The Don Dunstan Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the State Government of South Australia, the University of Adelaide and Flinders University

Flinders University Library: The Dunstan Collection

Currently, the Flinders University Library Special Collections has in trust an extensive collection of Don’s papers, books, photographs and other memorabilia. The University of Adelaide Barr Smith Library and St Marks College have pieces from his collection as well.

In 1988, Don Dunstan donated a significant collection of papers and other material to Flinders University Library. He continued to add to the collection from time to time until his death.

Most of the material dates from his political career, from the sixties through to the eighties, but there is also some older material. Topics cover the range of issues he involved himself in; from aboriginal rights to the Festival Theatre, from law reform to the Kensington swimming pool.

In addition to correspondence, speeches, press releases, newspaper clippings and so on, there is a marvellous collection of photographs, with the Premier appearing in a great variety of costumes – lederhosen and judge’s robes, lifting barbells in check shorts – and using almost every conceivable form of transport, from a rocking horse to an Adelaide bus. Videotapes of many of his television appearances include his musical series ‘Capriccio’, his appearance on ‘This is your life’, and a song and dance rehearsal with Keith Michell from This Day Tonight in 1977. There are also some personal items, including safari suits – but no pink shorts!

A guide to the collection, which gives an idea of the range of material available, can be accessed via the Flinders University Library. At Don’s request, a Committee was established to consider applications to use the Collection. The Dunstan Collection files are an important element in the Library’s research collections, and have been used by scholars with a variety of interests reflecting the wealth of material available.

Don Dunstan’s own wide-ranging interests are obvious from his personal library which we were delighted to receive early in 2003. Thanks to a special project funded by the Library, we have been able to make good progress with cataloguing these books, which are to be kept in Special Collections as a part of the Dunstan Collection. He enjoyed novels from the classics to thrillers, he studied many languages, including Malay, Samoan, Hindi and Arabic as well as Italian, French, Greek and Latin, and of course he had a great interest in the theatre, politics and the arts. Above all, he seemed to love reading - many of the books are extremely ‘well-loved’. We expect that about half the books will be searchable via our Voyager library catalogue by the end of 2003.

GILLIAN DOOLEY
Special Collections Librarian
Flinders University Library
Contact 8201 5238 or Gillian.Dooley@flinders.edu.au

The University of Adelaide - Contact 8303 5373 or lending@library.adelaide.edu.au

St Marks College - Contact 8334 5600