One leaf, handwritten in blue ink, with details of accompanying typescript. Second typescript draft, written in Brisbane in April - May 1981, handwritten emendations in red and black, handwritten numbering on all pages (one is missed), 126 [sic 127] leaves.

One leaf, handwritten in blue ink, with notes by author on rewritten chapters. Rewritten chapters in second typescript draft, 16 leaves, 1981? Chapter 8 becomes chapter 9 in final manuscript. Chapters 10 and 15 also renumbered in final draft. With handwritten corrections in blue ink, handwritten page numbers in bottom left -hand corners.

Correspondence to David Malouf regarding the opera Voss:

1. Peter Hemmings to Malouf, 1p, 20 Mar 1979
2. Peter Hemmings to Malouf, 1p, 23 May 1979
3. Tim Curnow (Curtis Brown) to Malouf, 1p, 14 Jun 1979, includes two letters from Peter Hemming to Curnow
4. Antony Jeffrey to Malouf, 2p, 17 Aug 1979
5. Peter Hemmings to Malouf, 1p, 6 Sep 1979
6. Antony Jeffrey to Malouf, 1p, 18 Sep 1979
7. Jim Sherman to Malouf, postcard, 8 Oct 1979
8. Antony Jeffrey to Malouf, 1p, 13 Oct 1979
9. Richard Meale to Malouf, 2p, 13 Oct 1979
10. Richard Meale to Malouf, 2p, 16 Jun 1980
11. Antony Jeffrey to Malouf, 2p, 8 Jul 1980
12. Richard Meale to Malouf, 3p, 14 Mar 1981
13. Richard Meale to Malouf, 2p, 11 Aug 1981
14. Copy of letter from Moffatt Oxenbould, Artistic Administrator, Australian Opera to Tim Curnow regarding the contract for Voss, 1p, 2 Jun 1983
15. Richard Meale to Malouf, 1p, 4 Jul 1983
16. Stuart Challender to Malouf, 1p, 22 Apr 1986
17. Jim Sharman to Malouf, 4p, 29 Apr 1986

The file is comprised of: Early notes for dialogue, 2 leaves ; Letter to Richard Meale from Malouf, 1 leaf, 20 Jun 1979, with early dialogue notes on verso; Marked up copy of the Penguin Modern Classics 1960 published edition of Voss by Patrick White, sections of text marked in black pen, handwritten notes on last page and inside back cover.

One page, handwritten in blue ink, with notes by the author on the original handwritten draft that accompanies it. Original first handwritten draft, 12 sheets of paper, some folded in half and written on both sides, in red and blue biro and black ink. From the accompanying note: This was usually referred to as 'Birds'; Written at Campagnatico in 1981; “Birds was originally to be a long story of some 15,000-20,000 words; the opening of a collection which would include 'Sorrow & Secrets', 'Musica Viva' and several more.”

One leaf, handwritten in blue ink, with notes by the author on the draft that accompanies it. Rewritten first draft of 'Birds' story, 21 numbered pages. According to the accompanying note: "Rewritten in Brisbane between March and early May 1981….contains the new material to be added, a second draft of the latter half of the book and notes made for background from a history of the 41st Battalion, Queensland".

One handwritten note by author: 'Original typescript for afterword (unused). Later rewritten for programme note for the ballet, then for a piece on North Queensland in the Griffith Review.’ Accompanied by the draft, which has handwritten emendations in pen and pencil, thirteen leaves are original typescript, 7 leaves are photocopies, all 20 leaves hand numbered from 124 to 139.

One handwritten note by author about the accompanying '2nd typescript'. The second typescript is: the remaining pages from the original second typescript draft made in Rome in December 1980, which were heavily written over then retyped and replace pages for the final version. This second typescript draft was also heavily written over and to be used again in the final version. All pages are marked CP and numbered on the left top corner. This is the only surviving second typescript draft. 151 pages, Dec 1980.

One handwritten note '1st typescript, heavily corrected'. With first typescript draft, 72 leaves, extensive handwritten emendations, Chapters 10 and 13 not included. Undated.

One handwritten note by author: 'late rewriting of pages for the final typescript'. Three typescript leaves of amended pages for the final typescript draft, with minor handwritten emendations. Undated.