Chapter 2
Births, Deaths and Marriages
See also Information on Australian BDM certificates
Australian states – were part of New South Wales until: Tasmania (1825),
South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851), Queensland (1859). Northern Territory was part of South Australia (1863-1911). Western Australia (Swan River Colony) was settled in 1829.
Civil Registration began in: Tasmania (1 Dec 1838), Western Australia (9 Sep 1841), South Australia (1 Jul 1842), Victoria (1 Jul 1853), NSW (1 Mar 1856), Queensland (1 Mar 1856), Northern Territory (24 Aug 1870), Australian Capital Territory (1 Jan 1930). Before that you need to check church (parish) records for baptisms, marriages & burials.
- Historic BDM indexes – https://www.nla.gov.au/research-guides/australian-birth-death-and-marriage-records/australian-capital-territory
- Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages – https://www.nsw.gov.au/births-deaths-marriages (Select 'Family History', 'View the Registry's online Historical Indexes', 'Search Now', 'search now')
- Transcriptions – (cheaper than certificates, although not "legal documents")
- Marilyn Rowan http://www.nswtranscriptions.com.au (PO Box 38 Menai Central, NSW 2234)
- Joy Murrin http://www.joyinfamilyhistory.com (PO Box 278 Oatley, NSW 2223)
- Turtle Consolidated Services http://home.iprimus.com.au/lturtle/ (PO Box 144, Kurrajong, NSW 2758)
- Divorces 1873-1930 – https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/divorce/indexes/
- Ryerson Index – http://www.ryersonindex.org (Contemporary death notices & obituaries in Australian newspapers, especially recent NSW)
- Department of Justice (BDM) – https://nt.gov.au/law/bdm (also see Ancestry.com.au)
- Births, Deaths & Marriages Family history research – https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au
- Divorces 1861-1894 – https://www.qld.gov.au/dsiti/qsa/search
- Genealogy SA: Online Births, Deaths & Marriages – https://www.genealogysa.org.au/resources/online-database-search (some information for members only, non-members can order transcriptions)
- FamilyHistory SA – http://www.familyhistorysa.org/ (births 1836-54, marriages 1836-56, deaths 1836-55)
- Tasmania's Heritage – https://libraries.tas.gov.au/family-history/Pages/Birth-Death-Marriage.aspx (Tasmanian BDM indexes & links to digitised images)
- 'Civil Registration index of BDM' (BDMs 1803-1933) – https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2125029 (free)
- Births, Deaths & Marriages – https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history (online indexes free, Ancestry.com.au sometimes also gives places)
- Divorce files and cause books – https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/divorce-files-and-cause-books (at Public Record Office Victoria)
- Victorian BDM Place Name Abbreviations List – http://bdmabbreviations.steveparker.id.au (useful for interpreting abbreviations in BDM indexes)
- Wills and probates – https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates (at Public Record Office Victoria)
- Births, Deaths & Marriages – http://www.bdm.dotag.wa.gov.au/_apps/pioneersindex/default.aspx (Select 'Family History', then 'Searching Western Australian Online Indexes', then 'Select the information you would like to search for')
- Marriages to 1965 – http://www.wamarriage.info
- Australian BDM certificates & saving money – http://famresearch.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/australian-bdm-certificates-saving-money/ (my blog post)
- Australian BDM indexes on Ancestry.com – https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/catalog/?limitToCountry=1&category=34 (costs, but indexes include all Australia)
- Australian BDM indexes on findmypast – https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-australia-and-new-zealand-records-in-life-events-bdms (costs, but indexes include all Australia)