Pathway 5: Further Research Resources

The Records I’m looking For Aren’t with PROV. What Do I Do Now?

Closed Records – Can I Access Them?

Wills and Probate

Inquests

Births, Deaths and Marriages

Adoption and Wardship

Employee Records

Defence Service Records

School Reports

Health Records and Case Files

Police Records

Prison Records

Court Records

Land, Title and Historic Maps and Plans

Company Registration Files

Rate Books

Archival and Research Organisations and Other Useful Links

The Records I’m looking For Aren’t with PROV – What Do I Do Now?

If you have determined that records you are seeking are not held by PROV you may find the contact details for government departments and research organisations provided in this Research Pathway to be useful for your research.

If you are not sure whether or not the records are held by PROV you can get more information about searching from PROVguide 20 Searching for Records Online or from the Getting Started research pathway.

You can also contact our Reading Room for assistance with your query via email at enquiries@prov.vic.gov.au or on 03 9348 5609 Monday to Friday 10:00am to 4:30pm..

Browse these PROVguides for information about other options for research:

PROVguide 16 Melbourne Record Centres for Family History Research

PROVguide 17 State Archives, Libraries and BDM Registrars

PROVguide 18 Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

PROVguide 60 Adoption, Wardship and Related Records

Closed Records – Can I Access Them?

Some of the records held by PROV are closed under various sections of the Public Records Act 1973.

S9 refers to Section 9 of the Public Records Act, and closes records that contain personal and private information about persons that may still be living. These records are generally closed for up to 99 years for children, and 75 years for adults.

S10 refers to section 10 of the Public Records Act, which says that records may be closed to public access at the discretion of a Minister, countersigned by the Minister responsible for Public Record Office Victoria.

If you are seeking access to records closed under Section 9 or Section 10 you will need to contact the Freedom of Information officer of the government department that is responsible for the particular records and inquire about making a Freedom of Information request.

In some circumstances researchers can seek special access through PROV to records closed under section 9. See PROVguide 14 Special Access for more information.

S11 refers to Section 11 of the Public Records Act, under which records are closed that are too fragile for public inspection. Records closed under s11 of the Act may have been microfilmed or digitised and may be available through PROV Reading Rooms.

Restricted Records – Can I Access Them?

Access to records transferred from the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly is restricted. Researchers can access these records subject to the prior approval of an authorised parliamentary official. Contact the Clerk of the Legislative Council or the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly for information about requesting authorisation: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/

Wills and Probate

Supreme Court of Victoria – Probate Office

Inquests

Coroners Court of Victoria

Births, Deaths and Marriages

Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages

PROVguide 18 Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Adoption and Wardship

You can contact the Family Information Networks and Discovery (FIND), Department of Human Services.

PROVguide 60 Adoption, Wardship and Related Records

Employee Records

If you are looking for records about employees (that are either created about yourself or family members) that are closed at PROV you can ask about making a Freedom of Information request through the relevant Victorian government department. Here are contact details for some of the most common enquiries:

The Victoria Police Historical Unit may also be of assistance in locating older Victoria Police employee records.

Defence Service Records

National Archives of Australia (NAA)

School Reports

Department of Education Freedom of Information

Health Records and Case Files

The Department of Health is the access point for a wide range of health and mental health records and case files. For case files created by other government services contact the Freedom of Information service of the relevant department.

General hospital records, including records of births, are required to be kept for only 15 years. However, some hospitals have retained their records, so it can be worth contacting the hospital that created the records through the Victorian Hospitals and Health Services Directory

Police Records

Requesting your Police Record or an Accident Report

Prison Records

Department of Justice Freedom of Information

Court Records

To access Victorian court records not held by PROV, researchers need to contact the court in which the case was heard or listed.

Land, Title and Historic Maps and Plans

Land Victoria

Company Registration Files

Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Rate Books

If the rate books you are seeking are not held by PROV you can contact the relevant Local Council for advice about rate books that they might hold: Victorian Local Government