Daphne Mayo was a foundation trustee of the Godfrey Rivers Trust. Daphne Mayo, former student of Rivers, was the main buyer for most of the works acquired by the Trust for the Queensland National Art Gallery (now the Queensland Art Gallery). This subseries includes newspaper cuttings, legal and financial records, details and notes on competitions, and correspondence. The correspondence (137 letters, 14 telegrams) relating to the Godfrey Rivers Trust. Correspondence from Godfrey Rivers and Selina (Ina) Rivers to Mayo including letters of introduction for Mayo by Rivers while she is in Europe. Additional letters by Ina Rivers are held elsewhere in this collection. Letters are from 1912 to 1965, and some undated. Not all years have correspondence.

Receipts, invoices, correspondence relating to works of art and Sydney studio, from 1926 to 1979.

Johnno is Malouf’s most outwardly autobiographical novel and has been much praised as a realistic presentation of wartime Brisbane. It traces the childhood and early adult life of the narrator, and his relationship with the school rebel Johnno until Johnno’s untimely death. It was first published in 1975. This series includes two typescripts (both carbon copies) of the original manuscript version of Johnno. The earlier copy has extensive handwritten reworking by Malouf and uses the name “Johnny” throughout. In the later copy is again reworked and the author has manually changed “Johnny” to “Johnno.” There are significant textural alterations, cuts and additions, between these two drafts. Earlier drafts of the manuscript are held in the National Library of Australia collection and the top copy is held in the Fryer Library University of Queensland Press Archive. These typescripts provide a valuable link between the two. Published in 1975 by University of Queensland Press.

Birrell worked for the Commonwealth Works Department in Melbourne, Canberra and Darwin. There are 25 jobs represented in this subseries.

Child’s Play is an account of the experiences of an Italian terrorist and his special interest in his victim. It was first published in 1981 with another novella, The Bread of Time to Come (later changed to Fly Away Peter). It was republished in 1982 with two short stories, Eustace and The Prowler. This subseries includes manuscript drafts for original first draft, first typescript draft, and second typescript draft. All the drafts have explanatory notes by David Malouf.

Maps of locations, correspondence and photographs of family properties including Lota House at Manly, Nindooinbah near Beaudesert and Bluff Downs near Charters Towers. Also, 'Here on a visit' manuscript written by Agnes Helena Wansey, giving an account of her childhood at Lota House and related correspondence.