Aboriginal Family Records Service

Aboriginal Affairs NSW provides a family records service to help Aboriginal people access some NSW Government records about themselves or their ancestors. The service prioritises Stolen Generation survivors. Find out how to apply and access other records and support services.

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Aboriginal Affairs NSW provides the Family Records Service as part of our commitment to healing and improving outcomes for Aboriginal people in NSW.

About the Family Records Service

The Family Records Service (FRS) helps Aboriginal people access some NSW government records about themselves or their ancestors.

The NSW Government created records about some Aboriginal people. This included Aboriginal people living on reserves, missions and stations, and children forcibly removed from their families. The records include letters, applications, meeting minutes, reports, and financial documents.

The Family Records Service searches some NSW Government records created between 1883 and the early 1980s. These records were created by former Government agencies including the:

  • Aborigines Welfare Board (AWB)
  • Aborigines Protection Board (APB)
  • Aboriginal Services Branch
  • and the Office of the Chief Secretary.

It is important to acknowledge that the information recorded is not always true and accurate and does not always reflect individual and collective memories and lived experiences. There also might not be information about you and your ancestors. We understand this can be distressing and frustrating.

Please refer to the Family Record Service Information Booklet for further information about the records we search and what you should expect when applying for and receiving records.

You can also read our commitment to truth telling and healing by clicking open the following statement.

How to apply to Family Records Service

You can apply to the Family Records Service for access to information about yourself or your ancestors if:

  • You are over the age of 18.
  • You are an Aboriginal person.
  • You or your ancestors lived in NSW at any time between 1883 and the early 1980s.

To begin the application process and download the application package please use tool below to confirm your eligibility.

If you need any assistance or would prefer to be sent a printed copy of the application package please contact the Family Records Service on the toll-free number 1800 019 998 or send an email request to familyhistory@aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au

Are you eligible?

Provide answers to the following. 

If at any time, you decide to back-track and start the form again, you may need to refresh the page. 

Required field
Do you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?
Did the person you're seeking records on live in NSW at any time between 1883 and the early 1980s?
Are you over 18 years old?
Were you or your ancestor legally adopted in NSW?
Have you received one of the following?
Privacy

This web tool does not collect, store, disclose or distribute any of your personal information. This tool is to assist you with making decisions and receiving information only. The responses you provide are not collected or stored.

Our commitment to truth telling and healing

Aboriginal Affairs NSW values and honours truth telling. We are committed to leading truth telling and healing, and these values are embedded in the work of the Family Records Service.

We are committed to supporting Aboriginal people accessing NSW government records about themselves or their ancestors as part of their journey of healing and truth telling. We uphold Aboriginal people’s right to know what was written about themselves and their ancestors.

It is intended that the access provided by the Family Records Service, and our care and stewardship of these significant archives will:

  • Open up the stories of Aboriginal people of NSW
  • Provide opportunities for truth telling
  • Make the voices and experiences of Aboriginal people visible
  • Enable truth-telling processes so that healing can be carried out both individually and collectively
  • Generate more discussion about these former policies and their impact on Aboriginal people and communities
  • Highlight the resilience of Aboriginal people including the survivors of the Stolen Generations.
Other pathways for access – research and publication permission

Aboriginal Affairs NSW, including the Family Record Service, is committed to the ethical and respectful treatment and use of Aboriginal Cultural and Intellectual Property (ACIP). It is important to us that all Aboriginal people named in the archives and their descendants have their personal information and ACIP protected. Any access to the archives we care for will consider the ACIP and right to privacy of the individuals, families and communities named within the archives.

If you are interested in accessing the archives for research purposes, or seeking permission to publish photographs or records from the archival collection please contact the Aboriginal Historical Records Team via email at familyhistory@aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au. We will provide you with the appropriate application form and discuss any requirements depending on your project.

Other Aboriginal family history resources

The Family Record Service is not a one-stop shop for all records about Aboriginal people. During your healing and truth telling journey, you may need to access records about yourself or your ancestors via other services or archives.

Search these other services and archives
OrganisationAbout
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

AIATSIS have a Family History Unit to help Aboriginal people research their family history, including a number of useful resources and information.

Alternatively, contact the AIATSIS Family History Unit via phone on 1800 352 553 (free call).

Services in other states or territories

The Governments of each Australian state and territory keep and provide access to the records they created.

AIATSIS have compiled the contact details for the states and territories.

Museums of History NSW

The Museums of History has resources relating to records in their collection relating to Aboriginal people.

Please note that some records in this collection are only accessible via the Family Record Service.

NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Family history search enables you to access NSW birth, death and marriage records dating back to 1788. Searches are unrestricted and free, however, there are fees associated with purchasing copies of certificates.

Note that you may be required to access some certificates to support your application.

State Library NSWThe Indigenous Engagement Service at the State Library has resources to help Aboriginal people research their family history.
Find & ConnectFind & Connect is a web resource for information and history about Australian child welfare and institutions. The website includes information about where to access records from different institutions, and information about support groups and services in each state and territory.
National Archives of Australia (NAA)The National Archives holds significant records about First Nations peoples including individuals, families, and communities.
National Library of Australia (NLA)The National Library of Australia has a significant collection about First Nations people including over 300 interviews collected as part of the Bringing Them Home Oral History Project.

Our team is always available to help you find resources that might be relevant to you. To discuss, please contact the Family Records Service on the toll-free number 1800 019 998 or send an email to familyhistory@aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au

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