The National Registry of recorded sound

About the Registry

The NFSA's Sounds of Australia is a public registry of recordings that celebrates the unique and diverse recorded sound culture and history of Australia.

View selected highlights on the following 4 minute trailer.


The Registry was launched in February 2007 with a foundation list of ten. Each year, the NFSA calls for public nominations which are assessed by a panel of experts from the recorded sound industry and cultural institutions who select ten new recordings to be added to the Registry.


List of Additions by year

  • 2009 Additions
    1. 1924 – London recordings – Newcastle Steelworks Band, conductor Albert Baile
    2. 1954 – The Vegemite Jingle
    3. 1955 – The Adventure of the Singing Bullet – Smoky Dawson
    4. 1958 – My Country – read by Dorothea Mackellar
    5. 1962 – Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under – Georgia Lee
    6. 1966 – In the Head the Fire – Nigel Butterley
    7. 1968 – Lionel Rose Wins the World Title
    8. 1972 – I Am Woman – Helen Reddy
    9. 1973 – The Loner – Vic Simms
    10. 1991 – Treaty – Yothu Yindi
  • 2008 Additions
    1. 1919 – Country Gardens – Percy Grainger
    2. 1927 – Waltzing Matilda – John Collinson
    3. 1930 – The 1930 Australian XI: Winners of the Ashes
    4. 1938 – The Aeroplane Jelly Song – Joy King
    5. 1949 – Theme from Blue Hills – New Century Orchestra
    6. 1957 – Pub With No Beer – Slim Dusty
    7. 1967 – Irkanda IV, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    8. 1968 – Bird and Animal Calls of Australia – Harold J Pollock
    9. 1972 – Most People I know (Think That I'm Crazy) – Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
    10. 1981 – We Have Survived – No Fixed Address
  • 2007 Additions
    1. 1899 – Fanny Cochrane Smith's Tasmanian Aboriginal songs – Horace Watson
    2. 1910 – My South Polar Expedition – Ernest Shackleton
    3. 1937 – Dad and Dave from Snake Gully (Radio Series) – George Edward Players
    94. 1943 – The Majestic Fanfare (ABC radio news theme) – Queen's Hall Light Orchestra
    5. 1950 – Maranoa Lullaby – Harold Blair – Harold Blair
    6. 1950 – Corroboree – Sydney Symphony Orchestra
    7. 1953 – Jack Luscombe – interviewed by John Meredith
    8. 1966 – Friday On My Mind – The Easybeats
    9. 1976 – (I'm) Stranded – The Saints
    10. 1983 – Jailanguru Pakarnu – The Warumpi Band
  • 2007 Foundation List
    1. 1897 – The Hen Convention – Thomas Rome
    2. 1904 – Chant Venitien – Nellie Melba
    3. 1915 – The Landing of the Australian Troops in Egypt – Zonophone
    4. 1931 – Along the Road to Gundagai – Peter Dawson
    5. 1939 – Give A Little Credit to Your Dad; Lonesome For Your Mother Dear – Buddy Williams
    6. 1944 – Swanston St Shamble; Two Day Jag – Graeme Bell
    7. 1953 – Tribal Music of Australia – A P Elkin
    8. 1960 – She's My Baby – Johnny O'Keefe
    9. 1975 – 'Kerr's cur' speech – Gough Whitlam
    10. 1981 – Down Under – Men at Work

    Sounds of Australia Patrons

    2009 Robyn Archer AO, singer, writer, artistic director and public advocate for the arts.

    2008 Renée Geyer, ARIA Hall of Fame inductee and iconic 'first lady of soul'.

    2007 Dr Peter Sculthorpe AO OBE, composer.

    2007 (inaugural patron) Paul Grabowsky, musician and composer.