Resources
The National Archives has the following resources to assist you in researching your family history.
Publications
Several of our publications cover the topics of family history are available to browse in our reading rooms and in many libraries around Australia. You can find also purchase them from our online shop.
Finding Families: The Guide to the National Archives of Australia for Genealogists
Family Journeys: Stories in the National Archives of Australia
Footprints: The Journey of Lucy and Percy Pepper
In the Interest of National Security: Civilian Internment in Australia during World War II
Research guides
The Archives research guides provide detailed listings of records in the collection relating to particular subjects, including some of interest to family historians. Research guides are available to download for free as pdf files through our online shop. Printed copies are also available to purchase.
Other resources
Family history articles; topics include copyright, post office and maritime records, as well as records relating to migrant communities such as the Dutch and Japanese.
Fact sheets on family history research provide an overview of the topic with links to a selection of records in our collection database, RecordSearch.
Destination Australia website features more than 20,000 photographs of migrants who arrived in Australia from all over the world after World War II. You, or someone you know, could be among them. Share your migration story.
Mapping our Anzacs website enables a search of over 375,000 digitised Australian Army records of service from World War I. You can locate a service person, contribute by adding a note or photograph to the scrapbook or build a tribute to a group of service men and women.
Memento and Your Memento articles
Secrets and spies (pdf, 1.83mb), Memento, Issue 26
Grandma's Chinese whispers (pdf, 1.52mb), Memento, Issue 27
Family journeys: stories in the National Archives (pdf, 2.38mb), Memento, Issue 34
A family's history: finding Michael, Your Memento, Issue 2, 2011
Other organisations that could help
A range of other organisations can help you. Local organisations, such as libraries, archives and historical societies, often have specialised collections relating to their local areas. If you know the region, town or suburb where your ancestors lived or worked, it may be worthwhile making contact. Likewise some churches, schools and businesses also keep archives that might be relevant to your research.
Addresses of Australian archival institutions
Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations Inc (AFFHO)
Directory of Archives in Australia
Online resources
There are a growing number of websites for family historians. When you are using online resources, it is worthwhile considering who has put the information together and whether you trust them as a source.
Remember, that other sites charge for access to information that is available for free through archives and libraries – if you are willing to do a little legwork!
