To search all records in Australia, visit our Australia research page and click Search in the top-right corner. To search within a specific collection, follow these steps:
- In the Keyword(s) field in the top-left corner of the page, enter a keyword and click Search.
- Select a record collection on the right.
- On the page for that data collection, enter information and click Search.
- On the page of search results, click View Record beside a record on the right.
Vital records
From 1901 to 1996, it was Australian government policy to destroy census records after the statistical analysis for the census was completed, so finding vital records in Australia can be a challenge.
It's a good idea start by looking for birth, marriage and death records. Death certificates often include a person's age, where they were born, where they died, when they married, their cause of death, and even their parents' names.
If your ancestor was born in a colony of Australia, the number of years they lived in the colony will be included in the death certificate. This detail can be used to search immigration records for more information.