Damon Mcknight
There are a number of ways to find missing family members in Australia. The National Library of Australia offers access to historical electoral rolls and other research materials that can help locate family and friends. The Australian Red Cross provides a free tracing service to help find relatives missing through wars, internal conflict, migration, and natural disasters. Online sources such as Facebook and Oz Reunion can also be used to find family members. Other methods include seeking the help of private investigators, utilizing the services of the Find & Connect Support Services, and consulting local libraries, historical societies, and genealogical societies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Organisations that can help | Find & Connect Support Services, Australian Red Cross, Facebook Groups, Marrett Investigations, NSW Police Public Site, National Library of Australia |
| Who can they help? | Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people affected by forced adoption, people who spent time in out-of-home care, people who have lost contact due to war, conflict, natural disaster, migration, or other situations of humanitarian need |
| Resources | Electoral roll, historical rolls, birth, death and marriage registries, online photo galleries, military history records, local libraries, historical and genealogical societies, local histories, adoption records, genealogy websites |
| Cost | Free services available, paid services range from $2 donations to $2000 |
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What You'll Learn
Use Facebook groups and pages to find family members
Facebook is a great way to find missing family members in Australia. There are many groups and pages dedicated to this very purpose.
To start, you can search for groups and pages using relevant keywords such as "missing family Australia" or "find family Australia". This will bring up a list of groups and pages that you can join or follow. These groups and pages are often created by people who are also looking for missing family members or by organisations that specialise in reuniting families.
Once you have joined or followed some groups and pages, you can start by posting your story and the details of the family member(s) you are looking for. It is important to include as many details as possible, such as names, dates, and locations, as this will increase your chances of finding your family. You can also browse the posts of other members and see if there are any familiar names or stories that match what you know about your family.
In addition to general groups and pages, there are also more specific groups and pages for certain communities or locations. For example, there are groups for people who were adopted or spent time in foster care, as well as groups for specific states or cities. If you know that your family member belongs to a specific community or lives in a certain area, joining these more specific groups and pages can increase your chances of finding them.
While Facebook can be a useful tool for finding missing family members, it is important to be cautious when sharing personal information online. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the group or page before sharing too many details, and be aware of potential scams or people seeking to take advantage of your situation.
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Find and Connect Support Services can help Forgotten Australians
The Find & Connect Support Service is a program announced by the Australian Government to help Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants, and others who spent time in out-of-home care between 1920 and 1990, including orphanages, children's homes, and foster care. This service is independent of any past providers and is not affiliated with any record holders or other organisations related to historical child welfare.
Forgotten Australians can access the Find & Connect Support Service in their respective state or territory by calling 1800 16 11 09 or visiting the Find and Connect website. This service can help them obtain personal records, trace their history, understand why they were placed into care, and connect with other services and support networks.
In Tasmania, the Find & Connect Support Service helps Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants trace their history, understand why they were placed into care, reconnect with family, and access counselling and other support services. Similarly, in Queensland, Lotus Place helps Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants obtain personal records, trace their history, and understand their placement into care.
Other support services for Forgotten Australians include Open Place in Victoria, which provides personal support, help with records and family searches, counselling, social activities, reunions, support groups, and opportunities to learn new skills. Tuart Place in Western Australia provides counselling, advocacy, support groups, and life-skills classes to Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants, and Stolen Generations. Wattle Place in New South Wales supports Forgotten Australians who grew up in orphanages, children's homes, institutions, and foster homes from the 1920s to the 1990s.
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Use the electoral roll to find family members
The electoral roll is a list of the names and addresses of everyone who is eligible and enrolled to vote in Australia. Electoral rolls can be of great value in locating missing family members as they help to find the residential address of a known person in a particular year or over a period of years, as well as changes of address over time. They can also be used to identify other adult family members living at the same address or as a substitute for census records.
As of August 2023, viewing access to the full electoral roll is only available at AEC state offices. Public access terminals at divisional AEC offices now only provide access to the electoral roll for the federal division(s) represented by that office. An electronic copy of the current Australian electoral roll can only be viewed at an AEC state or capital city office. The Victorian office is located at Level 6, 150 Lonsdale St, Melbourne. To access the public access terminal, you must call (03) 9285 7171 in advance and make a booking. It is not possible to copy, record or photograph any information from the electoral roll. The AEC does not maintain historical electoral rolls for viewing.
Historical electoral rolls are available through state libraries and the National Library of Australia. The National Library in Canberra keeps microfiche of the Commonwealth electoral rolls from 1901 to the present. Some of these may be slightly imperfect. The library also holds a limited number of state electoral rolls on microfiche for the time prior to Federation in 1901. They provide a limited look-up service if you can’t visit the library. Most state libraries have electoral rolls for various states and territories. These can be printed volumes or microfiche or a combination of media. Ancestry.com.au provides access to scanned and searchable electoral rolls mostly covering the period 1903-1980 for each state and territory except South Australia for which only a very small number of rolls are available.
The National Library of Australia offers access to historical electoral rolls and other research materials that can help locate family and friends. Printed electoral rolls are stored offsite at the National Library of Australia's warehouse. To access them, you need to request them via the catalogue. The Library recommends accessing these records on microfilm.
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Contact the Australian Federal Police's Missing Persons centre
If you are trying to locate a missing family member in Australia, you can contact the Australian Federal Police's Missing Persons centre, known as the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC). The NMPCC was established in 2006 to drive national coordination in response to missing persons in Australia and to complement the investigative role of state and territory police.
The NMPCC's mission is to reduce the number of people who go missing and the impact this has. They manage the Australian Missing Persons website and public register. They also connect with international missing persons investigations through liaison with INTERPOL Canberra.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) provides support and advice to families of missing persons. They coordinate a national approach to missing persons cases and work with all state and territory Missing Persons Units to drive policy and procedure.
If you want to report a missing person, you can do so at your local police station. You do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. You can also contact the 24-hour Police Assistance Line by calling 131 444.
In addition to contacting the Australian Federal Police, there are other organisations that can help you find missing family members. These include the Find & Connect Support Services, the Australian Red Cross, and Oz Reunion.
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Hire a private investigator to find missing family members
If you are looking to hire a private investigator to find missing family members in Australia, there are several agencies that can help. Private investigators can help you find lost family members, both in Australia and overseas. They can assist in cases of runaway children, parent abductions, adoption/biological parent searches, or estranged family members.
Private investigators will often start by consulting with the client and obtaining all relevant information regarding the missing family member. They will then use their resources and expertise to conduct a search. Once the family member has been located, they will provide the client with a detailed report of the investigations conducted and any relevant documentation obtained. The cost of hiring a private investigator to find a missing family member can vary, ranging from $1200 to $2000, with only 50% of the estimated cost required upfront.
It is important to note that private investigators cannot guarantee they will find the person you are looking for. However, they may still be able to provide valuable information that can bring some peace to those searching for missing family members. Before engaging a private investigator, it is worth exploring other options, such as the Find & Connect Support Services, which help Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants, and others who spent time in out-of-home care between 1920 and 1990. Additionally, the Australian Red Cross provides a free tracing service to help find relatives missing due to wars, internal conflicts, migration, or natural disasters.
If you are trying to reconnect with friends or relatives, the National Library of Australia offers access to historical electoral rolls and other research materials that can help locate individuals. Oz Reunion is another option, where, for a fee, you can submit a post with details of the person you are trying to find. Social media platforms like Facebook can also be useful, especially local community pages if you know the town or area where the person lives.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several organisations that can help you find a missing family member in Australia. The Australian Red Cross provides a free tracing service to help with finding relatives missing through wars, internal conflict, migration and/or natural disasters. The Australian Federal Police’s Missing Persons Centre also provides support and advice to families of missing relatives. Additionally, the Find & Connect Support Services can help Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and others who spent time in out-of-home care between 1920 and 1990 find family members.
Oz Reunion is a website that helps reunite Australian family and friends. For a fee, you can submit a post with details of the family member you are looking for. Facebook is another online source that can help you find a missing family member. There are also volunteer-based groups on Facebook that can help you find a loved one.
You can visit local libraries, historical and genealogical societies in the area where your ancestors lived. You can also contact private investigators that specialise in finding missing family members, such as Marrett Investigations.
Link-Up assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been affected by Government policies that have resulted in the separation of families.
