SAG members are a family of community historians. 

JOIN NOW

There are many benefits to being a member, we've summarised them into six key advantages:

LEARN FAMILY HISTORY: training, courses & events 

We offer 3 educational programs which are currently delivered online to maximise safety and convenience, these being a Family History Fundamentals, a Certificate in Genealogical Research and a Diploma in Family Historical Studies. These are designed to meet your needs and advance you as a genealogist. You can find more information here.  

We run an extensive program of lectures, workshops, tours and group meetings which are open to everyone. We also hold member-only webinars and members receive a discount on our events.


VISIT OUR LIBRARY AND RESEARCH CENTRE 

In our dedicated family history library you'll find a variety of resources to facilitate your research, this includes:

 - Local & school histories
 - BDM indexes for all states of Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales and others
 - Shipping records
 - Probate records
 - Parish registers
 - English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish census records
 - Family Search access to the major commercial sites such as Ancestry, FindMyPast, The Genealogist, British Newspaper Archives, Discovery (National Archives UK) Biographical Database of Australia and more
 - Access to over 2200 electronic databases covering both Australian and overseas resources

ACCESS OUR MANUSCRIPT AND ARCHIVE COLLECTION 

Known also as the MIDAS collection, within it you will find unpublished materials from Australia and overseas, such as:

 - Family biographies
 - Family tree charts 
 - Photographs
 - Birth death and marriage certificates
 - Original records such as wills and other legal documents
 - Family papers such as letters, diaries and journals
 - Cemetery transcriptions and burial registers

The significance of the 65 000 item collection lies in the volume of unique material in a single collection, the broad range of record types and the fact that the majority of the materials have known provenance.

ENGAGE EXPERT RESEARCH SUPPORT SERVICES

Our library volunteers are there to help you, especially during current times where your safety is our priority. You now have the option of sending a research request via email or letter, including your enquiry and the source you intend on researching from. A volunteer research officer will then complete the research request and respond.

If you need research undertaken at another repository or you are looking to have extensive research done for you, we also offer the option to Hire a Genealogist. These are researchers who have successfully completed our Diploma in Family Historical Studies.

BUILD RESOURCES FROM OUR BOOKSHOP 

The SAG online shop is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We offer a wide range of books and other resources for family historians. We curate our bookshop to ensure you’re constantly provided with relevant and useful information for your genealogical journey. 

PARTICIPATE IN OUR FAMILY HISTORY COMMUNITY GROUPS, VOLUNTEERING AND FELLOWSHIP 

Anyone can attend our research and software groups, but members enjoy a discounted price. You do not need to 'join' a group - you just book for their meetings when you want to attend. Bookings are essential. These include:

 - Writing Discussion Groups
 - DNA Research Groups
 - Family Tree Maker Software Groups
 - Legacy Software Groups 
 - New Zealand Research Groups 
 - TMG Software Groups 

Becoming part of our volunteer team is a great way to make new friends and to share with others your passion for family history. We're always looking for more help and remember, you don't have to be an experienced researcher to join the volunteer ranks as you can learn on the job!