Australia Probate Records

Online Records

 * 1832-1989: (*) at FamilySearch Catalog; images
 * 1841-1926: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1841-2009: Victoria, Australia, Wills and Probate Records, 1841-2009 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1844-1916: at FamilySearch; index
 * 1911-1994: Northern Territory, Australia, Probate Index, 1911-1994 at Ancestry; index ($)
 * 1948-1992: (*) at FamilySearch Catalog; images
 * Western Australia Blue Books at Findmypast; index & images ($)

New South Wales

 * 1787-1976 New South Wales, Australia, Miscellaneous Records, 1787-1976 at Ancestry, contains some probate records, images ($)
 * 1790-1875 - Probate Records - Supplementary Index, 1790 to 1875 at New South Wales Archives, index. This index is for supplementary (early) probate records that are not part of the main probate series. It records the name, date, item number and page number.
 * 1790-1814 - Probate papers 1790-1814, New South Wales Supreme Court at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1800-1931 - Registers of copy wills in New South Wales, 1800-1931 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1821-1937 - New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Coroners' Inquests, 1821-1937 at Ancestry, index, browse, and images, ($).
 * 1834-1958 - Office copy of wills. New South Wales. Registrar-General. 1834-1958 at FamilySearch, images of index. Contains an index to the Registrar General's Office list of wills for 1834-1958. Each volume has an A-Z listing.
 * 1859-1958 - New South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files, 1859-1958 at Ancestry, index, browse, and images, ($).
 * 1880-1939 - Australia, New South Wales Deceased Estates Index, 1880-1939 at MyHeritage, index only ($)
 * 1880-1958 - Card index to deceased estate files (probate), 1880-1958 at FamilySearch, images of index.

Queensland

 * Queensland Intestacies & Wills at Findmypast, Index ($)
 * 1857-1940 - Wills 1857-1940, index.
 * 1857-1940 - Queensland Wills Index 1857-1940 at Findmypast, Index ($)
 * 1859-1900 - Queensland Intestacies, Insolvencies & Wills, 1859 - 1900 at MyHeritage Index ($)
 * 1889-1929 - Queensland, Trustee Files 1889-1929 at Findmypast, Index ($)
 * 1896-1916 - Queensland Intestacy Returns Index 1896-1916 at Findmypast, Index ($)

South Australia

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1840 to 2018 - South Australian Public Trustees/Deceased Estates, 1840 to 2018 in Genealogy SA Online Database Search.
 * 1844-1891 - Index to GRS 1334/1 - Probate files (wills), 1844-1891 State Archives
 * 1844-1890 - Australia, South Australia, Probate and administration books, numerical series, 1844-1890 at FamilySearch, index and images.
 * 1875-1935 - Australia, South Australia, Succession duty "Old Act and "New Act" files, 1875-1935 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1875-1892 - GRG84/9 - Index to succession duty 'Old Act' files, 1875 - 1892 A - Z, arranged alphabetically by surname State Archives
 * 1892-1916 - Australia, South Australia, probate and administration books, 1892-1916 at FamilySearch, index and images.
 * 1893-1927 - GRG84/9 - Index to succession duty 'New Act' files, 1893 - 1927 A - Z, arranged alphabetically by surname State Archives

Tasmania

 * Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, indexed and digitized probate records
 * 1824-1990 - Wills (1824-1990) at Libraries Tasmania, index and images. Wills and letters of administration of estates registered for probate.
 * 1824-1989 - Tasmania Wills & Letters Of Administration 1824-1989 at Findmypast, Index ($)
 * 1833-1871 - Citations and bonds for the granting of letters of administration 1833-1871 at FamilySearch, images.

Victoria

 * Victoria Wills & Probate at Findmypast ($), index.
 * 1841-2016 - Wills and Probates PRO Victoria, index and images.
 * 1841-2009 - Victoria, Australia, Wills and Probate Records, 1841-2009 at Ancestry, index and images ($)
 * 1841-1926 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1841-1989 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1850–2009 - Australia, Victoria, Will and Probate Index 1850-2009 at MyHeritage, index ($)
 * 1840-1925 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1853-1959 - Index to probate applications, 1853-1959, Victoria. Probate Office at FamilySearch, images of index.

Western Australia

 * 1832-1989 Probate records of Western Australia, 1832-1989 at FamilySearch - images
 * 1948-1992 Alphabetized index cards of probates, wills, grants, etc., 1948-1992 at FamilySearch - images

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

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.

Explore Wills and probates.

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/

Western Australia
Supreme Court Registry and Central Office
 * Level 11 David Malcolm Justice Centre
 * 28 Barrack Street
 * Perth, WA 6000
 * Telephone: (08) 9421 5333 (option 1)
 * Email: [mailto:supremecourt.probate@justice.wa.gov.au supremecourt.probate@justice.wa.gov.au]