Traces

This magazine is for people passionate about Australia and New Zealand's genealogy, history and heritage. Whether you want to explore convict history, find your Anzac, identify photographs or trace your family tree, our trusted expert advice will help you discover your past.

Traces • UNCOVERING THE PAST

Welcome to the sixth edition of Traces!

Letters to the editor • What you thought of Traces Volume 5

Heritage news

What’s new online? • The newest updates and additions to historical collections available online.

Flinders Street Station, Melbourne • Flinders Street Station is the most iconic landmark in Melbourne. This edition, we take a look at the stately building’s past, present and future.

Cycling through time • Australia has a rich history of cycling going back 200 years. Author and keen club cyclist Rupert Guinness spoke with Traces about how bicycles and riding developed in Australia.

Young Irelanders in Tasmania Part 2 • In this second and final part of our special feature on the Young Irelanders, Sandy Guy traces the rebels’ daring escape from Van Diemen’s land.

The unexpected legacy of MCWHIRTERS DEPARTMENT STORE • For those who reside in Brisbane, the McWhirters department store is an Art Deco icon. For Melissa Fagan, it sparked her exploration into the lives of her female relatives, and how retail stores have connected women’s lives across generations.

Q&A with Melissa Fagan

How hope was Australia’s true gold • As a descendant of Irish immigrants in the 19th century, I have often pondered at their decision to make the perilous journey to Australia. It was only through researching for my new novel, In A Great Southern Land, that I’ve come to understand that it wasn’t just the promise of land or even the lure of gold that drove so many here; it was, in truth, hope.

Mary-Anne’s research tips:

Spotlight on Bendigo: A heritage goldmine • When Margaret Kennedy and Julia Farrell hauled their household laundry down to Bendigo Creek in 1851, they weren’t expecting much more than a good chat and clean clothes. They certainly weren’t expecting to change the course of history.

Delving deeper into your ancestry • After filling in significant family lines, Caroline Haigh decided to embark on additional study to help her uncover the stories of her ancestors’ lives. Traces spoke with Caroline to find out more about her experiences.

Fiction from genealogy • There is an age-old question among family historians: what do you do with all your genealogical notes and research? Lynette McDermott turned her ancestors’ stories into a book series, and Traces caught up with her to find out more.

Finding your German ancestors • Many Australians are able to trace their family heritage to German roots. In this edition of Traces, Kate Hutcheson provides some valuable tips and resources for finding your Germanic ancestors.

MAPPING YOUR FAMILY TREE • Old maps are fascinating to look at, and they can be a very useful tool when piecing together a family tree or the lives of our ancestors. Traces’s Simeon Barut caught up with State Library Victoria Coordinator Paul Dee, who revealed how the family historian can put maps to great use.

Visiting your ancestral towns • Finding your long-lost ancestors can be like finding a needle in a haystack, but a visit to the country town of your forbears can yield great research breakthroughs.

Cantonese connections The origins of Australia’s early Chinese migrants • For Australians researching their Chinese family history, discovering their ancestors’ hometown and Chinese name is significant.

Kate’s research tips:

What’s that thingamajig? • Answer: Convict leg iron guard

Alice Anderson • From the end of Word War I and into the...