How do I trace my aboriginal heritage when no records exist?

Question

This is mostly a question for Aussies. My great grandmother, who was aboriginal, was born between 1860 and 1870 in the Wiradjuri region (specifically Adelong/Tumut area). I have been trying to trace that side of the family back for about 2 years now but cannot go any further than my great gran, as that is where all of the records seem to stop, which is not surprising considering white settlers didn't really keep a lot of records for indigenous people. We have a marriage certificate for my great gran but it has no useful details and a birth certificate doesn't seem to exist. I really want to get to the bottom of that side of my family and truly find out where I came from but it's proving so difficult. Unfortunately aboriginal records are splattered throughout so many different organisations, I just don't know where to go next. Any ideas anyone?

Answer 1

Go to your state library and search newspaper and town documents (parish records, courts and police records etc) which as in WA, quite a lot are available on microfiche.

i managed to find references on my family dating back to early settlement records in Albany.

there are organisations such as Link-Up, which is generally for members of the Stolen Generation or others who were adopted, fostered or placed in missions, they have some really handy hints in searching for Aboriginal family records.

State offices of Indigenous Affairs also have resources, but if you have your great grans marriage certificate there is still a possibility that she might be recorded in native welfare records and archives.  The Dept of Indigenous affairs (state) usually are able to supply you with a copy of a personal file of your ancestors if their name appears in the database.

Try some of the links, they have been helpful to me in the past.

Answer 2

You actually have a marriage certificate ... thats more than some people have! The real problem there is that that 1870 date is where the written records START!

Did your grandma attend one particular church or live in a mission? There may be records in church archives or the local parish?

Answer 3

Australians are mostly of  aboriginal ancestry

Answer 4

Have your DNA tested!

nationalgeographic.com/genographic...