Early Australia and Convicts
Genealogy Sunshine Coast is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9.00am til 4.30pm.
Early Australia and Convicts
9.30am - 11.00am with Sue Hanna and helpers $2.00 for members $5 non-members All Welcome!
Did your ancestors come to Australia in the early days of the colony?
20% of Australians have a convict in their past! Are you one of them?
Were your ancestors from the marines, officers or free settlers?
What were their crimes or occupations? What ship brought them here and what were the conditions like? Learn about life in the early colony. Hear the others in the group tell their ancestors' stories. We can help find the records you need.
It's quite likely you will find connections with others in the group!
Thursday 6th November 2025
Do you wonder what your ancestor's life was like in the early days? During this session, Sue will talk about life in the 1840s as the states in Australia were opening up to settlement. Did your ancestors arrive during this time? where did they come from? Why did they venture to the far reaches of the globe to make a life here in a very diffent environment?
Thursday 4th December 2025
The gold rush attracted an influx of new people to our shores, from diverse cultures.
Sue will share a great story she has written about her ancestors who settled in Grenfell, and how they were affected by the gold rush era.
1840 Map of Australia
Our library has a very large collection of resources for researching this era; some of our data is not available on the internet; it is very useful to gain context for the circumstances that affected the lives of your family.
painting: Early Brisbane
Did your ancestors come to Australia via the port of Moreton Bay? Did they come to Brisbane from the southern ports to work in agriculture or on the railway? Come along and have a chat with Lee Goleby about how to research your early Queensland relatives!
Convicts and Early Australian Interest group will be held on the following dates:
please note the group has changed the meeting day to the 1st Thursday of each month from now on.
Thursday 2nd October 2025
Thursdayday 6th November 2025
Thursday 4th December 2025