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Researching your Victorian ancestors

A guide to family history research using the major Victorian resources

Map resources

For information on how to find urban, suburban, rural and agricultural maps please consult the Maps for local and family history research guide.

This guide provides extensive information on how to access a range of maps, plans and directories, including -

  • Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works plans.
  • township and parish plans
  • historical plans
  • Mahlstedt fire insurance plans for central Melbourne
  • auction plans
  • information on how to locate pastoral and agricultural properties
  • gazetteers
  • guides to identifying place names
  • street directories

 

Whats on

  • Finding families In this introductory webinar, learn the principles of family history research and find out how to access family history resources through the State Library Victoria.
     
  • Researching your home This webinar will help to answer the questions and curiosities you may have about your family home, whether it’s the house you’re living in now or the scene of your childhood memories. In this session we will include ways to research your family home, finding previous occupants and uncovering  the social history of the area.
     
  • Newsworthy learn how to navigate the Library’s extensive newspaper collection in this live and interactive online session. You'll dive into the millions of words printed on both current and historical articles in our online databases, and discover how to find specific newspapers in hard copy, online and on microfilm.