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National Research Collections Australia

Australian National Algae Culture Collection

Our algae collection is a unique resource of Australian biodiversity, containing living cultures of marine and freshwater species from most microalgal classes. Our strains have been sourced from tropical Australia to Antarctica.

Australian National Fish Collection

Our Australian National Fish Collection (ANFC) helps sustainably manage Australia’s marine biodiversity. We partner with researchers both nationally and globally to support marine research and ecologically sustainable management.

Australian National Herbarium

The Australian National Herbarium (ANH) is one of the largest plant collections in the country, providing crucial information on native plants and weeds in Australia and the region.

Australian National Insect Collection

The Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) is recognised both nationally and internationally as a major research collection. It is the world's largest collection of Australian insects and related groups such as mites, spiders, nematodes and centipedes, housing over 12 million specimens.

Australian National Wildlife Collection

The Australian National Wildlife Collection is a significant resource on Australia's biodiversity, aiding the study, classification and documentation of Australia's mammals, birds and reptiles.

Collections Precinct

We are bringing our Canberra-based collections together in a single precinct at CSIRO Black Mountain in Canberra, Australia.

Australian Tree Seed Centre

For over 50 years the Australian Tree Seed Centre has been collecting, researching and supplying quality, fully documented tree seed to both domestic and overseas customers. Collections of seed are sourced from wild populations and genetically improved seed from our domestication and improvement programs.

Australian Tropical Herbarium

The Australian Tropical Herbarium is an amalgamation of three regional collections, comprising of about 180,000 specimens that are pressed, dried and mounted on herbarium sheets held in the Collection Room, and about 18,000 specimens that are preserved in 70% ethanol held in the Spirit Room.

Environomics Future Science Platform

ENVIRONOMICS = environmental genomics. The Environomics Future Science Platform at CSIRO is using genomics, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, to reinvent how we measure and monitor ecosystem health, change and threats, and find new resources in nature.

Digitising our collections

We are digitising our natural history collections to support biodiversity discovery, quarantine, heritage and innovation.

Ten things you need to know about collections

New technologies are transforming the way we use and benefit from natural history collections.

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