A year like no other through photographs

From catastrophic bushfires to a global pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests to burgeoning economic recession, it’s safe to say that 2020 will go down in the history books as a chapter of profound disruption. In between all the chaos, we’ve also witnessed acts of resilience, solidarity and transformation.

Photographers have been busy documenting these unprecedented times and we have been collecting their images — here’s a sample of what they’ve captured and what we have added to the Library's collection.

Gospers Mountain fire, back of Wheelbarrow Ridge Road, Colo Heights, 19 November 2019
Item 12: Gospers Mountain fire, back of Wheelbarrow Ridge Road, Colo Heights
19 November 2019
Dean Sewell
Digital ID: 
FL18563882
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Item 28: Sydney Light Rail, corner George and Market Streets, 26 February 2020 / photograph by Gerrit Fokkema
Item 28: Sydney Light Rail, corner George and Market Streets
26 February 2020
Gerrit Fokkema
Digital ID: 
FL18393810
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Item 07: Construction workers practice social distancing during lunch break at Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, 17 April 2020
Item 07: Construction workers practice social distancing during lunch break at Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales
17 April 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17092178
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Item 08: A family poses for a photograph in front of a hoarding showing the view that would be seen if not for the thick bushfire smoke, Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 8 December 2019
Item 08: A family poses for a photograph in front of a hoarding showing the view that would be seen if not for the thick bushfire smoke, Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
8 December 2019
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL18587815
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Item 35: A quiet moment amongst the revelry, Sze Yup Temple, Glebe, New South Wales, 24 January 2020
About this item: 

‘I’ve been to this temple a few times for Chinese New Year — it’s always fun to kick off the year with a celebratory vibe,’ writes photographer Joy Lai. ‘I took this shot one evening at the start of 2020, Year of the Rat, just as we were hearing murmurings about Wuhan and the bat incident at the wet markets that would change our world. On this day, the temple was packed. When I went back a year later it was much quieter, with signs about social distancing everywhere. I don’t know who the man in the shot is, but he knew I was there. He directed prayers to the north, south and to the centre of the altar. Health, happiness, and prosperity for the coming year.’

A quiet moment amongst the revelry, Sze Yup Temple, Glebe, New South Wales
24 January 2020
Joy Lai
Digital ID: 
FL18618358
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Item 22: Black Lives Matter protest, Sydney, New South Wales, 6 June 2020
Item 22: Black Lives Matter protest, Sydney, New South Wales
6 June 2020
Stephen Dupont
Digital ID: 
FL18393911
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Item 39: Staff at The Tweed Hospital adorn personal protective equipment during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Tweed Heads
Item 39: Staff at The Tweed Hospital adorn personal protective equipment during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Tweed Heads
24 April 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202468
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Item 53: An empty Ballina Uniting Church with socially-distanced seating during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ballina, New South Wales, 6 May 2020
Item 53: An empty Ballina Uniting Church with socially-distanced seating during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ballina, New South Wales
6 May 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202543
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Item 01: A solitary woman wearing a medical mask walks down the Goods Line in Ultimo during a usually busy peak hour at the height of COVID-19 lockdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 14 April 2020 / photograph by John Janson-Moore
Item 01: A solitary woman wearing a medical mask walks down the Goods Line in Ultimo during a usually busy peak hour at the height of COVID-19 lockdown, Sydney, New South Wales
14 April 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17092039
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Item 06: Veterans drive around the streets of Tweed Heads waving at those commemorating Anzac Day during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Pioneer Parade, Banora Point, New South Wales, 25 April 2020
Item 06: Veterans drive around the streets of Tweed Heads waving at those commemorating Anzac Day during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Pioneer Parade, Banora Point, New South Wales
25 April 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202318
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Item 02: Anzac Day dawn service and commemoration, Pioneer Parade, Banora Point , New South Wales, 25 April 2020 / photograph by Dean Saffron
Item 02: Anzac Day dawn service and commemoration, Pioneer Parade, Banora Point , New South Wales
25 April 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202288
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Item 09: Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention sign at Wategos Beach, Byron Bay, New South Wales, 30 April 2020
Item 09: Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention sign at Wategos Beach, Byron Bay, New South Wales
30 April 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202398
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Item 25: Police officers set up a checkpoint at the Queensland and New South Wales border, Tweed Heads, New South Wales, 30 April 2020
Item 25: Police officers set up a checkpoint at the Queensland and New South Wales border, Tweed Heads, New South Wales
30 April 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202378
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Item 29: Closed off skate park during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ballina, New South Wales, 1 May 2020
Item 29: Closed off skate park during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ballina, New South Wales
1 May 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202528
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Item 24: Long queues of unemployed people line up outside a Centrelink office after the effects of COVID-10 on the economy hits businesses and workers hard, Sydney, New South Wales, 24 March 2020
Item 24: Long queues of unemployed people line up outside a Centrelink office after the effects of COVID-10 on the economy hits businesses and workers hard, Sydney, New South Wales
24 March 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17092518
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Item 26: Toilet paper sells out within 5 minutes of supermarket opening daily, as people rush for supplies, Sydney, New South Wales, 26 March 2020
Item 26: Toilet paper sells out within 5 minutes of supermarket opening daily, as people rush for supplies, Sydney, New South Wales
26 March 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17092505
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Item 34: David Carroll, opera singer, performs from the 10th floor rooftop to surrounding apartment buildings, to raise community morale as people continue to self-isolate at home, Sydney, New South Wales, 3 May 2020
Item 34: David Carroll, opera singer, performs from the 10th floor rooftop to surrounding apartment buildings, to raise community morale as people continue to self-isolate at home, Sydney, New South Wales
3 May 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17094051
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Item 52: Australian overseas travellers, assisted by police and army, arrive via bus direct from the airport for a two-week COVID-19 quarantine at a city hotel, Sydney, New South Wales, 29 March 2020
Item 52: Australian overseas travellers, assisted by police and army, arrive via bus direct from the airport for a two-week COVID-19 quarantine at a city hotel, Sydney, New South Wales
29 March 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17094387
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Item 57: Surf lifesavers etch the words #Stay Home into the sand of a deserted Bondi Beach, closed to the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Sydney, New South Wales, 1 April 2020
Item 57: Surf lifesavers etch the words #Stay Home into the sand of a deserted Bondi Beach, closed to the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Sydney, New South Wales
1 April 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17138528
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Item 62: The figurehead of the tall ship, the James Craig, docked at Cockle Bay, in donned with a medical mask in a small act of humour and community solidarity in the wake of the pandemic, Sydney, New South Wales, 10 May 2020
Item 62: The figurehead of the tall ship, the James Craig, docked at Cockle Bay, in donned with a medical mask in a small act of humour and community solidarity in the wake of the pandemic, Sydney, New South Wales
10 May 2020
John Janson-Moore
Digital ID: 
FL17094590
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Item 08: Protestors with placards on Macquarie Street returning to Hyde Park after their march to Parliament House, Sydney, New South Wales, 30 May 2020
Item 08: Protestors with placards on Macquarie Street returning to Hyde Park after their march to Parliament House, Sydney, New South Wales
30 May 2020
Robert Wallace
Digital ID: 
FL18563261
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Item 16: Upper Kiah Road, leading to Annette Evelyn's burnt property, 19 January 2020
Item 16: Upper Kiah Road, leading to Annette Evelyn's burnt property
19 January 2020
Ruth Maddison
Digital ID: 
FL18391013
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Item 19: Annette's property after the fire, with rubble, house and shed, Upper Kiah Road, New South Wales, 19 January 2020
Item 19: Annette's property after the fire, with rubble, house and shed, Upper Kiah Road, New South Wales
19 January 2020
Ruth Maddison
Digital ID: 
FL18390993
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Item 08: Aboriginal flag, Black Lives Matter protest, Sydney, New South Wales, 6 June 2020
Item 08: Aboriginal flag, Black Lives Matter protest, Sydney, New South Wales
6 June 2020
Stephen Dupont
Digital ID: 
FL18393785
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Item 14: Black Lives Matter protest, Sydney, New South Wales, 6 June 2020
Item 14: Black Lives Matter protest, Sydney, New South Wales
6 June 2020
Stephen Dupont
Digital ID: 
FL18393902
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Item 12: Lighting Joss incense, temple offerings, Sze Yup Temple, Glebe, New South Wales, 24 January 2020
Item 12: Lighting Joss incense, temple offerings, Sze Yup Temple, Glebe, New South Wales
24 January 2020
Joy Lai
Digital ID: 
FL18618225
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Item 21: Details of Ancestors passed, Sze Yup Temple, Glebe, New South Wales, 24 January 2020
Item 21: Details of Ancestors passed, Sze Yup Temple, Glebe, New South Wales
24 January 2020
Joy Lai
Digital ID: 
FL18618278
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Item 05: A makeshift fire in driveway and Australian flag in yard, Anzac Day dawn service, Pioneer Parade, Banora Point, New South Wales, 25 April 2020
Item 05: A makeshift fire in driveway and Australian flag in yard, Anzac Day dawn service, Pioneer Parade, Banora Point, New South Wales
25 April 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202298
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Item 21: Outdoor waiting room set up during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Evans Head Medical Centre, Evans Heads, New South Wales, 4 May 2020
Item 21: Outdoor waiting room set up during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Evans Head Medical Centre, Evans Heads, New South Wales
4 May 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202373
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Item 33: A customer at a Northern Rivers seafood shop waiting to be called in to pick up his order during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ballina, New South Wales, 8 May 2020
Item 33: A customer at a Northern Rivers seafood shop waiting to be called in to pick up his order during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ballina, New South Wales
8 May 2020
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL17202523
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Item 24: Rural Fire Service fire fighters reconsider their approach into the south western Sydney suburb of Buxton, Green Wattle Creek fire, 19 December 2019
Item 24: Rural Fire Service fire fighters reconsider their approach into the south western Sydney suburb of Buxton, Green Wattle Creek fire
19 December 2019
Dean Saffron
Digital ID: 
FL18563902
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Item 16: Metropolitan fire fighters attending a property, Gospers Mountain fire, Lithgow, 21 December 2019
Item 16: Metropolitan fire fighters attending a property, Gospers Mountain fire, Lithgow
21 December 2019
Dean Sewell
Digital ID: 
FL18563892
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Item 13: Rural Fire Service fire fighters work late into the night, Gospers Mountain fire, near Colo Heights, 19 November 2019
Item 13: Rural Fire Service fire fighters work late into the night, Gospers Mountain fire, near Colo Heights
19 November 2019
Dean Sewell
Digital ID: 
FL18563942
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Item 14: Eden Rural Fire Brigade volunteers and police take a break, 18 January 2020
Item 14: Eden Rural Fire Brigade volunteers and police take a break
18 January 2020
Ruth Maddison
Digital ID: 
FL18390988
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