Western Australian Interest Group

CONVENOR: Terri Usher

EMAIL: wa.sig@fhwa.org.au

The Western Australian Interest Group aims to organise meetings for members of the Society who are interested in aspects of Western Australian family history not covered by other FamilyHistoryWA Groups. Established in 2013, the group provides family historians with a platform to share and expand their knowledge on various facets of Western Australian history that are often overlooked by other groups.

This includes studying the experiences of immigrants, such as the initial free settlers, "10 pound poms," group settlers, and child migrants, as well as those who arrived during significant historical events like the gold rush or after the 1st and 2nd World Wars. The group also delves into specialised areas of Western Australian history, such as the experiences of Aboriginals, individuals of Chinese or European descent, and ancestors who may have resided in orphanages, asylums, or hospitals. Additionally, the group explores records related to Navy, Army, Air Force personnel, police, nurses, and teachers.

Recently, the group embarked on a project to identify the women who travelled to Western Australia on the Palestine between 1853-1868, known as the Bride Ship Girls. This project is an example of the group's dedication to uncovering lesser-known aspects of the region's history.

Some Interesting WA Stuff

Researching WA Links - key places to look online when researching WA

WA Research Online - powerpoint slides for a presentation by Neil Bradley to a group from GeneologySA

FamilySearch.org - Places in Western Australia