Australia has a vast network of History Societies and groups dedicated to recording and preserving our nation's history. Support them now by becoming a member today!
Below is a list of active historical societies across the country. Click the links to visit their websites and/or Facebook pages. History groups are an invaluable resource especially for genealogy research as they usually have local knowledge of family names in their area. Where available you can make enquiries regarding your ancestry interests direct to the group and usually you'll find they are happy to assist. Be patient - most family history societies are run by teams of dedicated volunteers who generously donate their time to carefully locate, investigate and preserve valuable images, documents and family tree resources.
Jump to:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- Victoria
- South Australia
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- National
Australian Capital Territory
- Australian War Memorial
- Canberra and District Historical Society
- Family History ACT
- Canberra Fire Museum
Queensland
- Australian Railway Historical Society – Queensland Division
- Brisbane History Group
- Bundaberg Genealogical Association
- Cairns Historical Society and Museum
- Caloundra Family History Research
- Central Queensland (Rockhampton) Family History Association
- Cloncurry & District Historical & Museum Society Facebook Page
- Cooroy-Noosa Genealogical and Historical Research Group
- Cooktown and District Historical Society
- Dayboro District Historical Society
- Eacham Historical Society
- Emerald & District Historical Association Facebook page
- Enoggera & Districts Historical Society Facebook page
- Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ)
- Genealogical Society Gladstone District
- Genealogy Sunshine Coast
- Gold Coast Family History Society
- Gympie Family History Society
- Hervey Bay Family History Association
- History Queensland
- Ipswich Historical Society
- Ipswich Genealogical Society
- Kenilworth Museum
- Kilcoy District Historical Society
- Maryborough District Family History Society
- Mackay History
- Mareeba Historical Society
- Noosa Museum - Cooroora Historical Society
- Family History Association of North Queensland
- Queensland Family History Society (Brisbane)
- Rosewood Scrub Historical Society
- The Royal Historical Society of Queensland
- Sandgate Historical Society and Museum
- Toowoomba & Darling Downs Family History Society
- Toowong History Group
- Toowong & District Historical Society Facebook page
Recommended reading...
Genealogy Organizer - A Genealogy Notebook With Genealogy Charts And Forms, Family Tree Chart Book
(Genealogy Gift For Family History Buff & Genealogists; Family Tree Book You Fill In; 5 Generation Genealogy Pedigree Charts; Ancestry Workbook Journal)
🔖 GENEALOGY ORGANIZER: This genealogy notebook makes it easy to record and organize your family history. It has family tree charts to fill in, 5 generation genealogy pedigree charts, family group sheets.
🔖 KEEP TRACK OF PRECIOUS FAMILY HISTORY MEMORIES: It can keep track of basic genealogy information and special family memories, including a 5 generation pedigree chart, family tree chart, correspondence logs, traditions, heirloom histories, family records, family old recipes and all the research that you have done.
New South Wales
Sydney
- Sydney - Botany Bay Family History Society
- Sydney - Burwood and District Family History Group
- Sydney - Cape Banks Family History Society
- Sydney - Campbelltown District Family History Society
- Sydney - The Haberfield Association
- Sydney - Parramatta & District Historical Society
- Sydney - Riverstone and District Historical Society
- Sydney - Ryde District Historical Society
- Sydney - Society of Australian Genealogists
Suburbs and regions
- Albury & District Historical Society Inc
- Armidale Family History Group
- Ashfield & District Historical Society
- Family History Group of Bathurst
- Bathurst Historical Society
- Berrima District Historical and Family History Society
- Bega Valley Genealogy Society
- Blue Mountains Historical Society
- Broken Hill Historical Society
- Camden Historical society
- City of Canada Bay Heritage Society
- Cape Banks Family History Society
- Casino & District Family History Group
- Clarence River Historical Society
- Coalfields Local History Association Inc
- Cowra Family History Group
- Cornish Association of New South Wales
- Coffs Harbour District Family History Society
- Dubbo and District Family History Society
- Forbes Family History Group
- Gerringong and District Historical Society
- Gosford - Central Coast Family History Society
- Hay Historical Society
- Hawkesbury Family History Group
- Helensburgh and District Historical Society
- Hill End & Tambaroora Gathering Group
- Hill End Family History
- Illawarra Historical Society
- Inverell Family History Group
- Kiama Family History Centre
- Kurrajong-Comleroy Historical Society
- Lake Macquarie Family History Group
- Liverpool Genealogy Society
- Lithgow and District Family History Society
- Manning Valley Historical Society
- Maitland & District Genealogical Society
- Manly, Warringah & Pittwater Historical Society
- Milton Ulladulla Family History Society
- Moruya and District Historical Society
- Molong Historical Society
- Muswellbrook Shire Local and Family History Society
- Mudgee Historical Society
- Murwillumbah Historical Society
- Newcastle Family History Society
- Orange Family History Group
- Paterson Historical Society
- Picton & District Historical and Family History Society
- Port Macquarie Historical Society
- Port Stephens Family History Society
- Port Macquarie and Districts Family History Society
- Raymond Terrace & District Historical Society
- Richmond River Historical Society
- Scone and Upper Hunter Historical Society
- Shoalhaven Family History Society
- Stockton Historical Society
- St Marys & District Historical Society
- Tamworth & District Family History Group
- Taree - Manning Wallamba Family History Society
- Tumut Historical Society
- Tweed Gold Coast Family History & Heritage Association
- Tweed Heads Historical Society facebook page
- Wagga Wagga and District Family History Society
- Wentworth Historical Society
- Wollongong - Illawarra Family History Group
- Wyong Family History Group
- Yass Historical Society
Victoria
Melbourne
- Melbourne - The Genealogical Society of Victoria
- Melbourne - Port Phillip Pioneers Group
- Melbourne - Family History Connections (formerly AIGS)
- Melbourne - Royal Historical Society of Victoria
Suburbs and regions
- Anglesea & District Historical Society
- Apollo Bay and District Historical Society
- Ararat & District Historical Society
- Avoca and District Historical Society
- Ballarat - Ballarat & District Genealogical Society
- Ballarat - Sovereign Hill
- Ballarat - Encyclopaedia of Gold
- Bellarine Historical Society Inc.
- Benalla Family Research Group
- Bendigo Family History Group
- Bendigo Historical Society
- Bendigo Regional Genealogical Society
- Box Hill Historical Society
- Bright & District Historical Society
- Brighton Historical Society
- Buninyong & District Historical Society (Facebook only)
- Camperdown & District Historical Society
- Casterton & District Historical Society
- Castlemaine Historical Society
- Central Highlands Historical Association
- Chelsea and District Historical Society
- Chinese Australian Family Historians of Victoria
- Cobram Genealogical Group
- Cornish Association of Victoria
- Cohuna & District Historical Society
- Colac Family History Group
- Daylesford & District Historical Society
- Dandenong and District Historical Society
- Derrinallum Lismore History Group
- Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
- Dromana and District Historical Society (Facebook)
- Dunkeld Historical Society and Museum
- East Gippsland Family History Group
- Echuca-Moama Family History Group
- Echuca Historical Society
- Essendon Historical Society
- Flinders District Historical Society
- Footscray Historical Society
- Geelong Historical Society
- Geelong Family History Group
- Geelong Heritage Centre
- West Gippsland Genealogical Society (Warragul)
- Greensborough Historical Society
- Hastings-Western Port Historical Society
- Hamilton History Centre
- Hamilton - I've lived in Hamilton Facebook group
- Healesville and District Historical Society
- Heidelberg Historical Society
- Inglewood Historical Society
- Jamieson & District Historical Society
- Kilmore Historical Society
- Koroit and District Historical Society
- Kyabram & District Historical Society
- Lang Lang and District Historical Society (Facebook)
- Lara Museum and Historical Centre
- Lilydale & District Historical Society
- Little River Historical Society
- Lorne Historical Society
- Malvern Historical Society (Facebook)
- Mornington Peninsula Family History Society (Frankston)
- Maffra & District Historical Society
- Mansfield Historical Society
- Maryborough-Midlands Historical Society
- Historical Society of Mooroopna
- Melton Family History Group
- Mildura Genealogical Society
- Morwell Historical Society
- Narre Warren & District Family History Group
- Nepean Historical Society
- Oakleigh & District Historical Society (now History Monash)
- Ouyen District History & Genealogy Centre
- Port Fairy Historical Society
- Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society
- Port Phillip Pioneers Group
- Port Phillip District
- Pyramid Hill Historical Society
- Queenscliffe Historical Museum
- Queenscliffe Maritime Museum
- Ringwood Historical Society
- Shepparton Heritage Centre
- Skipton Historical Society
- Somerville, Tyabb and District Heritage Society (Facebook)
- Stawell Biarri Group for Genealogy (Facebook)
- St Andrews (Queenstown) Historical Society
- St Kilda Historical Society
- Stawell Historical Society
- Back to Steiglitz
- Swan Hill Genealogical & Historical Society
- Torquay & District Historical Society
- Traralgon & District Historical Society
- Trentham and District Historical Society
- Warrnambool Family History Group
- Warrnambool & District Historical Society
- Warrnambool - Lost Warrnambool on Facebook
- Wangaratta Family History Society
- Warrandyte Historical Society
- Whitehorse Historical Society
- Winchelsea and District Historical Society
- Woodend & District Heritage Society
- Wonthaggi Genealogy
- Wodonga Family History Society
- Yarram & District Historical Society (Facebook)
Western Australia
- Albany History Collection
- Albany Historical Society
- Broome Historical Society
- Australind Family History Society
- Carnamah Historical Society
- Busselton Family History Society
- Geraldton Family History Society
- Irwin District Historical Society
- Kalamunda and Districts Historical Society
- Kununurra Historical Society
- Margaret River & Districts Historical Society
- Mandurah Family History Society
- Mundaring and Hills Historical Society
- Outback Family History
- Family History WA
- Family History Society of Rockingham & Districts
- Rockingham District Historical Society
South Australia
- Angaston and Penrice Historical Society
- Barossa Goldfields Historical Society
- Burnside Historical Society
- Clare Regional History Group
- Colonel Light Gardens Historical Society
- Fleurieu Peninsula Family History Group
- Genealogy SA
- Lyndoch & Districts Historical Society
- Mitcham Historical Society
- Mount Horrocks Historical Society
- Mount Gambier History Group
- Murray Bridge Historical Society
- Pioneers Association of South Australia
- Playford History Service
- Port Adelaide Historical Society
- South East Family History Group (Millicent)
- South Australian Police Historical Society
Recommended reading...
Essential Skills for The Occasional Genealogist: Beyond-beginner Genealogy Skills for Busy Family Historians
Do you want to improve your genealogy skills but aren't sure how?
You're passionate about family history research but finding time with the demands of everyday life--it's a struggle. In this book, professional genealogist, and chronic Occasional Genealogist, Jennifer Dondero shares her expertise to help hobbyist genealogists maximize their limited time and achieve meaningful research progress. Even developing your genealogy skills takes time so why not learn from a relatable tale of two intrepid genealogists.
Follow the story of Gene and her friend Jenni as they tackle the essential skills and techniques that go beyond the beginner level and apply to genealogists worldwide. Discover the tips, shortcut, techniques, and templates that allow you to overcome challenges and understand how to keep growing your family tree no matter the time or place. Delve into the importance of clues and explore multiple strategies to uncover more sources.
Tasmania
- Bellerive Historical Society
- Dover Museum and Gallery - History Group
- George Town and District Historical Society
- Launceston Historical Society
- Sandy Bay Historical Society
- Tasmanian Family History Society
Northern Territory
- Genealogical Society Northern Territory
- Historical Society of the Northern Territory
- Centre for Indigenous Family History Studies
National
- Australian Garden History Society
- Australian Jewish Historical Society
- Naval Historical Society of Australia
- Australasian Mining History Association
- Royal Australian Historical Society
- The Cinema and Theatre Historical Society of Australia
- Norfolk Island on the Web
- Australian National Maritime Museum
- Women's Museum of Australia and Old Gaol
[Last updated August 2024]