Irish DNA Down Under

The Wilson Collection was launched in 2021 and is one of New Zealand's newest index sites. It contains a unique collection of contributions, including a marriage place index. Join Michelle as she takes us on a tour of this free, invaluable resource for New Zealand research. https://wilsoncollection.co.nz/

Changes in Britain post the 1776 War of Independence, along with Capt James Cook’s mapping of New Zealand (1769) and New South Wales (1770), led to convicts and marines being sent to Botany Bay in 1787. So began British migration to the Southern Seas. Factors driving various waves of migration (economic, political, family ties, adventure) will be discussed, along with the effects the British Diasporas had on the Aboriginal and Māori Communities and their environment. Tips on tracing those missing down-under branches of your tree will also be covered.

Victoria was the colony that experienced the gold rushes of the 1850s. This presentation looks at websites that assist anyone trying to find relatives in Victoria in the 19th century into the 20th century.

The records of churches and congregations in Australia are spread across a range of different archival repositories at local, state and national levels. Come on a journey to find what records might help develop your family history and genealogy, where those records live, and how to access them.

Exploring the life of a convict ancestor can be exciting but also a daunting task. This webinar leads participants through a methodical examination of the records available at various stages of a convict's life from trial through to freedom. After developing a framework for investigation, case studies are then used to demonstrate the various records available and where to find them, including both within Australia and overseas. Issues such as record conflicts and understanding the broader social context will also be explored to more fully understand changes in terminology and record types.

Many Australians will have a soldier or sailor somewhere in their family tree, particularly from the 20th century onwards. Finding those ancestors who served in Australian contingents during World War One or Two for example, is a relatively straightforward process, mainly because the records are mostly available in Australian archives. However, once the search moves back into the 19th or 18th century, then it can become a more complicated puzzle. This presentation provides an overview of the military history of Europe during the 19th and 18th centuries and outlines the range of records which are available, such as those at The National Archives (UK) in particular as well as Australian archives and military museums and an increasing number of online resources. The wealth of detail will help reveal the life of your military ancestor and may even be able to take your research back into the 18th century.

Knowing what we can freely use, without permission, in our family histories ensures that we are not infringing on the rights of others. For example, did you know that if you watch your grandmother make her secret pasta sauce, writing down the ingredients and methods she used, you have created your own 'literary work' which is now protected by copyright? (Just don't tell Granny!) How then does copyright law apply to published and unpublished works? What is fair use and moral rights? Can a distant cousin use information in her family book that I have researched? This presentation will examine those aspects of Australia’s copyright law which apply to family historians and discusses ways we can comply with the law.

This presentation examines the lure of gold discoveries in various Australian states in the 19th century. Many people travelled down under to try and make their fortunes but didn’t realise just how hard it was working on Australian gold fields. Mining records and newspapers can be used to trace miners and to understand their way of life.

Australia has a wealth of publicly available records for people who have interacted with the criminal justice system, be they criminals, suspects, victims of crime, witnesses in criminal cases, and law enforcement officials, but do you know how to find these records? This talk will do a deep dive into the available record sets, including mug shots, prison registers, criminal court records, inquests and coronial records, and Police Gazettes, among others.