Album of 52 albumen prints, (20 x 15cm) mounted on board. Captions include a photographic number and the name of the photographic studio 'Kerry, Photo, Sydney'. Handwritten on the mounting boards are pencil captions, often with less information than the captions on the images and the photographic number supplied by Kerry crossed out and alternative numbering provided. The album itself has been bound and has a handwritten spine title stuck to it "Australian Aboriginal ceremonies". It looks to have been added to the album at a later date, thus not the original title of the album. Photographs are most likely taken between 1875 and 1930.

The images are of Australian Aboriginal people in what appears to be mostly staged poses for Australian Aboriginal ceremonies, corroborees, dance, tracking, fights as well as photographs of various individuals. Some of the photographs have painted backdrops. Some of the people in the photographs were members of "Meston's Wild Australia" (also know as Archibald Meston's "Wild Australia Show"). There are some photographs that were most likely taken in Sydney in December 1892 by Charles Kerry. This is based on the beach setting and the backdrops being identical to those photographs for Archibald Meston's "Wild Australia Show".

Listed below are the contents of the album. The number corresponds to the page number in the album; the title is what appears on the image itself; and in brackets is the Kerry Studio photograph number and the alternative number if provided. Information in square brackets is provided by the processing archivist:

1. Aboriginal ceremony. Death of the deity (Kerry, Photograph number 2804 / 136). --
2. Leaving the bora ceremony (Kerry, Photograph number 2616). --
3. Crossing the mystic figures (Kerry, Photograph number 2614 / 137). --
4. Approaching the kings ground (Kerry, Photograph number 2615 / 138). --
5. Aboriginal ceremony "The sick warrior" (Kerry, Photograph number 2598 / 139). --
6. Aboriginal ceremony "Lying in wait" (Kerry, Photograph number 2608 / 140). --
7. Aboriginal ceremony "Death of the wild boar" (Kerry, Photograph number 2603 / 141). --
8. Aboriginal ceremony "Arrival of the king" (Kerry, Photograph number 2605 / 142). --
9. Aboriginal bora. "Waiting the decision of the king" (Kerry, Photograph number 2617 / 143). --
10. Aboriginal ceremony. "A duel to the death" (Kerry, Photograph number 2610 / 144). --
11. Aborigines worshiping figure of the deity (Kerry, Photograph number 2597 / 145). --
12. Arrival of the novices [unable to decipher writing on photograph] (Kerry, Photograph number 2611 / 146). --
13. Aboriginal ceremony "Warriors in ambush" (Kerry, Photograph number 2600). --
14. Aboriginal ceremony "Opening the Bora" (Kerry, Photograph number 2609 / 147). --
15. Aboriginal ceremony, "Spearing the wild bull" (Kerry, Photograph number 2599 / 148). --
16. Aboriginal corroboree "A battle" (Kerry, Photograph number 2586 / 149). --
17. Aboriginal ceremony "Following the footsteps of the deity" (Kerry, Photograph number 2606 / 150). --
18. Waiting for instructions ([Kerry, Photograph number] 2612 / 151). --
19. Aboriginals "Corroboree" (Kerry, Photograph number 2584). --
20. Aboriginal ceremony, "The Bora tree" (Kerry, Photograph number 2607 / 152). --
21. Aboriginal ceremony, "Spearing the Alligator" (Kerry, Photograph number 2601/ 153). --
22. Aboriginal ceremony, "Gathering wild bird eggs" (Kerry, Photograph number 2602 / 154). --
23. Aboriginals "Corroboree" (Kerry, Photograph number 2585 / 155). --
24. Aboriginal corroboree "Healing the sick warrior" (Kerry, Photograph number 2588 / 156). --
25. [Writing indecipherable] "Drafting sheep" (Kerry, Photograph number 2587 / 157). --
26. Aboriginals tracking ([Kerry, Photograph number] 2583 / 158). --
27. Corroboree Austn Aborigines [painted backdrop] (Kerry, Photograph number 1360 / 159). --
28. "Wermugga Dance" Austn Aboriginals [painted backdrop] (Kerry, Photograph number 1361 / 160). --
29. Aboriginals & Black Trackers (Kerry, Photograph number 1388 / 161). --
30. Group fighting men [painted backdrop] (Kerry, Photograph number 1391 / 162). --
31. Bora Corroboree (Kerry, Photograph number 1390). --
32. Aboriginal Corroboree (Kerry, Photograph number 1367). --
33. Fish Corroboree (Kerry, Photograph number 1393 / 163). --
34. Aboriginals & Black Trackers (Kerry, Photograph number 1378 / 164). --
35. Wermugga Corroboree (Kerry, Photograph number 1392 / 165). --
36. Aboriginals & Black Tracker (Kerry, Photograph number 1389 / 166). --
37. [Writing indecipherable on photograph] Group of Northern Territory natives (Kerry, Photograph number 1368). --
38. An Aboriginal fight (Kerry, Photograph number 2553). --
39. Aboriginals, upper Macleay River (Kerry, Photograph number 2162 / 167). --
40. Aboriginals, upper Macleay River (Kerry, Photograph number 2160). --
41. Aboriginals, upper Macleay River (Kerry, Photograph number 2161). --
42. Darling R. natives (Kerry, Photograph number 141). --
43. Aboriginal climbing tree (Kerry, Photograph number 2126 / 168). --
44. Aboriginal spearing fish (Kerry, Photograph number 2125 / 169). --
45. Native climbing with vine (Kerry, Photograph number 535). --
46. "Wharangoo". Aboriginal, Tenterfield District [painted backdrop] (Kerry, Photograph number 1989 / 170). --
47. "Borree", Aboriginal Chief, Jervis Bay (Kerry, Photograph number 2013). --
48. "Yenohan". Girl, Tumut Tribe, N.S.W. (Kerry, Photograph number 1899 / 171). --
49. Aboriginal women [painted backdrop] (Kerry, Photograph number 1914 / 172). --
50. Aboriginal girl, Brungle [painted backdrop] (Kerry, Photograph number 1913 / 173). --
51. Aboriginal warrior, Bellinger River (Kerry, Photograph number 2014). --
52. Aboriginal with Derri Head dress (Kerry, Photograph number 1371 / 174).

Content advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that photographs may contain images of Aboriginal and Islander people now deceased. It may also contain historically and culturally sensitive words, terms and descriptions. The descendants' request was that the subjects of the photos be recognised as Wailwan. None of the descendants expressed any desire to censor or withdraw the photos from general viewing. In particular, women should be cautious when viewing the image as it includes some aspects of traditional Men's Business.

Typed correspondence and reports relating to Caroline Kelly’s anthropological survey. Includes a paper titled 'Report of anthropological survey undertaken at Burnt Bridge August/September 1937', as well as an untitled paper, in which the first line reads 'This paper forms portion of a study of the impact of European culture upon the Aborigines of New South Wales'. Much of the correspondence is between Kelly and Adolphus Peter Elkin. Also includes six black-and-white photographs, 7 x 9 cm, showing a tin dwelling from different angles, as well as the 'manager's residence'; three of the photographs feature a woman and a child, both of whom are possibly Aboriginal, standing on the verandah of the tin dwelling.

List of full or partial names of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals mentioned in the file:
Herbert Davis
Campbell [full name not provided]

Content advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that this resource may contain images, transcripts or names of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now deceased. It may also contain historically and culturally sensitive words, terms, and descriptions.

Typed correspondence and reports relating to Caroline Kelly’s anthropological survey. Includes two copies of a paper titled 'Report of anthropological survey undertaken at Burnt Bridge August/September 1937', accompanied by two copies of a letter to Adolphus Peter Elkin. Also includes other correspondence between Kelly, Elkin and the AP Board (Aboriginal Protection Board).

Content advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that this resource may contain images, transcripts or names of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now deceased. It may also contain historically and culturally sensitive words, terms, and descriptions.

Notebook, partly paginated by hand, containing handwritten notes from field work in Aboriginal communities in Kempsey and other parts of New South Wales, as well as a typed report, six leaves, partly paginated, titled 'Settlement at Wallaga Lake, Tilba Tilba NSW', accompanied by a typed letter to Adolphus Peter Elkin, ca. 1937. Also includes a typed and unsigned letter addressed 'Dear Mr Lazybones'.

List of full or partial names of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals mentioned in the file:

James Davis (father of Herb)
Jack Mahrny [? spelling]
Clarnie Avery [? spelling of first name]
George Birge [? spelling]
Walter Birge [? spelling]
Edgar Bolloch
Jack Dolt
Pacey Lighlon [? spelling]
Tom Lighlon [? spelling]
Tom Campbell
Astley Campbell
Dick Campbell
Roy Wilson (son of Mr G Wilson)
Norman Whitton
Clara Buchanon
Mr Thorpe [full name not provided]
Mr Greenwell [full name not provided]
Miss Mack [full name not provided]
Mr G Wilson
Hettlefield [full name not provided]
? Hockins [full name not provided]
? Waters [full name not provided]
? Taylor [full name not provided]
? Carberry [full name not provided]
? Moffitt [full name not provided]
? Benelong [full name not provided]
? Archibald [full name not provided]

Content advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that this resource contains mention of funeral rites and burial ceremonies. It also may contain images, transcripts or names of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now deceased. It may also contain historically and culturally sensitive words, terms, and descriptions.