Australia Archives and Libraries

Australia Archives and Libraries

Archives collect and preserve original documents from organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books and maps. This article describes the major archives and libraries in Australia that hold genealogical and historical information. Many of these archives and libraries have Web sites listing their e-mail address and services. Most archives have catalogs describing their records and how to use them. Some catalogs are online. Read Australian family history and genealogy: selected websites for brief descriptions about archives and libraries.

National Archives of Australia
National Archives of Australia PO Box 7425 Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610 Tel: 1300 886 881 (from overseas: 61 2 6212 3900) Fax: 1300 886 882 (from overseas: 61 2 6212 3999)


 * The National Archives holds records of Australian government records of the Federation or Commonweath since in 1901; Commonwealth people; and the High Court. RecordSearch describes over 7.7 million records created by 9000 Australian Government agencies. Reading rooms are in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin.


 * A step-by-step guide to research at the National Archivesis available. More than 200 fact sheets about their records are available online. Family history records are not in their collections, but the site contains links to those records. Read Begin Your Journey to get started family history.

National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia Parkes Place Parkes ACT 2600 Phone: +61 (0)2 6262 1266 Fax: +61 (0)2 6273 5081


 * The National Library is the largest reference library in Australia. Their catalogue is online. Frequently asked questions for family historians explain about the records there.

State and Territory Archives and Libraries
State and Territory Libraries hold family history collections specialising in resources for their state and a selection of material relating to other areas of Australia and Overseas. Contact information for other libraries in Australia may be found at the Australian Libraries Gateway.

ACT Heritage Library
ACT Heritage Library Email act.heritage.library@act.gov.au Phone +61 2 6207 5163 Fax +61 2 6207 5835


 * The two links below will allow you to download lists of historic marriages or deaths.
 * Birth Marriage or Death Certificate Applications, search Family History
 * http://www.ors.act.gov.au/community/births_deaths_and_marriages/historic_death_index

The State Records Authority of New South Wales
The State Records Authority of New South Wales Email info@records.nsw.gov.au Phone +61 2 9673 1788

The State Library of New South Wales - Family History Service
State Library of New South Wales - Family History Service Macquarie St Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Phone +61 2 9273 1414


 * A guide is Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales. No. 13 in the Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales series. Sydney, Australia: The Authority, 1969. (FHL book .)

The Northern Territories Archives Service
Northern Territory Archives Service Northern Territory Archives Service PO Box 1347 Nightcliff NT 0814 Phone - general inquiries: (08) 8924 7677 Phone - reference inquiries: (08) 8999 6890 Fax: (08) 8924 7660 E-mail: [mailto:ntac@nt.gov.au ntac@nt.gov.au]

The Northern Territory Library
Northern Territory Library Darwin NT 0800 Australia Phone: +61 8 8999 7117

The Queensland Government State Archives
Queensland Government State Archives 435 Compton Road Runcorn, Queensland 4113 Telephone: (07) 3131 7777 Facsimile: (07) 3131 7764 Email: [mailto:info@archives.qld.gov.au info@archives.qld.gov.au]

The State Library of Queensland
Stanley Place South Brisbane QLD 4101 Phone: +61 7 3840 7666
 * State Library of Queensland - Family and Local Historians


 * A guide is Provenance Catalogue. Queensland State Archives. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1981. (FHL film – .)

The State Records of South Australia
State Records of South Australia 115 Cavan Road Gepps Cross SA 5094 Phone: +61 8 8204 8791

State Library of South Australia
State Library of South Australia - Family History Service and Collection North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000 Phone: +61 8 8207 7250


 * A guide is Ancestors in archives: a guide to family history sources in the official records of South Australia. Adelaide, South Australia, Australia: Government of South Australia, 1991. (FHL book .)

The Archives Office of Tasmania
Archives Office of Tasmania Address: 91 Murray St. Hobart, Tasmania 7000 E-mail:[mailto:wlinc@education.tas.gov.au wlinc@education.tas.gov.au]

The State Library of Tasmania
1 Civic Square Launceston TAS 7250 Phone:+61 3 6336 2642
 * State Library of Tasmania - Family History Resources


 * A guide is Watson, Lilian, and Neil Chick. The Archives office of Tasmania. Research Note Series Number 7. Tasmania: Genealogical Society of Tasmania, 1986. (FHL book .)

The Public Records Office - Victoria's Archives
Public Record Office - Victoria's Archives 112 Macaulay Road 99 Shiel St North Melbourne VIC 3051 Phone:+61 3 9348 5600

The State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria - Genealogists and Family Historians 328 Swanston St Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone:03 8664 7000


 * A guide is Genealogical Sources. Victoria, Australia: Public Record Office, 1984. (FHL book .)

The State Records of Western Australia
State Records of Western Australia James St Perth WA 6000 Phone:+61 8 9427 3600

The State Library of Western Australia
State Library of Western Australia - Family History Service Address: 25 Francis St Perth WA 6000 Phone: +61 8 9427 3111

Family and Local History Societies
Australia Institute of Genealogical Studies Inc. promotes and encourages the study of genealogy, heraldry, family history and allied subjects throughout Australia and to assist members and others in genealogical research.

Family History and Historical Societies in Australialists family history organizations that are helpful to researchers.

University Archives

 * Australian National University Archives (including Noel Butlin Archives Centre and Pacific Research Archives)

Other Archives

 * Australian Trade Union Archives

Another major source of archival material is Newspapers. Australian newspapers all have archives of important events in the past. The following WIKIPEDIA website provides a list of Australian newspapers:

Newspapers in Australia

General Guides to Archives
Printed guides may be helpful in locating family history material.


 * White, Olga, Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, and Jennifer Nash, comp. Our Heritage. O’Connor, Australian Capital Territory, Australia: Australian Society of Archivists, 1983. (FHL book .)
 * Australian Archives. Relations in records: a Guide to Family History Sources in the Australian Archives. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1988. (FHL book .) The following book contains a listing of indexes that are available in Australian libraries:
 * Henty, Margaret, and Rachel Jakimow. Indexes in Australian libraries. Canberra, Australia: National Library of Australia, 1995. (FHL book .)

FamilySearch Catalog
The Family History Library has other guides. Call numbers for these can be found in the library's catalog by using the Place Search for:

AUSTRALIA, [STATE] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS