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It is difficult to generalise about the resources available for researching the history of houses in Australia. The available records, their organization and locations range from state to state. The three sources most commonly used to research houses, particularly in determining when they were built and who they were built for, are street directories, council rate books, and Title Office records.
There are several websites which provide information on resources and where to find them. The sites are generally specific to individual states. Examples include:
City of Canterbury Library's Researching the history of your Canterbury house
State Records New South Wales Archives in Brief 116 Researching your house and property
Queensland State Archives Brief Guide 27 Tracing the history of your house
State Library of Victoria Library's guide Researching buildings and houses
There are also several useful print items available:
How to trace the history of your house
The National Trust research manual: trace the history of your house or other places
How to trace the history of your house: a brief guide
Trove can help you find and get items at libraries near you. See the FAQ What is Trove and how can I use it?
The National Library can provide copies of certain materials and interlibrary loans for registered users. For more information go to our Copies Direct service.
See also the FAQ Where can I find old architectural plans and drawings?
Find this topic in E-Resources.
Author: General Reference Enquiry

