Background tips

Prior to 1911 the area now known as the 'Australian Capital Territory' (ACT) was administratively part of New South Wales (NSW). Between 1 January 1911 and 29 July 1938, it was officially known as the 'Federal Capital Territory'.

For births in the Canberra region prior to 1918 and marriage and death records before 1930, use the indexes of NSW. Registrations of these events in the Canberra region may be recorded under the Districts of Queanbeyan or Yass.

Access Canberra

• ACT Historic Marriage Index (PDF version) (1930-1941): includes marriage registration number, given names and surnames of both parties, and the date of marriage.
• ACT Historic Death Index (PDF version) (1930-1986)
Includes death registration number, given names and surname of the deceased, the date of death and, in some entries, the given names and surnames of the deceased's father and mother

Subscriptions and databases

To use our subscription databases, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.

• Australian Capital Territory Marriages
• Australian Capital Territory Deaths 1930-1985
• Ryerson Index to Contemporary Death Notices and Obituaries in Australian Newspapers

Newspapers and newspaper index

• Canberra Times Index 1926-1974: A CD-ROM index including entries for deaths, funerals and in memoriam notices from the Canberra Times. Content is provided in the form of an Excel spreadsheet.

Divorce records

Depending on the year, divorce records are held by different places.

• 1876-1932: The ACT was part of NSW during this period. Divorce records are held by the State Archives and Records of NSW.
• 1933-1975: ACT Supreme Court
• 1976: Family Court of Australia.

Other places to search

• Canberra's Public Cemeteries: identify deaths, funerals and burials in the ACT.

Background tips

Civil registration of births, deaths and marriages in the Colony of New South Wales commenced in 1856. Prior to this date, baptisms, marriages and burials were recorded in church registers.

The New South Wales civil registration system also included the following areas when under New South Wales administration:

• Federal Capital Territory/Australian Capital Territory
• Northern Territory
• Queensland

NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages provides free, searchable, online indexes to:

• Births/baptisms 1788 - 100 years ago
• Marriages 1788 - 50 years ago
• Deaths/burials 1788 - 30 years ago

Go to the NSW BDM Registry

Subscriptions and databases

The Library offers access to Findmypast (World Edition). To use Findmypast, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.

It includes records for:

• New South Wales Births (1788–1914)
• New South Wales Marriages (1788–1945)
• New South Wales Deaths (1788–1945)

Access Findmypast via eResources now.

CD-ROMs

You can access these CD-Roms at the Library.

• New South Wales Pioneers Index, 1788-1918: includes church baptisms, marriage and burial records 1788-1856 (incomplete), and official birth, death and marriage records 1856-1918
• New South Wales Between the Wars Index 1919-1945: includes marriage and death records only.

Microfilm

You can access microfilm in the Library’s Newspapers and Family History zone.

• NSW Register of baptisms, burials, and marriages 1787-1856: the records form part of the State Archives and Records NSW Genealogical Research Kit - Stage 1.

To find a record number, search the NSW Birth, Death and Marriage Registry Index. Records prior to 1856 have volume reference numbers starting with V (example: V183214 26 where the year is 1832, entry number is 14 and volume number is 26).

The Library holds microfilm copies of Volumes 1–123 (out of 158), located in the New South Wales drawer AO 5001. Each microfilm box is labeled with the volume number corresponding to the index. You can purchase copies of volumes not held by the Library from the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Note: there may be errors in the place of registration on the indexes. Find out more about common errors on RootsWeb.

Divorce records

Divorce records for New South Wales commence from 1873 onward.

The State Archives and Records of New South Wales hold divorce records from 1873-1975. Refer to their guide for further information.

From 1976 onward, divorce records are the responsibility of the Commonwealth Family Court of Australia.

Other places to search

• State Archives and Records NSW Births, deaths and marriages guide
• NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry Records

Background tips

Administration of the area now known as the Northern Territory was by New South Wales until 1863. For births, deaths and marriages from the beginning of Civil Registration in 1856 to 1863 see New South Wales.

Between 1863-1870 administration of the Northern Territory was from Adelaide, South Australia and civil registration of births, deaths and marriages for that period can be found in South Australian records.

Subscriptions and databases

The Library offers access to Findmypast (World Edition). To use Findmypast, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.

It includes records for:

• Northern Territory Baptisms and Confirmations
• Northern Territory Birth Index 1870-1918
• Northern Territory Marriage Index 1870-1913
• Northern Territory Marriages
• Northern Territory Deaths

Access Findmypast via eResources now.

CD-ROMs

You can access these CD-Roms at the Library.

• Historical indices for births, deaths and marriages, Northern Territory includes:
  • Northern Territory births 1870-1918
  • Northern Territory marriages 1872-1913
  • Northern Territory deaths 1871-1913
• Northern Territory Australia deaths 1824-2004: this BTM Index of Northern Territory related deaths were extracted from cemeteries registers, headstones, newspapers, probates and police journals. Contains 31,000 records mainly from the NT but some Territorians who died or were buried in other places.

Microfilm

You can access microfilm in the Library’s Newspapers and Family History zone.

• Northern Territory births 1870-1902
• Northern Territory births index 1903-1918
• Northern Territory marriages 1870-1902
• Northern Territory marriages index 1903-1913
• Northern Territory deaths 1870-1902
• Northern Territory deaths index 1903-1913
• Lone graves of the Northern Territory of Australia from June 1839 to July 1976
• Alien births, alien deaths, overlanders, mining leases:
  • Northern Territory of Australia aliens index (deaths) 1875-1922
  • Northern Territory of Australia aliens index (births) 1888-1922

Background tips

Administration of the area now known as Queensland was by New South Wales until 1859. Compulsory registration of life events was introduced in 1856.

QLD Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Queensland Government provides free, searchable, online indexes to the following historical records:

• Births 1829 - 100 years ago
• Deaths 1829 - 30 years ago
• Marriages 1829 - 75 years ago

Go to the QLD Registry of BDM 

Subscriptions and databases

The Library offers access to Findmypast (World Edition). To use Findmypast, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.

• Queensland Deaths 1829-1964

Access Findmypast via eResources now.

CD-ROMs

You can access these CD-Roms at the Library.

• Queensland Pioneers Index 1829-1889: includes church records of baptisms and burials from 1829 and marriages from 1839. It also includes births, deaths and marriages recorded under the compulsory registration system introduced in March 1856 whilst Queensland was still part of the colony of New South Wales. Note: This is the first edition of the Queensland Pioneers Index 1829 - 1889 on CD-ROM and varies slightly from the fiche version as minor corrections have been made since the microfiche was released in 1997.
• Queensland Federation Index 1890-1914: includes records of all births, deaths and marriages registered in Queensland during the period 1 January 1890 to 31 December 1914.

Microfilm

You can access microfilm in the Library’s Newspapers and Family History zone.

Births

• Index to Queensland baptisms prior to 1856
• Births consolidated index 1850-1919

Marriages

• All indexes consolidation: genealogical index master report : range of years 1829-1889: also known as: Queensland pioneers index 1829-1889
• Queensland marriage [i.e. marriages] index, 1894-1899
• Index to Queensland marriages prior to 1856
• Country marriage [i.e. marriages] index, 1856-1893
• Marriages consolidated index [microform] : consolidated index master report / Registrar Generals Office: 1829-1939 available on microfiche. Years 1829-1914 of this index are networked on CD Rom.

Deaths

• Index to Queensland burials prior to 1856
• Brisbane death index, 1856-1894 
• Country death index, 1856-1894
• Queensland death [i.e. deaths] index, 1895-1899

Divorce records

Divorce records for Queensland commence from 1861 onward.

The Queensland State Archives hold divorce files for the Southern District (1857-2007) and the Northern District (1879-1976).

The following searchable indexes for divorce files are available via Data Queensland:

• Divorces 1861 to 1894: index compiled from the Matrimonial petitions created by the Supreme Court of Queensland, Southern District, Brisbane from 1861 to 1894
• Writs 1857-2008: index to Civil actions brought before the Supreme Court, Southern District, Brisbane. Includes divorce files 1894-1961.

From 1976 onward, divorce records are the responsibility of the Commonwealth Family Court of Australia.

Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages now provides a free searchable Historical index to:

• Church baptisms, marriages and burials 1836-1853
• Births 1853 -100 years ago
• Marriages 1853 - 60 years ago
• Deaths 1853 - 30 years ago
• Events at sea (Marine) births, deaths and marriages on ships bound for Victoria between 1853 and 1920. Ship's names are included on this index.

PDF images of historical certificates can be purchased and immediately downloaded online.

They also have an Index to Victorian Wills, Probate and Administration Records 1841-2016. Only records from 1841-1925 can be viewed online.

Subscriptions and databases

The Library offers access to Findmypast (World Edition) and Ancestry (Library Edition). To use Findmypast, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.

Ancestry (Library Edition)

• Victoria Birth Index 1837-1917
• Victoria Marriage Index 1837-1950
• Victoria Death Index 1836-1988

Findmypast (World Edition)

• Victoria Births 1836-1917
• Victoria Marriages 1836-1942
• Victoria Deaths 1836-1985

CD-ROMs

You can access these CD-Roms at the Library.

• Victorian Pioneers Index 1837-1888: church baptism, marriage and burial records 1837-1856; Official birth, death and marriage records 1856-1888.
• Federation Index. Victoria 1889-1901 Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria
• Edwardian Index. Victoria 1902-1913 Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria
• Great War Index. Victoria 1914-1920 Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria
• Marriage Index, Victoria 1921-1942: nearly 800,000 index entries representing over 300,000 registered marriages
• Death Index, Victoria 1921-1985
• Inquest Index Victoria 1840-1985
• Marine Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria 1853-1920: 6200 records of births, deaths and marriages on board international and coastal ships bound for Victoria.

Microfilm

You can access microfilm in the Library’s Newspapers and Family History zone. You can access microfilm in the Library’s Newspapers and Family History zone.

• Victorian pioneers index c1837-1888
• Federation index. Victoria 1889-1901
• Edwardian index. Victoria 1902-1913
• Great War index. Victoria 1914-1920
• Death index, Victoria 1921-1985

Divorce records

Divorce records for Victoria commence from 1861 onward.

The Supreme Court heard divorce cases in Victoria until 1975.

The Public Record Office of Victoria (PROV) hold records of divorce cases up until the end of 1944. Refer to their Divorce files and cause books webpage for further information. Digitised copies of these records can now be accessed through the Ancestry database.

From 1976 onward, divorce records are the responsibility of the Commonwealth Family Court of Australia.

Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages provides a free online index to the following:

• Births 1841-1932
• Marriages 1841 -1936
• Deaths 1841-1971

Requests for certificates should be directed to the registry.

Go to the WA BDM Registry

Subscriptions and databases

The Library offers access to Findmypast (World Edition). To use Findmypast, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.

It includes records for:

• Western Australia Birth Index
• Western Australia Marriage Index
• Western Australia Death Index

CD-ROMs

You can access these CD-Roms at the Library.

• (Uniting Church) Baptisms September 1840-May 1999: details of baptisms recorded in the registers that have passed through the Uniting Church of Australia, Synod of Western Australia Archives up to 1999. Approximately 72,000 entries show the following data - Surname, Given Name (of person being baptised), Father/Mothers Name, Family Residence, Father/Mothers Occupation, Birth/Baptism Dates, Denomination, Place of Baptism, Parish/Circuit, Minister, Register Index #1/2, Remarks.
• Marriage index of Western Australia 1915 to 1933: index of marriage records from the Registrar General's Office of Western Australia.
• WA Inquests 1876-1903: An Index of Inquests as Published in the Western Australian Police Gazettes: an index of approximately 3,500 inquests that were held in various Western Australian police courts to investigate fatalities that occurred in WA during the period 1876-1903.

Microfilm

You can access microfilm in the Library’s Newspapers and Family History zone.

• Index to General register of births, 1841-1880 [microform]
• Index to General register of births, 1881-1895 [microform]
• Index to general register of marriages 1841-1896 [microform]
• Western Australian marriages [microform]
• Index to General register of marriages, 1906-1965 [microform]: prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 17 of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Act, 1894-1956 / Edward J. Brownfield, Registrar General
• Index to general register of deaths 1841-1896, Western Australia [microform]
• Index to General register of deaths 1897-1905 [microform]: prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 17 of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Act, 1894-1956 / Edward J. Brownfield, Registrar General
• Index to general register of deaths 1906-1980, Western Australia
• Access to ancestors. Part 1 [microform]: a research kit of resources in the State Archives of Western Australia. This resource comprises 247 microfilm reels, 77 microfiche plus guide (36 p.) It includes pre 1842 baptisms, marriages and burials recorded by the Anglican Church in Western Australia. Note: A description of these records can be found in the Access to Ancestors' guide in the Newspapers and Family History zone Reference Collection.

Divorce records

Divorce records for Western Australia commence from 1864 onward and are held by the State Records Office of Western Australia.

• Divorce records from 1864-1975 were the responsibility of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
• Divorce records from 1976 onward are the responsibility of the Family Court of Western Australia.