Archive Digital Books Australasia have digitised a number of jornalsom Australian Genealogy and Historical Societies. This not only makes it easier to access, but the entire collection fully searchable on a single CD, so it’s much, much easier to use as well.

Cairns Historical Society Bulletins 1-550
This CD contains a complete run of the Cairns Historical Society Bulletins from 1958 to 2007. First published in 1958, the journals have articles on a wide range of topics relating to the Cairns region – articles on pioneering families, local history, mining, roads, railways, and much more. Full description.
Item Code: AU4079
Price: $39.50

Genealogical Society of Queensland: Generation Journal 1979-2008 and News Letters 1979-1989
This CD contains a complete run of Generation from March 1979 to June 2008 – the journal of the Genealogical Society of Queensland. First published in 1979, the journals have articles on a wide range of topics relating to Queensland and the research interests of the society’s members – articles on researching interstate and overseas, family stories, migration, convicts, bushrangers and much more. As well as the Journals, this CD also contains a complete run of the Genealogical Society of Queensland News Letters from 1979 to 1989. First published in 1979, the newsletters have general news about the society and its branches, conferences, seminars, workshops and other material of interest to members. Full description.
Item Code: AU4080
Price: $69.50

Queensland Family Historian 1979-2010 Set: Journal of Queensland Family History Society
This CD contains a complete run of the Queensland Family Historian from 1979 to 2010 – the journal of the Queensland Family History Society. First published in 1979, the journals have articles on a wide range of topics relating to Queensland and the research interests of the society’s members – stories of convicts, pioneer families, articles on researching interstate and overseas, on reading old handwriting, school histories and much more. Full description.
Item Code: AU4078
Price: $59.50

Journal of the Society of Australian Genealogists 1933-2008
This two-CD set contains a complete run of the Journals of the Society of Australian Genealogists. It was first published in 1933 as The Australian Genealogist, which continued until 1959. There was no publication in 1960 and from 1961 up to and including the December 2008 issue, the Journal has been published as Descent. Newsletters were published at various times from the 1930s to the 1970s and are included. Since 1978 Descent has been published quarterly; before that time it was published less frequently but the numbering of the Journals is continuous. Over the past 75 years the Society’s Journals have included reference articles, family histories, photographs, extracts from historical records including many New South Wales cemetery transcriptions and parish registers, news about the Society and enquiries submitted by researchers. Full description.
Item Code: AU2042
Price: $99.50

South Australian Genealogist 1973-2010
This CD contains a complete run of The South Australian Genealogists, the journal of the South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society from when it was first published in 1973 through to the May 2010 issue. The journal, which are published quarterly contain information including reference articles, family histories, local history articles, photographs, book reviews, shipping lists, cemetery records, news about the Society and more. Full description.
Item Code: AU5079
Price: $69.50

Torrens Valley Historical Journals 1977-2010 Set
This CD contains the complete run of the Torrens Valley Historical Journal – the journal of the Torrens Valley & District Historical Society in South Australia. First published in January 1977, and continuing through until the current issue No. 78 (March 2010), the journals have articles on a wide range of topics relating to the history and people from the Torrens Valley district (which incorporates the towns of Birdwood, Cudlee Creek, Forreston, Gumeracha, Hermitage, Houghton, Inglewood, Kenton Valley, Kersbrook, Millbrook, Mount Torrens, Paracombe). Stories of pioneer families, interviews with older residents, extracts from newspapers, cemetery records, church and school history, sporting results and so much more. Full description.
Item Code: AU5081
Price: $59.50

Now in its third year, the 2010 Regional Museums Award attracted just over 100 entries from museums in every Australian state and territory, mainland and off-shore. Once again the judges relished the opportunity to ‘visit’ so many places and marvelled at the extraordinary passion and commitment of the people who run some of Australia’s smallest museums.

‘Richmond River Historical Society, formed in 1936, was selected as overall winner in the Volunteer-run category, because it performed highly across all criteria. It is a very active museum with a big collection preserving all elements of the local history, has a strong volunteer base and works well with all locals including the Italian and Bandjalung communities to tell interesting and inclusive stories about the district.’

ABC Radio National’s Bush Telegraph program will visit Lismore in October and record a program at the museum for national broadcast.

A representative of Richmond River Historical Society will also have the opportunity, thanks to Museums Australia, to visit Melbourne in late-September for the Museums Australia National Conference where they will participate in the Conference and collect their trophy.

All category winners and commendations can be viewed at the ABC Radio National Regional Museums Award website.

To listen to the ABC Radio National Podcast of the announcement visit the ABC RN Breakfast website.

I don’t know if you were aware, but the Family History Group was destroyed in a massive fire in the early hours of Sunday morning Jan 24th, which claimed other businesses and 13 apartments.

The Group lost everything in the fire including many historical family records of the Pioneers from the area, microfilms and microfilm machines, photocopier, computers, CDs, local history books etc. This has been a devastating blow, not only to the Family History Group that work tirelessly, but also for the residents of the town.

If there is any way that you can help the Group “rise from the ashes” in a small way through a small donation, it would be greatly appreciated.

It is a general fact that local regional groups do it tough financially, but we would be lost without them and their dedication to preserving the records and history of the local people and area. Inverell is no different, with their volunteers who have dedicated their time over the years, to piece together records and photos of the region’s history. The group apparently never created digital copies of the holdings. A lesson is there for others.

If you would like to send a donation to the Inverell District Family History Group, you can find details (and a donation form) on the group’s website.

Here’s a couple of photos showing the damage: