Australia Archives and Libraries
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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[edit | edit source]
National Archives of Australia[edit | edit source]
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 Archives is 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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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.
Australia Capitol Territory
[edit | edit source]
ACT Heritage Library[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
The State Records Authority of New South Wales[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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 994.4 A35g no. 13.)
Northern Territory[edit | edit source]
The Northern Territories Archives Service[edit | edit source]
Northern Territory Archives Service
Address: 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
Email: ntac@nt.gov.au
Address: Darwin NT 0800 Australia
Phone: +61 8 8999 7117
Queensland[edit | edit source]
The Queensland Government State Archives[edit | edit source]
Queensland Government State Archives
Address: 435 Compton Road
Runcorn, Queensland 4113
Telephone: (07) 3131 7777
Facsimile: (07) 3131 7764
Email: info@archives.qld.gov.au
Address: Stanley Place
South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone: +61 7 3840 7666
A guide is Provenance Catalogue. Queensland State Archives. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1981. (FHL film 1239122– 1239123.)
South Australia[edit | edit source]
The State Records of South Australia[edit | edit source]
State Records of South Australia
Address: 115 Cavan Road
Gepps Cross SA 5094
Phone: +61 8 8204 8791
Address: 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 994.23 A37a.)
Tasmania[edit | edit source]
The Archives Office of Tasmania[edit | edit source]
Archives Office of Tasmania
Address: 91 Murray St.
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
internet: linc@education.tas.gov.au
Address: 1 Civic Square
Launceston TAS 7250
Phone:+61 3 6336 2642
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 994.6 D27w.)
Victoria[edit | edit source]
The Public Records Office - Victoria's Archives[edit | edit source]
Public Record Office - Victoria's Archives
Address: 112 Macaulay Road
99 Shiel St
North Melbourne VIC 3051
Phone:+61 3 9348 5600
Address: 328 Swanston St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone:03 8664 7000
A guide is Genealogical Sources. Victoria, Australia: Public Record Office, 1984. (FHL book 994.5/M1 D23g.)
Western Australia[edit | edit source]
The State Records f Western Australia[edit | edit source]
State Records of Western Australia
Address: James St
Perth WA 6000
Phone:+61 8 9427 3600
Address: 25 Francis St
Perth WA 6000
Phone: +61 8 9427 3111
Family and Local History Societies
[edit | edit source]
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 Australia lists family history organizations that are helpful to researchers.
University Archives[edit | edit source]
- Australian National University Archives (including Noel Butlin Archives Centre and Pacific Research Archives)
Other Archives[edit | edit source]
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:
General Guides to Archives
[edit | edit source]
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 994 J54w.)
- Australian Archives. Relations in records: a Guide to Family History Sources in the Australian Archives. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1988. (FHL book 994 A3r.) 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 994 A3h.)
FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]
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 - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS
AUSTRALIA, [STATE] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS
