If you’re living in New Zealand – or able to travel there – and interested in genealogy, heraldry and family history, then you’re in luck!

The Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations (AFFHO) is holding its next triennial congress in Auckland from 16-20 January. The overarching theme of this congress, the twelfth in a series stretching back to 1977, will be “Preserving the past for the future”. It’s hosted by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists at Kings College, Otahuhu.

The programme is simply packed with hour-long lectures and two-hour workshops, together with several plenary sessions, on a bewildering variety of themes. Guest speakers specialise in all kinds of fields relevant to the Australian and New Zealand family researcher, including local historians, family record archivists, geneticists and practitioners in many more disciplines.

Other special events include the Congress Banquet at Eden Park, home of the All Blacks, and a day tour of Auckland for out-of-town visitors.

Topic profiles, speaker profiles and a full programme are all available from the website, and it’s possible to register (for the whole conference, for single days or for individual events) online. But time’s running short, so hurry!

Website: 12th Australasian Congress on Genealogy & Heraldry

They have extensive lists of convicts, bushrangers, ships, passenger lists, censuses, cemeteries, genealogical clubs and societies and family history sites. There are links to databases, archives, shipping records, immigrant lists, genealogical directories and historical indexes.

For more information see:
http://www.searchwhateveraustralia.com.au/index.html

The CoraWeb website has a comprehensive list of these societies in Australia and covers all territories as well as those societies which relate to Australia as a whole.

This website is well worth a visit for anyone who would like to join a local historical society in Australia.

For more information see:
http://www.coraweb.com.au/society.htm

Dig deep enough in their website and you can find some interesting information here – information about the Italian Historical Society, for example. Look out also for the link to their library.

The Library holds 2,500 volumes of books, periodicals, and rare and out-of-print publications dealing with the history of migration, multiculturalism and Italian and Australian migration policy. Also available is a collection of newspaper cuttings and other printed material filed by subject.

For more information:
http://www.coasit.com.au/

AFFHO was established in 1978 to coordinate and assist the work of Australian and New Zealand groups with interests in family history, genealogy, heraldry and related subjects.

AFFHO run several events and conferences throughout the year. Their website also provides details of their ongoing projects, guides, and many other resources.

For more information see:
http://www.affho.org/

AAGRA was founded in 1977. It aims to offer the services of reliable and competent genealogists and record agents to those wanting professional family history and genealogy services and general record searching. AAGRA members carry out research in all parts of the world, such as British Isles, but specialise in Australian States and territories and New Zealand.

Visit their website for more information:
http://www.aagra.asn.au/

• encouraging the study of the history of Canberra and district, and of Australia in relation to it
• promoting the compilation of authentic historical records
• preserving historical material and places of historic and aesthetic interests, and to
• fostering the interchange of information through talks, discussions, excursions and exhibitions.

Visit their website to find out about their programme of events, lectures, excursions, publications and other resources.
http://www.canberrahistory.org.au/

Visit their website to see their events diary, library catalogue, and publications.
http://www.hagsoc.org.au/main/index.php

You can read how your ancestors might have reached the colony in the first place whether as assisted or unassisted immigrants, military, ship crew, or convicts. Whatever the case SAG shows you how to start tracing them.

Visit their website:
http://www.sag.org.au/