Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
TROVE - NEWSPAPERS
This allows text-searching of digitised historic newspapers. The newspapers have been scanned and the text from the articles has been captured by optical character recognition. The titles include the major Melbourne newspapers:
and
Other more short lived early newspapers which did not survive the goldrushes include:
Major regional newspapers include:
Religious newspapers include:
Also included are many regional and suburban, religious, ethnic, women's, sporting, occupational and financial newspapers covering Victoria and Australia.
To find newspaper mentions using keywords: use the pulldown menu to do a specific search for "Newspapers and Gazettes". For a more focused search: use the "Advanced Search" and use the pulldown menu to do a specific search for "Newspapers and Gazettes". A search can then be made by title, place or date range.
To browse newspapers by title:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/
GOOGLE NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES
Victorian Newspapers include:
https://news.google.com/newspapers
THE AGE DIGITAL EDITION
This includes complete content including advertisements and images for The Age from 2006 to the present. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/az.php?s=45723
NEWS (GALE ONEFILE)
This includes text only articles from The Age (1991-present), Herald Sun (1996-2004, 2009-present), The Australian (1996-2004, 2009-present), Bendigo Advertiser (2003-present) and various suburban and regional newspapers. It does not include images or advertisements. This is searchable. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/az.php?s=45723
PROQUEST AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND NEWSSTREAM
This includes text only articles from The Age (1996-present), Herald Sun (2001-present), The Australian (2001-present), Geelong Advertiser (2009-present) and various regional and suburban newspapers. It does not include images or advertisements. This is searchable. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/az.php?s=45723
NEWSBANK
This includes text only articles from The Age (1991-present), Herald Sun (1999-present), The Australian (1998-present), Weekly Times (1998-present), Geelong Advertiser (2003-present), Bendigo Advertiser (2003-present) and various regional and suburban newspapers. In addition the more recent editions of the major titles include an image format. This database is searchable. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card. It is accessible through the catalogue.
AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
This includes text only articles from the Australian Financial Review (September 2013-present). It does not include images or advertisements. This is searchable. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/az.php?s=45723
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - SERVICE NEWSPAPERS OF WORLD WAR TWO
These are digitised, full text newspapers covering the period of World War Two. Featuring over 200 titles from England, US, New Zealand and Australia which were produced for military and civilian units serving at home and abroad. Australian titles include AIF News, Guinea Gold Australia Edition, Wings (Official magazine of the R.A.A.F.), Salt (Authorized Australian Army Education Journal), and The First Aider. A State Library of Victoria library card is required for access.
DAREBIN HERITAGE - NORTHCOTE LEADER
Images only.
1888-1959
https://heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au/newspapers
1960-1977
https://heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au/Newspapers/1107/northcote-leader-1960-onwards
DAREBIN HERITAGE - PRESTON POST TIMES 1978-1994
Images only.
https://heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au/Newspapers/1086/preston-post-times-1978-onwards
FINDMYPAST - AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN 1913-1966
The Australian Lutheran was the nationwide magazine for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia (ELCA). It is searchable.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/australian-lutheran
FINDMYPAST - SCOTTISH AUSTRALASIAN MAGAZINE 1910-1918
The magazine has articles on a wide range of topics relating to Scotland - articles on well known Scots in Australasia, Home news, missing friends, "personal paragraphs', obituaries, the clans, and much more.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/scottish-australasian-magazine
KOORI MAIL 1991-PRESENT
Australian Institute of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Studies website has a digitized collection of the Koori Mail, Australia's fortnightly national Indigenous newspaper. This is from 1991 to the present. This is located at:
HERALD SUN TRIBUTES 1998-PRESENT
This includes death, funeral and memorial notices for the Herald Sun from 1998 to the present. There is a searchable index.
http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/
FINDMYPAST - HERALD SUN FUNERAL NOTICES 1981-1997
Deaths from funeral notices in the Melbourne Sun News Pictorial/Herald Sun for country funerals, c.1981-1997 incl. a few metropolitan entries. Author/compiler: Noela Lawrence.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-funeral-notices
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - HERALD SUN FUNERAL NOTICES 1981-1997
These include notices in the Melbourne Sun News Pictorial/ Herald Sun for country funerals from 1981 to 1997. It includes a few metropolitan entries. Author/compiler: Noela Lawrence. They may be searched through Milestones.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - HERALD-SUN MARRIAGE AND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY NOTICES 1992-1996
These include marriage notices and wedding anniversary notices from Melbourne Herald-Sun 1 January 1992 to 31 Mar 1996. Author/compiler: Noel Webb. They may be searched through Milestones.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - DEATH NOTICES 1988-1992
This is an index to newspaper death notices in Victoria from newspapers available at State Library Victoria. Author/compiler: Terry Kearins. It may be searched through Milestones.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
LEGACY.COM
This includes death, funeral and memorial notices for The Age, Ballarat Courier, Bendigo Advertiser, The Border Mail and various regional newspapers.
FAMILYSEARCH - MITCHELL LIBRARY, INDEX CARDS TO PORT PHILLIP GAZETTE 1828-1845
Original records at the Mitchell Library, Sydney. Start date of 1828 is incorrect.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/242186?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - GEELONG ADVERTISER BIRTH, DEATH AND MARRIAGE NOTICES 1840-1848
Complied by Daryl Wight.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/630606?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - IAN WYND INDEX TO GEELONG ADVERTISER TRADES AND BUSINESSES 1840-1851
Records in possession of the Geelong Historical Records Centre.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/157683?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - GEELONG ADVERTISER NEWSPAPER INDEX 1849-1934
Records in possession of the Geelong Historical Records Centre.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/274094?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - GEELONG ADVERTISER NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS 1900-1920
Records held at Geelong Historical Records Centre, Geelong.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/541172?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - W.J. MORROW GEELONG ADVERTISER SUMMARY 1850-1866, 1870-1883, 1885-1900
This includes indexes for each year. There is also an index of photographs 1923-1935. Records in possession of the Geelong Historical Records Centre.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/274090?availability=Family%20History%20Library
GEELONG ADVERTISER TRIBUTES
This includes death, funeral and memorial notices for the Geelong Advertiser from 2011 to the present. There is a searchable index.
http://tributes.geelongadvertiser.com.au/
RYERSON INDEX
This is an index to death notices, funeral notices, obituaries and legal notices in Australian newspapers. Victorian newspapers include The Age (1949-present), Herald Sun (1999-present), The Argus (1927-1957), Geelong Advertiser (2007-present), Ballarat Courier (2009-2018), Bendigo Advertiser (2005-present), Border Mail (2003-present) and various regional and suburban newspapers.
http://ryersonindex.org/search.php
FAMILYSEARCH - AUSTRALIA MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL RECORDS 1776-1980
These are miscellaneous Australian genealogical records. This material is handwritten or typed on index cards. The cards are filed in alphabetical order by surname. Some index cards are transcripts of newspaper reports of births, marriages and deaths; some are transcripts of various vital records, and so on. The emphasis appears to be New South Wales, with some records from Victoria.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1538298
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA, NEWSPAPER VITAL NOTICES 1831-2001
This database contains birth, marriage, and death notices from three Australian Newspapers for the years 1831-2001: The Age, The Sydney Mail, and The Sydney Morning Herald. The entire collection is available to browse (The Age may be browsed from 1854-2000), though at this time the searchable index is complete only for a portion of the collection.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=9091
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, OBITUARY INDEX, 2004-PRESENT
This database includes extracted data from death notices found in Australian and New Zealand newspapers.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=8962
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA, NEWSPAPERS.COM MARRIAGE INDEX, 1800s-PRESENT
An additional subscription for Newspapers.com may be required depending on the type of Ancestry subscription held.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/62224/
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA, NEWSPAPERS.COM OBITUARY INDEX, 1800s-PRESENT
An additional subscription for Newspapers.com may be required depending on the type of Ancestry subscription held.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/62223/
FAMILYSEARCH - THE MOUNT ALEXANDER MAIL, CASTLEMAINE BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES AND DEPARTURES 1854-1900
Records in possession of Mr. M. J. Blume, Castlemaine. These include births 1854-1880, 1891-1900, 1881-1890, marriages 1854-1900 deaths 1854-4 Feb. 1899, 1 Feb. 1899-1900 and departures 1871-1890.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/204661?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - BENALLA AND DISTRICT NEWSPAPER INDEX OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES 1890-1992
Original records housed with the Benalla Family History Group, Benalla.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/697525?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - OBITUARIES, EAST GIPPSLAND c1920-1960
Original records in possession of Linda Barraclough, Bairnsdale, Victoria. This contains obituaries from newspapers with an index by the East Gippsland Historical Society.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/207199?availability=Family%20History%20Library
STATE LIBRARY OF NEW SOUTH WALES - INFOKOORI, AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS INDEX
INFOKOORI is an index to the Koori Mail a national fortnightly newspaper published in Lismore, New South Wales, that focuses on the Indigenous people of Australia, from May 1991 to July 2016. It is also an index to biographical information from various magazines including: Our Aim (1907-1961), Dawn (1952-1969), New Dawn (1970-1975) and Identity (1971-1982). Other historical information about Aboriginal people and communities, from newspapers published in NSW, is also being added to INFOKOORI.
https://primo-slnsw.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/search?vid=KOORI
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON THE ARGUS MISSING FRIENDS INDEX 1851-1855
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON PORT PHILLIP HERALD PASSENGER INDEX 1840-1846
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON THE ARGUS PASSENGER INDEX 1846-1868
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON TICKETS OF LEAVE AND CERTIFICATES OF FREEDOM 1840-1851
These are extracted from the Port Phillip Herald and The Argus. A list of exiles in January 1848 is included.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON DEPASTURING LICENCES INDEX 1840-1851
These are extracted from Port Phillip Herald and The Argus.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON ELECTORAL LISTS INDEX 1841-1851
These are extracted from the Port Phillip Herald and The Argus.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON INSOLVENCY INDEX 1840-1854
These are extracted from Port Phillip Herald and The Argus.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON SUPREME COURT: CRIMINAL SESSIONS INDEX NOV. 1850 - DEC. 1865
This was compiled from reports in The Argus.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - MARION BUTTON THE ARGUS COURT REPORTS 1851-1856
This includes victims, witnesses, jurors and accused.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
TROVE - MAGAZINES AND NEWSLETTERS
This allows text-searching of digitised magazines and newsletters. The magazines and newsletters have been scanned and the text from the articles has been captured by optical character recognition.
Included are Australian serial publications, including popular magazines, literary and special interest journals, and born-digital publications. Smaller organisation publications are also included, such as school yearbooks or newsletters from special events.
Note that The Australian Women's Weekly is included on Trove under "Newspapers and Gazettes".
To find magazine or newsletter mentions using keywords: use the pulldown menu to do a specific search for "Magazines and Newsletters". For a more focused search: use the "Advanced Search" and use the pulldown menu to do a specific search for "Magazines and Newsletters". A search can then be made by title, place or date range.
For literary and special interest journals see "Trove - Magazines and Newsletters" above.
TROVE - RESEARCH AND REPORTS
This includes:
To find these using keywords: use the pulldown menu to do a specific search for "Research and Reports".
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - JSTOR
Journals, primary sources and books are searchable. This may be accessed through the library catalogue. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - PROQUEST PERIODICALS INDEX ONLINE
Articles published in the arts, humanities and social sciences are searchable. This may be accessed through the library catalogue. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - INFORMIT COLLECTION
Australian magazines, journals and newspapers are searchable. This may be accessed through the library catalogue. This is viewable online at the State Library of Victoria website with a State Library of Victoria library card.
GOOGLE SCHOLAR
https://scholar.google.com.au/
ACPL GENEALOGY CENTER - PERSI INDEX
The PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) contains over 2.5 million entries from thousands of historical, genealogical and ethnic publications. Most of PERSI's articles are from periodicals covering the United States and Canada, but there are also thousands of genealogy and local history entries (in both English and French) from Britain, Ireland and Australia.
https://genealogycenter.info/persi/
FINDMYPAST - PERSI INDEX
The PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) contains over 2.5 million entries from thousands of historical, genealogical and ethnic publications. Most of PERSI's articles are from periodicals covering the United States and Canada, but there are also thousands of genealogy and local history entries (in both English and French) from Britain, Ireland and Australia.
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - ANCESTOR JOURNAL 2012-PRESENT
This is the quarterly Journal of the Genealogical Society of Victoria. Access is for members only.
https://www.gsv.org.au/ancestor-journal-current-and-past-issues
FAMILY HISTORY CONNECTIONS - THE GENEALOGIST 2015-PRESENT
This index may be viewed online at the Family History Connections website. For members only.
https://www.familyhistoryconnections.org.au/index.php/resources
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - VICTORIAN HISTORICAL JOURNAL 1911-2012
This is the journal of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. It was originally called Victorian Historical Magazine. There is an online index for 1911-2007.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/victorian-historical-journal-0
ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - VICTORIAN HISTORICAL JOURNAL 2013-PRESENT
This is the journal of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/victorian-historical-journal-back-issues/
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - LATROBE JOURNAL 1968-PRESENT
This is a scholarly publication produced by State Library Victoria. It features articles written by researchers using the library's collections as source material.
http://latrobejournal.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/index.html
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - PROVENANCE 2003-PRESENT
This is the journal of Public Record Office Victoria. It features articles written by researchers using the archival holdings as source material.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/provenance-journal/about-provenance
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - JOURNAL OF COMMERCE OF VICTORIA AND MELBOURNE 1858-1932
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/journal-commerce
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - THE JOURNAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OF VICTORIA 1902-1955
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/journal-department-agriculture-victoria
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - THE TRAVELLER 1890-1905
This is the official journal of the Commercial Travellers' Association of Victoria.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/traveller
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - MUFTI 1934-2000
The official journal of the Returned and Services League (RSL) Victorian Branch.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/mufti
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - AUSTRALIAN CYCLIST 1893-1905
A journal for cyclists covering racing, touring and the trade of cycling in Australia.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/australian-cyclist
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - THE AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE 1869-1871
The journal of the Medical Association of Victoria.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/australian-medical-gazette
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - THE AUSTRALASIAN DECORATOR AND PAINTER 1905-1924
A technical journal for decorators, painters, signwriters and paperhangers.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/australasian-decorator-painter
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