Western Australia Church Records

Online Resources and Websites

 * Western Australia Online Index Search Tool
 * Western Australia Birth Index - at FindMyPast, index ($)
 * Western Australia Marriage Index - at FindMyPast, index ($)
 * Western Australia Death Index - at FindMyPast, index ($)
 * Anglican Church records for the northwest diocese of Western Australia - at FamilySearch, index and images.
 * Anglican marriages of the Swan/Forrest districts of Western Australia, 1963-1973 - at FamilySearch, images.
 * Anglican Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials performed, 1830-1841 - at FamilySearch, index and images.
 * Roman Catholic baptisms in the Swan/Forrest districts of Western Australia, 1914-1954 - at FamilySearch, images.
 * Western Australian Genealogical Society church and cemetery records collection - at FamilySearch, images.

Australia

 * 1788-1922 - Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922, index - at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1792-1981 - Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981, index - at Ancestry.com ($). Also at FindMyPast ($). Also at My Heritage ($)
 * 1788-1950 - Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950, index - at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1788-1935 - Australia, Marriages, 1788-1935, index - at FindMyPast ($)
 * 1810-1980 - Australia, Marriages, 1810-1980, index - at MyHeritage ($)
 * 1787-1985 - Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, index - at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1816-1980 - Australia Deaths & Burials, 1816-1980, index - at FindMyPast ($). Also at My Heritage ($)

FamilySearch Library

 * Click on "Places within Australia, Western Australia". Choose a location to see if additional online church records are available.

Archives
Catholic Diocese of Perth 193 Harold Street Mt. Lawley WA 6050, Australia Mailing: 40A Mary St, Highgate WA 6003, Australia Phone: (08) 6104 3626 Email: archives@perthcatholic.org.au
 * Website

Libraries
National Library of Australia Parkes Place Canberra ACT 2600 Australia Telephone: +61 (0)2 6262 1111 Address postal enquiries to: Reader Services National Library of Australia Canberra ACT 2600 Australia
 * How do I research my family history?
 * Catalogue Advances Search
 * Ask a Librarian

Societies

 * The Society of Australian Genealogists, based in Sydney, provides an expert and specialist family history service, and holds microfilms of records of churches of all denominations throughout Australia and overseas. The SAG sells copies of their microfilms to family history societies, historical societies, and libraries.

Historical Background

 * The origins of the present state began with the establishment of a convict-supported settlement from New South Wales at King George III Sound.
 * The settlement was founded in response to British concerns about the possibility of a French colony being established on the coast of Western Australia. On 7 March 1831. it was transferred to the control of the Swan River Colony, and named Albany in 1832.
 * In 1829, the Swan River Colony was established on the Swan River. By 1832, the British settler population of the colony had reached around 1,500, and the official name of the colony was changed to Western Australia on 6 February that year.
 * The two separate townsites of the colony developed slowly into the port city of Fremantle and the state's capital, Perth.
 * York was the first inland settlement in Western Australia.
 * Population growth was very slow until significant discoveries of gold were made in the 1890s around Kalgoorlie.
 * Parish registers began for:
 * Church of England in 1830
 * Methodist Church in 1840
 * Presbyterian Church in 1889
 * Roman Catholic Church in 1844
 * Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1851