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
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
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

New South Wales

 * State Records - New South Wales
 * State Library of New South Wales - Family History Service

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 .)

Northern Territory

 * Northern Territory Archives Service
 * Northern Territory Library

Queensland

 * Queensland Government State Archives
 * 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 – .)

South Australia

 * State Records of South Australia
 * State Library of South Australia - Family History Service and Collection

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 .)

Tasmania

 * Archives Office of Tasmania
 * 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 .)

Victoria

 * Public Record Office - Victoria's Archives
 * State Library of Victoria - Genealogists and Family Historians

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

Western Australia

 * State Records of Western Australia
 * State Library of Western Australia - Family History Service

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