Family & Local History

Overview of Library Local & Family History Services

Nambucca Shire Libraries house a growing collection of books on local families and the history of the Nambucca, together with items on genealogy world-wide.

Our main history & genealogy centre
is in Macksville Library.
Come in and browse local newspapers
on microfilm or search Ancestry.com
or Find My Past. Our state of the art
microfilm scanning facilities allow you
to view, print, save or email articles from
local newspapers. We have copies of
the papers from 1909 to 2014 as
well as one edition from 1899!

 

Getting Started on Family History

Guides to Family History Research - These family history research guides encompass the lives and ancestory of individuals and families originating in, or connected to, New South Wales.

How to Start Your Family Tree - This site provides some general guidance on how to access the vast amount of information held by State Records, plus other resources in New South Wales and Australia.
 

FindMyPast.com.au

A family history and genealogy website with millions of records covering Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. Access in Macksville Library, please book your session by contacting Macksville Library on 02 65681422.
 

Ancestry.com.au

A genealogy research tool which provides access to a wide range of resources. More than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases, including records from the census; military records; court, land and probate records; vital and church records; directories; passenger lists and more. Access in Macksville Library, please book your session by contacting Macksville Library on 02 65681422.

 

Births, Deaths & Marriages

Ryerson Index - an index to death notices and obituaries in Australian newspapers

Obituaries Australia - a digital repository of obituaries published in newspapers, journals, magazines and bulletins.  You will find life stories of Australians from the earliest times to the present

NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - an online index to births (1788-1907), deaths (1788-1977) and marriages (1788-1957)

The Australian Capital Territory Registrar-General's Office

Northern Territory Births, Deaths and Marriages Office

Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

South Australia Births, Deaths and Marriages

Tasmania Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Victoria Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Western Australia Department of the Attorney General - Births, Deaths and Marriages

 

Convict Records

Online Indexes to Convict Records - State Records NSW, includes Index to Certificates of Freedom, Index to Tickets of Exemption from Government Labor, Index to convict Bank Accounts, Convict Exiles and many others

Convicts Transported to Australia

First Fleet Online - information on First Fleet convicts compiled by University of Wollongong

Society of Australian Genealogist's

Irish Penal Transportation Records Ireland to Australia 1788 - 1868 - the National Archives of Ireland Transportation database

Patricia Downe's Genealogy Pages - lists arrivals in Sydney on the First, Second and Third Fleets

Proceedings of the Old Bailey - London's Central Criminal Court 1674 to 1913

 

Service Records

Australian War Graves South African Boer War 1899-1902 - compiled by The Heraldry & Genealogy Society of Canberra

Australian War Memorial - information about Australia's involvement in war

Commonwealth War Graves Commission - records relating to those who died in World War 1 and World War 2

National Archives of Australia Service Records - records about service in the Australian Defence forces from 1901

Mapping our ANZACS - a tool to browse records of service in the Australian Army during World War 1

 

Shipping Records

Convictions: Australian Shipping Arrivals and Departures (1788-1968)

Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters - an online index of passenger and crew lists for ships arriving in Australian waters 1845-1922, continually updated

NSW Ship Musters 1816-1825 - online database compiled by Society of Australian Genealogists

State Records NSW Immigration and Shipping - includes assisted and unassisted immigrants arriving in Sydney, Newcastle, Moreton Bay and Port Phillip

 

State Library of NSW Digitized Subdivision Plans

A glimpse into the past. ��

The @statelibrarynsw has just digitised over 4600 subdivision plans from 460 regional towns in NSW – including Nambucca Heads! 

These posters were popular during the 1860s to 1930s and were produced by real estate agents to advertise land sales. They were usually discarded once a property was sold.

Luckily for us, the State Library has collected and preserved thousands of maps and subdivisions plans across the state and are now available to explore online.

Explore the collection: https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/research-and-collections/significant-collections/subdivision-plans