Australia Probate Records: Difference between revisions
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Records begin in 1800. | Records begin in 1800. | ||
{{Block indent|Supreme Court of New South Wales<br>Probate Division<br>G.P.O. Box 3<br>Sydney<br>New South Wales 2000<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/sc}} | |||
The Archives Office of New South Wales (see the "[[Australia Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" article for address) holds copies of some wills and some indexes. | The Archives Office of New South Wales (see the "[[Australia Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" article for address) holds copies of some wills and some indexes. | ||
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Records begin in 1841. | Records begin in 1841. | ||
{{Block indent|Registrar of Probates<br>Probate and Administration Office<br>471 Little Bourke Street<br>Melbourne<br>Victoria 3000<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Web site: [http://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au]<br> }} | |||
{{Block indent|Directory Listing: [http://www.archivists.org.au/directory/data/326.htm 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 "[[Australia Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" article in this wiki for address). See the [https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates online guide] to PROV probate records, or search the [http://210.8.122.120/indexes/index_search.asp?searchid=54 1841-1925 index]. | The records prior to 2004 are also held by the Public Record Office of Victoria (see the "[[Australia Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" article in this wiki for address). See the [https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates online guide] to PROV probate records, or search the [http://210.8.122.120/indexes/index_search.asp?searchid=54 1841-1925 index]. | ||
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Three district courts—records begin as early as 1857; prior to 1859, probate was under the jurisdiction of New South Wales | Three district courts—records begin as early as 1857; prior to 1859, probate was under the jurisdiction of New South Wales | ||
{{Block indent|The Registrar<br>Southern District<br>Supreme Court of Queensland<br>George Street<br>Brisbane<br>Queensland 4000<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Pages/Default.aspx}} | |||
{{Block indent|The Registrar<br>Northern District<br>Supreme Court of Queensland<br>Walker Street<br>Townsville<br>Queensland 4810<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Pages/Default.aspx}} | |||
{{Block indent|The Registrar<br>Central District<br>Supreme Court of Queensland<br>East Street<br>Rockhampton<br>Queensland 4700<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Pages/Default.aspx}} | |||
The Queensland State Archives (see the "[[Australia Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" article in this wiki for address) holds early records as well as some indexes. | The Queensland State Archives (see the "[[Australia Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" article in this wiki for address) holds early records as well as some indexes. | ||
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Records begin in 1832.<br> | Records begin in 1832.<br> | ||
{{Block indent|Probate Registry<br>1 Gouger St.<br>Adelaide<br>South Australia 5000<br>Australia<br>Phone: +61 8 8204 2444 <br>Email: [mailto:nquiry@courts.sa.gov.au nquiry@courts.sa.gov.au]}} | |||
=== Tasmania === | === Tasmania === | ||
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Records begin in 1824. | Records begin in 1824. | ||
{{Block indent|Probate Registry<br>Supreme Court of Tasmania<br>Salamanca Place<br>Hobart<br>Tasmania 7000<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.courts.tas.gov.au/supreme/}} | |||
=== Australian Capital Territory === | === Australian Capital Territory === | ||
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Records begin in 1911. | Records begin in 1911. | ||
{{Block indent|Registrar of Probate<br>Law Courts of the Australian Capital Territory<br>1st Floor<br>Knowles Place<br>Canberra City<br>Australian Capital Territory 2601<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.courts.act.gov.au/}} | |||
=== Northern Territory === | === Northern Territory === | ||
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Records begin in 1911. | Records begin in 1911. | ||
{{Block indent|Registrar of Probates<br>Supreme Court of the Northern Territory<br>Law Courts Building<br>Mitchell Street<br>Darwin<br>Northern Territory 0800<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Internet: http://www.nt.gov.au/ntsc/}} | |||
===Western Australia=== | ===Western Australia=== | ||
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Supreme Court Registry and Central Office | Supreme Court Registry and Central Office | ||
{{Block indent|1=Probate Office<br>Level 11 David Malcolm Justice Centre<br>28 Barrack Street<br>Perth<br>Western Australia 6000<br>AUSTRALIA <br>Phone: (08) 9421 5333 (option 1) <br>Email: [mailto:supremecourt.probate@justice.wa.gov.au supremecourt.probate@justice.wa.gov.au]<br>[https://www.supremecourt.wa.gov.au/C/court_registries.aspx?uid=2437-9982-2572-5517 Website] |2=1}} | |||
Latest revision as of 02:58, 19 August 2025
Online Records[edit | edit source]
- 1832-1989: Probate records of Western Australia, 1832-1989(*) at FamilySearch Catalog; images
- 1841-1926: Australia, Victoria, Wills, Probate and Administration Files, 1841-1926 at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1841-2009: Victoria, Australia, Wills and Probate Records, 1841-2009 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1844-1916: Australia, South Australia, Will and Probate Records at FamilySearch; index
- 1911-1994: Northern Territory, Australia, Probate Index, 1911-1994 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1948-1992: Alphabetized index cards of probates, wills, grants, etc., 1948-1992(*) at FamilySearch Catalog; images
- Western Australia Blue Books at Findmypast - index & images ($)
New South Wales[edit | edit source]
- 1787-1976 New South Wales, Australia, Miscellaneous Records, 1787-1976 at Ancestry, contains some probate records, images ($)
- 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 ($)
- 1880-1958 Card index to deceased estate files (probate), 1880-1958 at FamilySearch, images of index.
Queensland[edit | edit source]
- Queensland Intestacies & Wills at Findmypast, Index ($)
- 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[edit | edit source]
- Australia, South Australia, Will and Probate Records 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 & 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 & images.
- 1893-1927 GRG84/9 - Index to succession duty 'New Act' files, 1893 - 1927 A - Z, arranged alphabetically by surname State Archives
Tasmania[edit | edit source]
- Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, indexed and digitized probate records
- 1824-1990 Wills (1824-1990) at Libraries Tasmania, index & images. Wills and letters of administration of estates registered for probate.
- 1824-1989 Tasmania Wills & Letters Of Administration 1824-1989 at Findmypast, Index ($)
- 1833-1871 Citations and bonds for the granting of letters of administration 1833-1871 at FamilySearch, images.
Victoria[edit | edit source]
- Victoria Wills & Probate at Findmypast - index ($)
- 1841-2016 Wills and Probates PRO Victoria, index & images.
- 1841-2009 Victoria, Australia, Wills and Probate Records, 1841-2009 at Ancestry, index & images ($)
- 1841-1926 Australia, Victoria, Wills, Probate and Administration Files, 1841-1926 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1841-1989 Australia, Victoria, Index to Probate Registers, 1841-1989 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1850–2009 Australia, Victoria, Will and Probate Index 1850-2009 at MyHeritage, index ($)
- 1840-1925 Australia, Victoria, Inquest Deposition Files, 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[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
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 FamilySearch Library has a solid collection of probate records from Australia; however, many of them cannot be circulated to FamilySearch Centers. Probate records are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:
AUSTRALIA, [STATE]- PROBATE RECORDS
Offices to Contact[edit | edit source]
New South Wales[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1800.
The Archives Office of New South Wales (see the "Archives and Libraries" article for address) holds copies of some wills and some indexes.
Victoria[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1841.
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[edit | edit source]
Three district courts—records begin as early as 1857; prior to 1859, probate was under the jurisdiction of New South Wales
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[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1832.
Tasmania[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1824.
Australian Capital Territory[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1911.
Northern Territory[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1911.
Western Australia[edit | edit source]
Records begin in 1832.
Supreme Court Registry and Central Office