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Wills and probate records

Many historic wills and probate records have been indexed and are digitised and available online free of charge via Public Record Office Victoria's website.  Wills and probate records created from 1926 until the last few years have been indexed and are available to order online and view within the reading room at North Melbourne at the Victorian Archives Centre. View the Public Record Office Victoria's page on Wills and Probate records to see if the will you are looking for has been transferred to them or is still being held at the Probate Office. 

If the record has been transferred and is being preserved at the Victorian Archives Centre you can order a digital copy from their website or you can view the record on site. Note: You must order the record at least a few days in advance of viewing it. For instructions on how to order a record go to their information page on Wills and Probate records 

https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates 

 

Using will and probate images

Images of historic digitised will and probate documents can be downloaded from PROV’s website free of charge and used for personal research.  Before any records held by PROV can be reproduced, for example in a printed publication, exhibition or website, the written permission of the copyright holder must first be obtained. Please consult Copyright for Researchers for details.

 

Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples

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