Family History

Expand your understanding of your family story with free access to online resources such as Ancestry.com and FindMyPast, as well as the library’s extensive Australiana Research Collection.

Ballarat Research Hub at Eureka

Ballarat Research Hub at Eureka (BRHAE) presents the combined resources and services of the City of Ballarat’s Australian Research Collection, the Public Record Office, Victoria’s Ballarat Archives Centre and the Ballarat and District Genealogical Society.

Online resources

Ancestry.com

This Family History research database contains the largest collection of genealogy records on the Internet. Access for free in any of our libraries.

FindMyPast

Search over 45 million records for Australia, New Zealand, UK and Ireland. Find your past using our family history records and many more for local and social history. Access for free in any of our libraries.

The British Newspaper Archive

The British Newspaper Archive is a partnership between the British Library and Findmypast to digitise the British Library’s vast collection of newspapers. You can now search hundreds of millions of articles by keyword, name, location, date or title and watch your results appear in an instant. Users must register for a free account the first time they use the Archive. Access for free in any of our libraries.

Trove

Trove is a rich source of historical information to help you on your genealogy journey. The collections – sourced from Trove Partners all around the country – include digitised newspapers, photographs, letters and diaries that contain a wealth of knowledge about Australia’s past. Access here.

Public Record Office Victoria (PROV)

Public Record Office Victoria holds a vast array of records created by Victorian Government departments and authorities including the State’s courts, local councils, schools, public hospitals and other public offices. For information on viewing records in person, see Ballarat Archives Centre below. Access online here.

Other organisations

Ballarat & District Genealogical Society

The Ballarat & District Genealogical Society (BDGS) aim to help people discover their family history by providing access to appropriate records and providing guidance in how to research and record your history and genealogy. The BDGS collection is housed at Ballarat Research Hub at Eureka (BRHAE). Find more information, including how to join the society, on its website here.

Ballarat Archives Centre

Ballarat Archives Centre (BAC) is a service of the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) providing document access in a designated reading room at Ballarat Research Hub at Eureka. Requests to retrieve and view records at can be made through the PROV website.