Key Resources

Collections

J.S. Battye Library
The State Library holds a large collection of material published in, or relating to, Western Australia. This collection includes books, serials, newspapers, maps, ephemera, oral history, private archives, photographs and film and video. A great deal of this material will be of interest to the genealogist who has ancestors or family with a connection to Western Australia.

State Records Office
The State Records Office has the responsibility for preserving and providing access to archival records created by Colonial and State Governments, as well as local authorities, in Western Australia. Many of these records will provide information about Western Australians who either worked for the government or who had contact with the government. These records are a mine of information for the genealogist.

Aboriginal Affairs Records
The State Records Office holds extensive records relating to Aboriginal Affairs in Western Australia. Many of these records will be of interest to genealogists.

Services

The Genealogy Centre
The Genealogy Centre located Alexander Library Building in Perth, Western Australia is a great starting point for genealogists.

Major References

The Western Australian Post Office Directories
The WA post office directories published during the period 1893-1949 are an invaluable source of information for anyone doing family history or research on Western Australia.

Dead Reckoning : How to Find Your Way Through the Genealogical Jungle of Western Australia
A comprehensive guide to the publications and documentary collections which contain information relevant to genealogy and family history in Western Australia.

Convict Records of Western Australia : a Research Guide
A comprehensive guide to records in the United Kingdom and Western Australia relating to convicts sent to Western Australia.

Our Military Ancestors : a Guide to Sources in the J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History and the State Archives of Western Australia
A comprehensive guide to publications and documentary collections which contain information relevant to the military in Western Australia.

Order in the Court : a Guide to the Records of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
A comprehensive guide to the records of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, many of which contain information about individuals in the form of criminal records, wills and letters of administration, divorce, conscientious objectors, etc.

Lookin for Your Mob : a Guide to Tracing Aboriginal Family Trees
A comprehensive guide to assist Aboriginal people in the tracing of family.

The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians
This indispensable dictionary consists of seven volumes. The first four volumes cover people in Western Australia 1829 to 1888, volume five covers people in Western Australia 1889 to 1914, volume six covers Aboriginal people of the Albany region 1821 to 1898 and volume seven covers Aboriginal people of the New Norcia area 1845 to 1914.

Asian Immigrants to Western Australia, 1829-1900
This volume covers Asian immigrants to Western Australia 1829 to 1901 and has entries for Chinese, Japanese, Afghan, Indian, Filipino and Malay people.

Aborigines of the Southwest Region, 1829-1840
This volume covers Aboriginal people of the south-west region in the period 1829 to 1840.

Convicts in Western Australia 1850-1887 : Dictionary of Western Australians. Volume IX
This volume covers the convicts who came to Western Australia in the period 1850 to 1868 with some information on their time in Western Australia.

Far From Home, Aboriginal Prisoners of Rottnest Island 1838-1931
A work that covers the Aboriginal people imprisoned on Rottnest Island in the period 1838 to 1931.

The Veterans : a History of the Enrolled Pensioner Force in Western Australia, 1850-1880
Contains information about all the men in the Enrolled Pensioner Force who came out from England as guards for the convicts.

The First Five Hundred : Being an Index of the Names of Settlers who Came to the Swan River Settlement of Western Australia Between 2nd June 1829 and 14th November, 1829
Provides information about the first five hundred settlers to Western Australia.

Lonely Graves of Western Australia & Burials at Sea
Contains information about Western Australians buried in out-of-the-way places and at sea.

Nyungar Tradition : Glimpses of Aborigines of South-Western Australia, 1829-1914
Contains references to many of the Nyungar people of south-western Australia in the period 1829 to 1914. Journals

Western Ancestor : Journal of Western Australian Genealogical Society
This serial contains information relating to new members and their interests, Society news, special articles generally relating to family history research, and information about branches and the various committee members. Many of the branches of the Western Australian Genealogical Society also publish newsletters.

Convict Links : Newsletter of Convict Historical & Research Group
A newsletter containing information of interest to those researching convicts in Western Australia.

Midwest Ancestry : Quarterly Magazine of the Geraldton Family History Society
This regional serial contains information of interest to those researching people in the mid-west of Western Australia.

Settlers Gazette : Newsletter of the Swan River Pioneers 1829-1838 Special Interest Group
This serial contains information of interest to those researching the early settlers of the colony.

The Scottish Forum : Newsletter of the Scottish Group of the Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc
This serial contains information of interest to those researching Western Australians with Scottish ancestry.

Newsletter / Western Australian Genealogical Society, Irish Group
This serial contains information of interest to those researching Western Australians with Irish ancestry. Indexes

Western Australian Family History Indexes
A wealth of information on people and their movements can be gleaned from the State Library's indexes.  They cover convicts, births, deaths, marriages, cemetery listings, passenger lists, among others.  Other more general indexes can also be useful.

Community Resources

Interest/Support Groups

Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc.
This is an active group of genealogical enthusiasts. Their web site provides many useful links.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has gathered genealogical records from all over the world. These records are available at the

Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and through Family History Centres throughout the world, including several in Western Australia.

FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service
This fantastic site run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints allows for online searching of the Ancestral File and the International Genealogical Index (British Isles, North America and Finland regions). These databases provide access to the vast collection of genealogical resources collected and indexed by the Church which is based in Utah, U.S.A. Professional Associations

Professional Historians and Researchers Association (WA) Inc.
This society promotes professional history and research according to a code of practice, advises on desirable terms of employment, disseminates information, conducts seminars and workshops to encourage professional development. Its members may be available to carry out genealogical research for a fee.

Other Information Resources

Government

Western Australian Government Agency Sites
Provides access to the web pages of a large number of government agencies, including some holding records of interest to the genealogist, e.g. Department of Indigenous Affairs, the Education Department, the Electoral Commission, Family and Children's Services, the Department of Land Administration and the Western Australian Police Service.

Department of the Attorney General - Births, Deaths & Marriages
The Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages is responsible for the registration of births, deaths and marriages in Western Australia. Copies of certificates can be obtained for personal use.

Net Links

Convicts to Australia : a Guide to Researching Your Convict Ancestors
This wonderful site is intended to guide, inform and entertain those just starting the hunt for a convict ancestor, as well as the more experienced researcher. Links are provided to a range of overseas and Australian based sites of interest to convict researchers.

Western Australian Convicts 1850-1868
Compiled from various records held at the State Library, this site contains details of the c10,000 convicts transported to Western Australia from the United Kingdom in the period 1850 - 1868, and also has links to other sites of interest relating to convicts.

Dead Persons Society
The Dead Persons Society is a name adopted by a group of genealogists from around Australia who congregate on the Internet and have an interest in family history, computing and other genealogical pursuits. Now run from Murdoch University's Teaching and Learning Centre, the site has information on people, convicts, military movements and pages on specific names being researched by members.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has an on-line Debt of Honour Register which provides personal and service details and places of commemoration for the 1,700,000 members of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars. Details of the 60,000 civilian casualties of World War II are also given.

Western Australian Genealogical Society (Inc.) Genealogy Sites
Interesting genealogical sites found in member's travels around the Internet.

Department of Indigenous Affairs Family History Service
The Department of Indigenous Affairs holds a great many records which would be of interest to anyone searching Aboriginal genealogies.

Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial contains records of Australians (including Western Australians) who fought in the wars of this century.

Irish Transportation Records
There were many Irish convicts transported to Australia (including Western Australia) and this site allows you to search on the Irish Convicts Database.

Australian Family History and Genealogy on the Internet
This has links to many sites on the Internet which are of relevance to the genealogist.

CD-ROMs

The Western Australian Pioneers Index 1841-1905 [computer file]
This CD-ROM, produced by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology for the Registrar General's Office of Western Australia, contains all registered births, deaths and marriages for Western Australia in the period 1841-1905. It is also available in microfiche format, but the CD-ROM version allows much more sophisticated search techniques.

Databases

Western Australian Newspapers' Index
The Battye Library has dial up access to Western Australian Newspapers' Index to "The West Australian" (Perth's major daily newspaper), "The Countryman" and "The Kalgoorlie Miner" for the period 3 August 1987 to date. Searches on people's names can be carried out by staff (the database is not searchable by the public), and a list of references showing date, page number, headline and column can be produced.