The Norman Tindale Collection –

1. Most of the people photographed in this collection would now be deceased, except for some of the children and very young adults.
2. Outback Family History were kindly given copies of some of the images from the Goldfields area only, they are on the OFH website – SEARCH.
3. The list I have is not a complete list of all WA Goldfields photographs.
4. I have endeavoured to correctly identify all people as best I can from the online dates base and the brief details supplied with the photographs some 18yrs ago. Do let me know of any errors.
5. Should anyone have any corrections or additional info they would like to include, do let me know at –  research@outbackfamilyhistory.com.au
6. If for any reason you wish to have your relative’s image removed, contact me at the above email address, and it will be taken down.
7. Should you wish to obtain other images listed in the collection you can email the WA Museum, Aboriginal History WA at ahrs@dlgsc.wa.gov.au (Further details on application above at (‘2’)

The Norman Tindale Collection

Name Index for Western Australia – An index for Aboriginal family history researchers to the genealogies and photographs collected by Norman Tindale, Joseph Birdsell and Phillip Epling in Western Australia between 1935–1966.

Cover Image – 1 mile from Laverton, Western Australia

Who was Norm Tindale? – Tindale was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1900. His family moved to Tokyo and lived there from 1907 to 1915, where his father worked as an accountant at the Salvation Army mission in Japan. Later after his return to Australia, Norman Tindale became an anthropologist based at the South Australian Museum. He recorded vast amounts of genealogical and other information about First Nations communities from all over Australia, the majority being collected during the 1920s and 1930s. He is best know for his map showing the distribution of Aboriginal Tribes of Australia.

Distribution of Aboriginal Tribes in Australia – Photo – National Library of Australia

The collection is owned by the South Australia State Library and the Western Australia Museum has components of the collection in regard to WA. As the database can only be searched by a reference number if you don’t know the persons name there are some photographs which I have not yet been able to identify as the number is not clear in the image.

Name Index for Western Australia – An index for Aboriginal family history researchers to the genealogies and photographs collected by Norman Tindale, Joseph Birdsell and Phillip Epling in Western Australia 1935–1966.

You can access the full database here:  The Norman Tindale Collection

This index was created to assist Aboriginal people with links to Western Australia (WA) to find information about their family and heritage. It has been designed and compiled by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) Aboriginal History WA (AHWA) division as part of an ongoing commitment to connect people to their history and family.

Norman Tindale with participants at the Warupuyu Soak, near Warburton, WA 1935.

The index is a guide to the genealogical recordings of Norman Tindale who, with the assistance of colleagues, collected vast amounts of genealogical information about Aboriginal communities in WA between 1935 and 1966. During this time, he visited various locations throughout the state, including a number of towns, missions and remote stations. Now known as the Norman Tindale Collection, the WA component contains over 14,000 Aboriginal names from across the regions, together with hundreds of photographic portraits and sociological data cards.

Locations in WA of places where research occurred.

Aboriginal names and spelling:  An ancestor may have used or been known by many names throughout their life (e.g. they may have been known by a traditional name, kinship name, nickname or a European name). Their name may have also changed with marriage, partnerships, adoption or fostering. Often names were changed by employers or missionaries, or when a child was removed to a foster home or training institution. In viewing the index, it is important to remember that at the time of Tindale’s work in WA, many people in remote locations did not have a surname, and while the recorders endeavoured to be as accurate as possible, some unexpected variations in the spellings of names may exist.

Norman Tindale with participants sharing a smoke at the Warupuyu Soak, near Warburton, WA 1935.

Some examples of the portraits in the collection:

Charlie Hunt

Laurel Cooper

Aubrey Lynch

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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