Australian Blue Book
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
The Australian Blue Book was an Australian almanac and national reference book published in Australia between 1942 and 1950.
The 1942 (first) edition was edited by A. Moorehead,{{Citation | author1=Moorhead, Arthur | title=The Australian blue book | publication-date=1942 | publisher=Blue Star Pub | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8475521 | access-date=5 December 2016 }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article156034287 |title=STRANGE GAP IN BOOK THAT SEEKS TO FILL A GAP |newspaper=The Murrumbidgee Irrigator |volume=XXVIII |issue=84 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 November 1943 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{Citation | author1=Archive Digital Books Australasia | author2=Gould Genealogy | title=Australian blue book : 1942 | publication-date=2009 | publisher=Archive Digital Books Australasia | isbn=978-1-74222-658-3 }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article144010261 |title="Australian Blue' Book" |newspaper=Daily Advertiser |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 November 1943 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} and the 1946–48 (second) edition by W. J. Beckett {{Citation | author1=Beckett, W. J. (William John) | title=The Australian blue book: a national reference book containing information on matters Australian from authoritative sources for all members of the community | publication-date=1949 | publisher=Vicrete Investments Ltd | edition=2nd (1946–48) | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21601418 | access-date=5 December 2016 }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56961053 |title=The Australian Blue Book |newspaper=The Morning Bulletin |issue=28,521 |location=Queensland|date=18 October 1950 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} another part of the book was a supplement published in 1950.{{Citation | author1=Beckett, W. J. (William John) | title=The Australian blue book | publication-date=1950 | publisher=Blue Star Publishers | edition=2nd (1946–48) [with 1950 supplement to the 2nd ed.] | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8464007 | access-date=5 December 2016 }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18178600 |title=Book News |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=35,200 |date=14 October 1950 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} Beckett was involved in a court case at one point.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230241858 |title="Blue Book" for Royal visit-- on conspiracy charge |newspaper=The Sun |issue=12,167 |location=Sydney |date=25 January 1949 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=3 (LATE FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158239168 |title=BLUE BOOK FRAUD ALLEGED |newspaper=The Newcastle Sun |issue=9693 |location=New South Wales|date=25 January 1949 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167910172 |title=S.M. Dismisses Blue Book Fraud Charge |newspaper=Truth |issue=3136 |location=New South Wales|date=5 March 1950 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}
The book was published in Sydney, and contained comprehensive photographs of people in administrative positions, as well as material from Australians involved in the second World War. It had extensive listings of all the local government areas in Australia at the time, with names of officials and descriptions of the areas.
It was not related in any way to the other titles with state names, such as the Western Australian Blue Book of the 1890s.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66308238 |title=The Blue Book. |newspaper=The Inquirer and Commercial News |volume=XI |issue=17,458 |location=Western Australia |date=6 August 1892 |access-date=5 December 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}