Kiama Family History Centre

Kiama Family History Centre is maintained and operated by the Kiama Municipal Council, as a community service. The aim of the Centre is to assist researchers in their quest for knowledge about their family history and provide to information about the social history that impacted on the everyday lives of their ancestors. The Centre is operated by a dedicated and knowledgeable team of 40 volunteers, under the guidance of an AAGRA (Australasian Association of Genealogists and Record Agents) qualified Family History Officer.

Family History Centre closing times are subject to change. When making a special visit to the Centre please phone (02 4233 1122) 24 hours before your visit to confirm operational hours.

The Centre holds a wide variety of records from throughout Australia and overseas. Our collection of Tasmanian records are very popular with researchers, who often find us holding copies of documents that are not available in Tasmania. We have recently gained unrestricted access to the Kiama, Gerringong and Jamberoo rates books and hold copies of fully indexed Illawarra newspapers as far back as 1859. Shipping records for all states are available at our facility as are the reels and microfiche associated with the Papers of the NSW Colonial Secretary 1788-1828. Researchers are able to use our internet connection to access Ancestry.com and findmypast.com for no extra charge. We also offer a LDS (Latter Day Saints) microfilm ordering service for a small fee.

 

Kiama Family History Centre is committed to indexing and publishing documents of historical value. Over the years the Centre’s volunteers have dedicated many hours to produce numerous indexes. These indexes include, but not restricted to: Commonwealth Naturalisation Certificates 1904-1917, Index to Probationary Convicts to Sydney & Morton Bay 1849-1850, Index to Admittance & Discharge Books for NSS Vernon & Sobroan 1867-1911and Tasmanian Assisted Passenger Index 1841-1889. Our most recent publication is entitled Kiama General Cemetery and includes all known burials in the Kiama Cemetery taken from burial registers headstone inscriptions and council records. At present the volunteer group are indexing the Kiama Independent newspaper from 1920 onwards.

 

The Kiama Family History Centre hosts visitor groups with and interest in family history or those groups interested in learning about Kiama’s local history. Our talks cover the aspects involved in tracing family history including using passenger records, convict records, births, deaths & marriages and land records. A group tour including morning tea is $8.00 per person.

 

Escorted school excursions are also catered for. Our program includes Convicts in NSW – The Expanding Prison, WW1, Social History and Immigration in the Age of Sale. The cost per student is $5.00 and includes a work book depending upon the chosen program.

 

Our air-conditioned research room is fully equipped with micro-printers and readers. We have four computers with broadband internet connection. Clients have the full use of our extensive book library and microform collection. Our building caters for disabled clients with the provision of ramps and disabled toilet facilities. For those who wish to utilise our records, but are unable to attend personally, we offer commissioned research charged on an hourly basis plus photocopying.

 

Our opening hours are Monday – Saturday 9.30 am – 4.30pm. Our telephone number is (02)4233 1122 and email address fhc@tpg.com.au. Our facility operates on a user pays system. Clients holding a seniors card are charged $9.00, non-senior cardholders are charged $10.00 for a research session lasting up to 3.5 hours. For researchers wanting to spend the entire day charges are $14.50 for seniors or $16.00 for non-seniors. The Kiama Family History Centre is located underneath the Kiama Library in Railway Parade, Kiama. The Kiama train station is directly opposite our Centre. We are 1.5 hours drive south of Sydney and an easy drive from areas on the South Coast or Southern Highlands.