images are progressively being loaded to the NAA Digital System, Preservica, from 2021 and linked to their physical reels held in Melbourne.

Language of material

Physical characteristics

The series consists of cylindrical canisters containing rolls of film, which comprise negatives of black and white aerial survey photographs. The negatives depict a large variety of locations in all States.

The leader on most films is marked with the container or reel number, film number, area, range of frame numbers and date of filming. On some films, details of dates, time, area, focal length, type of camera, frame number and altitude are recorded automatically alongside each frame, and other details are recorded on the leader. The films vary in length.

System of arrangement and control

The primary system of control is the film number with a CA prefix. The CA is followed by an alpha character that indicates which state or region the map refers to. If the ‘CA’ plus ‘state letter code includes a /C this indicates the film is colour. Control symbols that do not contain /C are black and white films. For example:

CAB relates to black and white film of Queensland,

CAB/C relates colour film of Queensland;

CAC relates to black and white film of New South Wales,

CAC/C relates to colour film of New South Wales;

CAD relates to black and white film of Victoria,

CAD/C relates colour film of Victoria;

CAE relates to black and white film of South Australia,

CAE/C relates to colour film of South Australia;

CAF relates to black and white film of Western Australia,

CAF/C relates to colour film of Western Australia;

CAG relates to black and white film of Northern Territory,

CAG/C relates to colour film of Northern Territory;

CAH relates to black and white film of Tasmania,

CAH/C relates to colour film of Tasmania;

CAI relates to black and white film of ACT and IslandTerritories,

CAI/C relates to colour film of ACT and IslandTerritories;

CAJ relates to black and white film of Papua New Guinea,

CAJ/C relates to colour of Papua New Guinea and;

CAS relates to black and white film of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Region,

CAS/C relates to colour film of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Region,

The secondary system of control is the container or reel number which is used in addition to the film number. Both the film number and the container/reel number are necessary to identify a photograph of a particular location.

Relationships with other records

Film created by the RAAF can be found in B5424 which is a previous series to this. Films created by RAAF and transferred to National Mapping’s custody retained their original film number (i.e. MAP or SVY number) but were allocated a new National Mapping container number. Films created by National Mapping were given a film number with a CA prefix (Commonwealth of Australia), plus a container number.

Finding aids

Access conditions

Series history

Some of these films were produced as a result of an aerial film copying project that was undertaken by National Archives of Australia in 2003-2004. Aerial film that was identified to have high acidity levels were duplicated with a dupe negative and access copy being produced for each film. The original film (camera masters) are still located at United Photo and Graphics Services with the copies transferred to National Archives of Australia.

Provenance

Immediate source of acquisition

Custodial history

Quantity in agency custody

Additional information

All items from B5424/7 and items with a 'CAH' prefix in B5424/8 have been converted to B6654 2010/00675230.

End notes

Sources

Summary heading

Previous accession system transfer.

Previous accession system transfers

MP1087/1