National Family History Month Invites Australians to Discover Their Family Stories

For as long as she could remember, Ciannah thought part of her family came from Germany.

A visit to Melbourne’s FamilySearch Discovery Center changed that.

“I thought I was from Germany,” she said. “But I found out that most of my grandpa’s family was actually from England.”

She also discovered something she never expected.

“I discovered I come from a big family of police officers and pioneers.”

Before visiting the Discovery Center, family history wasn’t something Ciannah had given much thought to.

“I’d thought about it sometimes, but not very often,” she said.

Learning more about her ancestors sparked a curiosity to learn even more about the people who came before her.

For many people, discovering where they come from starts with simple questions. Who were my ancestors? Where did they live? What kind of lives did they lead?

The answers are often found in family stories, old photographs, and historical records.

Together, they help us better understand the people whose lives shaped our own.

In a country as diverse as Australia, those stories often stretch across continents and cultures. They help explain where we come from, preserve family memories, and connect younger generations to those who came before them.

For many people, however, knowing where to begin can be the hardest part.

That’s where Melbourne’s new FamilySearch Discovery Center comes in.

Designed specifically for beginners, the center removes many of the barriers people often associate with family history. Rather than expecting people to know how to research historical records or build a family tree, trained volunteers provide one-on-one guidance in a welcoming environment designed to help people begin exploring where they come from.

Melbourne is the third Australian city to open a FamilySearch Discovery Center designed specifically to help beginners, joining similar centers in Sydney and Brisbane.

“The Discovery Center is designed to help people get started,” said Sister Susan Barnett, a family history missionary. “We don’t expect new visitors to jump straight into research. We simply encourage them to begin with what they already know. For many people, it only takes getting back to a grandparent before they begin to make connections and discover stories they never knew.”

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, family history reflects their belief that, through our Saviour Jesus Christ, families can be together forever. They believe we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father who has a plan for us to return home to Him. That understanding is one reason the Church provides FamilySearch Discovery Centers, where trained volunteers welcome anyone who wants to learn more about the people who came before them.

Each August, National Family History Month encourages Australians to discover where they come from, preserve family stories, and connect with the generations who came before them. Throughout the month, libraries, museums, archives, and family history organisations across Australia and New Zealand host events that help people explore and preserve their family stories.

As part of this year’s National Family History Month, the Melbourne FamilySearch Discovery Center will host a public open house on Saturday, 15 August, inviting visitors to drop in, ask questions, explore the interactive displays, and discover how easy it can be to get started exploring their family history.

“National Family History Month is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who’s curious about where they came from to come and experience the Discovery Center,” said Elder Richard Barnett, a family history missionary. “We invite people to ask questions, explore the interactive experiences, and see just how easy it is to get started.”

Whether you’re curious about where you come from or simply wondering what the Discovery Center has to offer, the public is invited to attend the open house on Saturday, 15 August, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 76 Cathies Lane, Wantirna South.

Visitors can explore the center, ask questions, and receive one-on-one guidance to help them get started discovering their own family story.

More information about the FamilySearch Discovery Center, including upcoming events and how to arrange a visit, is available on its Facebook page.