There are lots of family history societies around Australia and New Zealand and they play a key role in genealogy research. Membership fees are typically very reasonable, so here are some great reasons why it’s worth joining up. 1. They can help you get started. If you’re new to family history, joining a society is Read More
Richard Dutkiewicz had always wondered about his father. He’d never known him – his mother had said he was killed in action in the Pacific at the end of World War II. “I was born in Germany in 1946,” explains Richard, who now lives in Canberra. “My mother was German, my father an American marine Read More
Anzac Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It’s the day on which we remember all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in war and on operational service past and present. To commemorate Anzac Day on April 25th, we wanted to acknowledge the brave men and women in Read More
A soon-to-be-released book reveals the story of Alice Anderson, a mechanic, inventor and entrepreneur who forged new ground for women in the 1920s, then met with a mysterious end. Cassie Mercer talks to the book’s author, Loretta Smith. When Alice Anderson was found dead in her garage in 1926 it made headlines around Australia. Why? Read More
March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the many women across the course of history whose passion and reserve brought about immense change. From the fight for suffrage on the streets of London in the early 1900s, Rosa Park’s bravery in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the women who bravely accepted new Read More
For many Australians, stumbling across a convict in your family tree is a joyous occasion; after all, convicts put their blood, sweat and the occasional tear into building this country. However, we often gloss over the fact that many of these convicts were habitual or opportunistic criminals who found their way down under through a Read More
I have a confession to make. My interest in Australian history has never really extended to European male explorers. Yes, they performed amazing feats to understand the world in which we live but so did many others – Rose de Freycinet, for example – who are nowhere near as lorded. But I have always had Read More
Now is a great time to set your family history goals for the new year. Cassie Mercer offers a few ideas to help you get back into your research after the silly season. Want 2019 to be the year you make further headway with your family tree? Here are 10 ways to make it happen. Read More
Cassie Mercer embarks on a quest to understand more about a famous cricketer in the family tree. The Aussie cricket season is here! Just like thongs and singlets, melting ice-cream and mossies, cricket represents an Australian summer. The game became all the more interesting to me when I discovered that an ancestor of mine was Read More
One hundred years ago, the Great War ended after four years of death and destruction. Cassie Mercer speaks with author Professor Peter Stanley to understand more about what Australian troops were doing in those last few years of the war. The Great War left an indelible mark on thousands of Australian families. Men and women Read More