Sport & Recreation

Almost every sport and recreational activity pursued by the people of Victoria since the earliest days of the colony is represented in the Library's extensive collection. 

What's in the Sport & Recreation Collection?

Available in a wide range of formats, the collection contains current and historical books, journals, newspapers, pictures, photographs, manuscripts, ephemera, sound recordings, videos and electronic materials. Encyclopedias, yearbooks, training manuals and statistical publications also form part of this collection.

What's special about this collection?

Focusing on sport and recreational activities that are either played or followed in Australia, this collection is particularly strong on Australian Rules football, horse racing, mountaineering, fishing and sailing. While popular 19th and early 20th century sports and pastimes such as hunting and rowing are also well represented, one of the highlights is the vast amount of printed material, photos, ephemera and memorabilia relating to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

The Library also has a wide range of materials covering indoor games and hobbies and, in recent years, has started to collect items relating to more contemporary recreational pursuits such as bushwalking, yoga, aerobics, cycling and hang gliding.

How can I access material in this collection?

A selection of items from this collection is available for browsing and reading in the Redmond Barry Reading Room and the Information Centre.