National Family History Month
About National Family History Month
August is National Family History Month and there’s no better time to delve into researching your family history.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced researcher, State Library Victoria has a wealth of workshops and resources to help you on your research journey.
We'll be sharing new family history blogs throughout August to celebrate Family History Month, drawing on our expert librarians' wealth on knowledge on the topic.
Happy researching!
Family history tools and resources

Country family with city man, c.1900, James Fox Barnard, 1874–1945; H2002.125/26
The Library is the perfect place to explore your family history. From research guides to online resources and talks, find all the inspiration and tools you need to research your family’s past.
Browse our family history tools and resources.
Ask a Librarian
Do you have a family history research query? Need help finding information?
Our expert staff can help answer your questions and offer research guidance.
Ask a Librarian online, in person or via phone today.
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Online Collection Spotlight: Migration to New Worlds

Settling In: A Guide for your Early Days in Australia, Victoria edition, leaflet, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Adam Matthew Digital 2017.
Learn more about Migration to New Worlds, a multi-archive database of sources relating to migration from Great Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe, and Asia to Australasia and North America.
The database consists of diaries, correspondence, photographs, maps, oral histories and other primary documents, which have been selected from more than 25 archives, libraries and museums, including the British Library, National Archives (UK), University of Melbourne Archives, Maritime Museum of Tasmania, Museums Victoria, National Archives of Australia and the National Library of Ireland.
Listening to the enemy: Melbourne’s radio listening post in World War II

In the officer's mess, Aust, c.1942, Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs, State Library Victoria, H2000.200/1206
During World War II, radio broadcasts were used to convey military news and to boost morale. Radio was also the perfect medium to spread propaganda to the enemy, with the aim of belittling or demoralising enemy forces and civilian populations.
Read the intriguing story of how a Melbourne short wave station recorded Japanese propaganda messages to help the allied war effort on our blog.
Courting in the colony: finding a partner in 19th-century Australia

Digger's wedding in Melbourne, S. T. Gill, 1869; H86.7/38
The course of true love never did run smooth, but what was it like finding love in early colonial Australia?
Read our blog to learn more about securing a match in the 1800s.
Online Collection Spotlight: Life at sea
![(Ship), Allan C. Green, 1878-1954, [ca. 1900-ca. 1954]; H91.325/2495 Black and white image of a ship at sea from the Allan C Green collection of glass negatives.](/sites/default/files/styles/inline_image_left_or_right_aligned/public/images/Ship-picture_Allan-C-Green_H91-325-2495_848x477.png?itok=zkKKDFN_)
(Ship), Allan C. Green, 1878-1954, [ca. 1900-ca. 1954]; H91.325/2495
Read our blog about the Life at Sea database, which brings together material from maritime archives and heritage collections in England and the United States.
Voyage through the 17th and 18th centuries and discover what life was like during the Golden Age of Sail with a fascinating collection of artefacts, diaries, memoirs and artwork from those who experienced the open waters first hand.
‘Doing the Block’: promenade on Collins Street

Doing the Block. Gt. Collins St., S. T. Gill, 1880; H332
‘The Block’ was a section of Collins Street bounded by Elizabeth and Swanson streets. It was considered one of the primary places to see and be seen in the Melbourne CBD as early as the 1860s, but it reached its zenith during the economic boom years in the 1880s and 1890s.
Read our blog about ‘Doing the Block’ and those who did it – the Melbournians dressed in their finest as they frequented the fashionable cafes, tea houses and shops along Collins Street.
Interested in the history of your home?
![[Family posed on verandah of house, probably in Melbourne];John Henry Harvey, [ca. 1890-ca. 1910]; H86.76/36 Black and white photograph of a family posed on verandah of house, probably in Melbourne](/sites/default/files/styles/inline_image_left_or_right_aligned/public/images/Family-posed-on-verandah-of-house_H86-76-36848x477.png?itok=BGN3mllE)
[Family posed on verandah of house, probably in Melbourne];John Henry Harvey, [ca. 1890-ca. 1910]; H86.76/36
Would you like to learn more about the history of your home or the home your ancestor lived in?
Unless it’s a well-known property, it’s unlikely you will find a detailed published history but there are ways to find information about your house and the occupants who lived in it.
Take a look at what resources can be used to research the history of a property in a blog written by librarian Carmen Quick.
Trove: a treasure chest of family history gems

The Argus, 25 March 1857, p 4
Trove is a partnership between the National Library of Australia and hundreds of partner organisations, including State Library Victoria. And if you’re a family history researcher in Australia, it’s likely you’ve stumbled upon this invaluable resource. Trove provides free, remote access to more than 1000 historic Australian newspapers and gazettes.
Read our blog about the family treasures you can unbox in Trove.
Introduction to Newspapers and Family History Reading Room

Discover how the Library’s rich collection can help piece together your family tree to uncover hidden secrets and fascinating details about your ancestors’ lives. Learn the skills you need to master the Library’s databases and efficiently use the research equipment.
Dates: 2pm–3pm on 5, 13 and 20 August 2025.
Book tickets to Introduction to Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
Researching births, deaths and marriages in Victoria
![Wedding ceremony and guests, [197-?]. Photo by Maggie Diaz](/sites/default/files/styles/inline_image_left_or_right_aligned/public/Wedding%20ceremony%20and%20guests.png?itok=3eY7bStP)
Wedding ceremony and guests, [197-?]. Photo by Maggie Diaz. This work is in copyright. H2013.261/547
Major life events such as births, deaths and marriages are some of the key milestones in a person’s life, and are a great place to start when researching an ancestor.
Read our blog to find out where these certificates are, how to you search for them, and what they might contain.
Researching Your Home

Three children standing on veranda of single storey weatherboard house with established garden. H2009.60/11
Oh what stories houses would tell, if only they could talk!
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.
Date: 10am-11am Tuesday 12 August 2025.
Book tickets to Researching Your Home.
Finding Families

Family group on a verandah, c 1912; photo by Mark James Daniel
Do you want to discover more about your ancestors and how they lived their lives?
In this online workshop, you’ll take the first steps to exploring the secret stories in your family’s history.
Date: 10am-11am Wednesday 6 August 2025.
Book tickets to Finding Families.
Newspapers for Family History

Learn how to navigate the Library’s extensive newspaper collection to research your family history in this live and interactive online session.
Our collection includes over 4000 different local and international papers, dating back to the 18th century. 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.
Date: 10am-11am Tuesday 19 August 2025.
Book tickets to Newspapers for Family History.
Researching Pubs and Publicans

[Albert Street] Sebastopol, Solomon & Bardwell, [1866]; H2969
Calling all pub enthusiasts! Join our librarians on a journey where history meets hops.
Do you have a publican in your family tree? Or have a favourite pub in Victoria you’d like to find out more about?
As part of National Family History Month, this webinar will introduce you to key tools and resources for researching pubs and publicans in Victoria.
Date: Thursday 7 August 2025
Book tickets to Researching Pubs and Publicans