Find Australian records

Australia’s records are held by different states and agencies. Record where an event occurred before choosing a registry or archive.

Make a start

1. Identify jurisdiction and date

   Civil registration and archive access rules vary by state and period.

2. Search official indexes

   Start with BDM indexes, Trove, National Archives and State Archives catalogues before subscribing or ordering.

3. Check the result type

   Distinguish an index, transcript, image and certificate. Each may contain different detail and limitations.

4. Capture the reference

   Keep registration numbers, series/item references, persistent URLs and the search date.

Free does not always mean full access

A free search result may lead to a restricted image, an on-site record or a paid certificate. Check the provider’s current access description before making a purchase.

Libraries may offer access to subscribed databases. Ask about availability before travelling rather than assuming a named service is available.

Examples: free digital material

National Archives of Australia RecordSearch: search for a person or file and open “View digital copy” where it appears. Many records are already digitised for free viewing; the National Archives says the First Australian Imperial Force service-record series B2455 has been digitised. Download available page images using its viewer, and retain the item reference. Access to other records may be restricted or require a request.

A free index is a finding aid, not necessarily an image. NSW’s historical family-history index points to birth, death and marriage registrations; Trove provides digitised newspapers and other material. Availability, copyright and download options differ by item and collection.

Examples: records and copies that may cost money

Victoria’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages offers an uncertified historical certificate image for purchase and immediate download when the record is available. An official certificate is a different product. Check current eligibility, prices, intended use and download time limits on the Registry site.

For NSW, the Registry offers certificates for eligible historical registrations; it also lists family-history transcription agents who can supply a paid transcription or check. A transcription is not an image or certified copy. Compare the options and current fees before ordering.

At the National Archives, a digital copy can be ordered for eligible undigitised public paper records, subject to the service conditions and charges. An existing “View digital copy” is a different path from a paid request to digitise an item.

Keep the record with its context

When saving an image or PDF, record the archive, collection or series, item or registration number, page, date accessed and persistent link. A downloaded image can still contain a transcription or reporting error; compare original entries and independent records before drawing conclusions.

A worked example

This example is fictional and illustrates a research method, not a real historical finding.

Which record should I order?

Suppose an NSW historical index returns several registrations for the same name. Record each district, year and registration number, then compare what you already know with newspaper notices and other available indexes.

If one candidate is plausible, check current access rules, fees and what the available certificate or transcription can contain before ordering. The index entry is a pointer to a registration, not the complete record.

Useful resources

• Trove - Notices, reports, advertisements, people and place context.
• National Archives of Australia RecordSearch/NameSearch - Migration, naturalisation, defence and Commonwealth records.
• Museums of History NSW / State Archives family-history guide - Convicts, assisted immigrants, probate, schools, land and NSW government records.
• NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages - NSW births, marriages, deaths and pre-1856 church records.
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria - Victorian registrations and certificates.
• Births, Deaths and Marriages South Australia - South Australian registrations.
• Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages - Queensland registrations and interstate reconstruction.
• Western Australia: historical BDM index - Finding historical Western Australian births, marriages and deaths before ordering copies.
• Tasmanian Names Index and digitised records - Early Tasmanian births, marriages, deaths, church records and other archives.
• Northern Territory: BDM historical searches - Requesting eligible Northern Territory birth, death and marriage searches.
• ACT historical marriage and death indexes - Finding ACT marriage and death registrations and the appropriate registry reference.
• Genealogy SA online databases - South Australian birth, death, marriage, newspaper and other family-history indexes.

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Common questions