Australia Probate Records

Probate records are court records that describe the distribution of an individual’s estate after he or she dies. Information in the records may include the death date, names of heirs and guardians, relationships, residences, an inventory of the estate, and names of witnesses.

An individual who left a will is said to have died "testate." Someone who did not leave a will (or a valid will) died "intestate." The probate process is essentially the same for both and may take many years to complete.

Availability of Probate Records
Wills or probate records were kept by each state in Australia, beginning in the 1800s. If the deceased had property in another country, the will may have been probated in the other country.

The Family History Library has a solid collection of probate records from Australia; however, many of them cannot be circulated to Family History Centers. Probate records are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

AUSTRALIA, [STATE]- PROBATE RECORDS

The address of the probate offices for the individual states are:

New South Wales
Records begin in 1800.


 * Supreme Court of New South Wales Probate Division G.P.O. Box 3 Sydney New South Wales 2000 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/sc

The Archives Office of New South Wales (see the "Archives and Libraries" article for address) holds copies of some wills and some indexes.

Victoria
Records begin in 1841.


 * Registrar of Probates Probate and Administration Office 471 Little Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 AUSTRALIA Web site: www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au
 * Directory Listing: http://www.archivists.org.au/directory/data/326.htm

The records prior to 2004 are also held by the Public Record Office of Victoria (see the "Archives and Libraries" article in this wiki for address). See the online guide to PROV probate records, or search the 1841-1925 index.

Queensland
Three district courts—records begin as early as 1857; prior to 1859, probate was under the jurisdiction of New South Wales


 * The Registrar Southern District Supreme Court of Queensland George Street Brisbane Queensland 4000 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Pages/Default.aspx


 * The Registrar Northern District Supreme Court of Queensland Walker Street Townsville Queensland 4810 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Pages/Default.aspx


 * The Registrar Central District Supreme Court of Queensland East Street Rockhampton Queensland 4700 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Pages/Default.aspx

The Queensland State Archives (see the "Archives and Libraries" article in this wiki for address) holds early records as well as some indexes.

South Australia
Records begin in 1832.


 * Probate Office Stirling Gardens Barrack Street Perth Western Australia 6000 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/courts/supreme/content.html

Tasmania
Records begin in 1824.


 * Probate Registry Supreme Court of Tasmania Salamanca Place Hobart Tasmania 7000 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.courts.tas.gov.au/supreme/

Australian Capital Territory
Records begin in 1911.


 * Registrar of Probate Law Courts of the Australian Capital Territory 1st Floor Knowles Place Canberra City Australian Capital Territory 2601 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.courts.act.gov.au/

Northern Territory
Records begin in 1911.


 * Registrar of Probates Supreme Court of the Northern Territory Law Courts Building Mitchell Street Darwin Northern Territory 0800 AUSTRALIA Internet: http://www.nt.gov.au/ntsc/