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Births, Deaths and Marriages
Australian Birth, Death and Marriage records are held individually by each state. All states except Tasmania and the Northern Territory have searchable online indexes available. Tasmanian records are held on CD which is available for purchase. All online indexes are free. Northern Territory certificates can be ordered online however you need to know the record details.
Jump to:
- Australian Capital Territory
- Queensland
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Western Australia
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- National
Australian Capital Territory
Prior to 1930, BDMs in the ACT were registered in New South Wales, click here
Online services include applications for birth, death and marriage certificates for people in the ACT. In general terms where a birth occurred more than 100 years ago, a marriage occurred over 75 years ago, or a death occurred more than 30 years ago, the limitations imposed upon applicants are less stringent. There is no search function for the indexes online so best to find the certificate details by searching elsewhere such as Ancestry.com.au and then request the certificate.
- Historic Marriage Index 1930 - 1941 Click "Public Registers"
- Historic Death Index 1930 - 1986 Click "Public Registers"
Queensland
- Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - Free Online Search
- Search Queensland births
- Search Queensland deaths
- Search Queensland marriages
Records include:
- births that took place more than 100 years ago
- marriages that took place more than 75 years ago
- deaths that occurred more than 30 years ago.
After viewing search results, you can purchase a certificate and obtain all the information available.
Queensland Archives has compiled indexes of their archival records. Use these links to get to the page and search the index database by name.
Once you get to the Queensland Archives page, here's how to use it:
- Scroll down to "Index Categories"
- Click on the appropriate radio button for the type of records you are looking for - this will then expand to show what record sets are available.
- Click on the appropriate radio button for the records you are looking for - this will then expand (below the list) to show a search area where you can input names etc.
You may also be able to download the full index using a link that will appear on the top right of the page or below the search box (depending on what device you are using, eg: desktop, iPad etc).
New South Wales
After viewing search results, you can purchase a certificate and obtain all the information available. By supplying a registration number, you get a discounted fee of $31.00 (normally $44.00).
Registry records available in the link above range from 1856 to ...
- births over 100 years
- deaths over 30 years
- marriages over 50 years.
- Early church records (1788 - 1855 baptism, marriage, burial)
Also try:
- Divorce, 1873-1930
- Convict applications to Marry
- Coroners' Inquests Index - 1796 to 1824
- Deceased Estates Index - 1880 to 1923
- Intestate Estates Index - 1821 to 1913
- Probate Records - Supplementary Index 1790 to 1875
Victoria
The registry records can be searched free online. The results will give you an extract of the record and you can then proceed to purchase full details in post or downloadable image format.
Western Australia
The registry offers free online historic index searching of births, deaths and marriages from 1841.
The online registry records cover:
- Births (1841-1932)
- Deaths (1841-1971)
- Marriages (1841-1936)
You can order records found by completing the order application and posting to them with your fee (about $31 for historical records). Historical records cover Births that occurred more than 100 years ago, deaths that occurred more than 30 years ago and marriages that occurred more than 75 years ago. These have no access conditions and do not require identification.
South Australia
- Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Genealogy SA - Free Online Search
- Gazetted Deaths South Australia & NT 1845 to 1941
While the SA Government Office hold the records, Genealogy SA has a free online search facility available. The search also includes links to newspaper obituaries and notices. You can order copies of results found from Genealogy SA for a small fee (scans of their microfiche records), or order specific lookups. The online search of BDM will provide a registration number which can also be used to order records from the registry.
- Marriages 1836 to 1856 - 9,600 registered and unregistered South Australian marriages up to 1856 including those before civil registration (mid-1842)
- Deaths 1836 to 1855 - 13,000 registered and unregistered deaths in South Australia up to 1855 including those before civil registration
- South Australian Cemeteries - Deaths and burials - Death & burial information up to 1855 at early SA cemeteries, and up to recent times at several selected cemeteries together with some SA lone graves. Headstone photographs are sometimes included
- Colonial South Australian Pioneers - Historical passenger lists, births, marriages & deaths 1836 to 1850s
Tasmania
Tasmanian BDM records are centralised in one online database "Tasmanian Names Index". Copies of original documents can be ordered on request and include:
- Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Divorces (1861-1920) Petitions for divorce in the Tasmanian Supreme Court
- Marriages (1803-1899) People who married in Tasmania
- Births (1803-1933) People born in Tasmania including some baptisms collected by the Registrar General (1900-1933 baptisms only)
- Convict permissions to marry (1829-1857) Convicts applying to marry free people or other convicts
- Deaths (1803-1933) People who died in Tasmania including some burial records collected by the Registrar General (1900-1933 burials only)
Northern Territory
Online services include applications for birth, death and marriage certificates for people in the NT. There is no search function for the indexes online so best to find the certificate details by searching elsewhere such as Ancestry.com.au and then requesting the certificate. Find their certificate fees here.
National
Last update November 2018