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Well-resourced libraries and 6 historical societies make Boroondara a great place to research your family or local history. Here’s how to get started.
But first – a warning. Most amateur researchers are looking for connection – to family, their past or where they live. And in seeking that, you might get hooked on the chase! Our local and family history team tells us that researching family history in particular can get addictive because you’re finding people’s stories. While genealogy is just a family tree, delving into history is ‘like being a detective’.
Whether researching your family or a local club or community, first gather the information you already have, including documents, records and photos. Record important dates and addresses.
Talk to family elders, or older people in the organisation you're researching. If you’re seeking family history, this can kick off a lovely intergenerational conversation. Move beyond names, dates and addresses: What did you do for fun? What was your first job? What historical events do you remember and how did they affect you? Also ask if anyone in the wider family has already done some research – an aunt or cousin might have started the detective work.
Once you start researching, always take notes about where you get your information and where you looked, even if you don’t find something. This way you can find the good stuff again and won’t go over old ground in what can be an overwhelming search.
If researching family, move backwards one generation at a time to your parents, grandparents and beyond, and collect documents as you go.
A library membership gives you free access to specialist resources. Kick off your search with Boroondara Libraries’ 3 online research guides – for family history, local history and house history. Each of these has a wealth of resources and useful tips. Find them at our Local and family history page.
Boroondara has 6 historical societies – for Balwyn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Hawthorn, Kew and Surrey Hills. All host regular talks and presentations and can be contacted for research enquiries. Some have drop-in sessions.
Get free access to the world’s biggest family history resource including census records, court and legal documents, immigration records, military records, directories, rate books, electoral rolls, photos and more. You’ll need to be on library wi-fi at one of our branches to access this.
This family history and genealogy website has millions of records from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Ireland. You’ll need to be on library wi-fi at one of our branches to use this.
The National Library of Australia’s search platform has historical Australian newspapers up to about 1955. Search them for public notices including birth, marriage and death announcements.
If your family has British ancestry this might be helpful. It includes British and colony newspapers that can reveal valuable clues about why your family may have migrated to Australia.
For local resources go to our 2 history collections. In the Local History Collection you’ll find books on local places, people and groups as well as broader information on the history of Victoria. You can look at these at Hawthorn Library but they aren’t loaned out. The Boroondara Heritage Collection has thousands of local records along with rare and fragile items and around 10,000 photos dating back to the 1870s. Some records in this collection have been digitised and you can view them through the library catalogue or put in a request to view them at Hawthorn Library.
Includes Progress Press and Leader publications, Boroondara Bulletins, Camberwell City News, Kewriosity and more.
All our branches have books about local history that you can borrow. Browse the shelves around 929.1 for books about researching family history.
If you need help with your research, librarians at each of our libraries can help, or you can use our online Ask a librarian form.
It meets monthly at Camberwell Library to learn about resources and help members through research roadblocks.
Keep an eye out for library events at our Library events page. And check out our October Local History Month events below.
