Family history
Our libraries have a wide range of resources to discover your family history. Most of these resources are at Gordon Library, where our staff are happy to help with your research.
Find out more about our Local History Collection and historical photo galleries from our four branch areas.
Getting started
If you’re new to family history, you might feel overwhelmed by the resources available. Before you get started, consider how much you’d like to know. Are you looking for information on a specific family member? Do you want to trace your direct line back to your great grandparents’ arrival in Australia?
The library offers plenty of books and online resources showing how to plot your family tree. Write down what you already know and ask your relatives for more information. Once you’ve found the gaps in your knowledge, it’s time to delve into the records.
Online resources
Ku-ring-gai Library catalogue
State Library of NSW
State Records NSW
NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
National Archives of Australia
Society of Australian Genealogists
Ancestry.com
Join a family history research group
Members of family history societies are all active researchers who have been around the block and are happy to point you in the right direction.
Ku-ring-gai Historical Society
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Family History Society - 9875 2843
Arthur Phillip Chapter of the Fellowship of the First Fleeters
History of your house
Ku-ring-gai has an outstanding number of unique, quality houses designed by many of Australia’s most distinguished architects.
Get started by downloading the guide below. It contains local tools, resources and hints to help you trace the history of your Ku-ring-gai house.
How to trace the history of your Ku-ring-gai house worksheet(PDF, 270KB)
Ku-ring-gai Library also has a vast range of resources to help you research your house.
Online resources
Search Ku-ring-gai Library catalogue
NSW Land Registry Services
State Library of NSW
State Records NSW
National Archives of Australia
Sydney Living Museums
View Housing-in-Ku-ring-gai-brochure-1986-Robert-Staas-Ku-ring-gai-Historical-Society-Ku-ring-gai-Library(PDF, 2MB)
More information
Contact Gordon Library on 9424 0120 or localstudies@krg.nsw.gov.au.