FAMILY
HISTORY
HOLIDAYS

Destinations

Where can I go on a Family History Holiday?

We have a rich mix of people with wonderfully varied heritage here in Australia, and we know the number of trips our customers plan and book will cover destinations far and wide. That said, we all need to start somewhere, so to get you thinking, we have selected a series of well-known historical places so you can understand why, who, where, what, and how a Family History Holiday works. This list is just the beginning!

• Sydney
  Australia’s earliest convict colony is a great starting point for many family history enthusiasts.  Throughout  the city there are pretty suburbs with terrace houses, workers cottages and interesting architecture from every historical period to explore.  And it’s easy to head west to the State Archives stopping at  Parramatta, home of some serious (World Heritage listed) historic sites.  Sydney is the headquarters for the Society of Australian Genealogists, the Royal Australian Historical Society, the NSW branch of the National Trust of Australia.
• The Hawkesbury (NSW)

  The Hawkesbury is one of Australia’s oldest European-settled regions - but its story stretches much further back than that. Home to the Dharug and Darkinjung peoples for tens of thousands of years, this beautiful riverland still carries the deep cultural and spiritual imprint of First Nations people, who have lived with and cared for this country long before the arrival of the First Fleet.

  When the colony of New South Wales began to push beyond Sydney Cove, the fertile banks of the Hawkesbury River drew settlers eager to farm and establish new lives. Many of Australia’s early pioneers - including convicts, free settlers, and soldiers - passed through here, leaving stories etched in sandstone cottages, crumbling headstones, and historic roadways like the Great North Road, hand-built by convict labour.

  Today, the Hawkesbury makes for an ideal weekend getaway - especially for families wanting to trace early colonial ancestry or any farming forebears from this famous agricultural region.

  Start your search here:

  • The Hawkesbury Regional Museum in Windsor, an excellent launchpad for family history research, complete with changing exhibitions, archives, and guided tours.
  • Thompson Square, one of the oldest public squares in Australia, surrounded by Georgian architecture and layered with colonial history.
  • St Matthew’s Anglican Church, designed by Francis Greenway in 1817, and still in use today.
  • Ebenezer Church, the oldest surviving church in Australia, with an attached cemetery perfect for those on the lookout for family headstones.
  • Wisemans Ferry and the Old Great North Road, part of a World Heritage-listed convict site, where you can still walk in the footsteps of those who built the early colony.

  Famous historic figures who may be connected to your family story:

  • Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who named many of the “Macquarie Towns” (including Windsor, Richmond, and Pitt Town), and whose vision shaped much of the region’s early development.
  • Francis Greenway, convict-turned-architect, who left an extraordinary architectural legacy across the region.
  • John Tebbutt, the Hawkesbury’s own 19th-century astronomer, who appeared on the old $100 note and whose observatory still stands in Windsor.

  Events with a historic twist, much loved by the Hawkesbury locals

  • The Hawkesbury Show (May) - a huge country show that celebrates the region’s agricultural past and present.
  • St Albans Writers’ Festival (September) - a quirky little literary gem in one of the most historic villages in NSW.
  • Heritage Farm Days and Open Houses - check in with the local visitor centre or historical society for dates and details, especially around History Week in September.

  The Hawkesbury isn’t just a destination - it’s a living history book. Whether you’re tracing convict ancestors, exploring First Nations culture, or simply wandering through time-weathered towns, this is the kind of place that makes the past feel present.

  Let us help you tailor a short family break in the Hawkesbury - with local researchers, museum staff or a cuppa with other community connections - you never know who you might meet or what you might uncover.

• The Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands has also been home base for some of Australia’s famous explorers as well as a couple of notorious bushrangers.  Just over one hour’s drive from Sydney, this region has lovely places to stay with several heritage homes converted into hotels and many easy drives through beautiful bush settings. Groups like the Berrima District Historical and Family History Society have extensive collections that could help answer some of those nitty gritty questions about your ancestors.

Significant Historic Sites: where you could start your search..

• Berrima Courthouse & Gaol - A superb example of colonial architecture with dramatic sound-and-light presentations of local legal history and infamous inmates.
• Harper’s Mansion - A National Trust property built in Berrima during the 1830s with a heritage rose garden and maze, evoking early colonial life.
• Surveyor General Inn- Australia's oldest continuously licensed inn, this pub in Berrima has been serving up meals and stories since 1834.
• Railway Station Precincts -Stations in places like Exeter and Moss Vale are not only charming remnants of the past but also central to the region’s development in the railway boom.

Famous historic figures: do these people know your people?

• Sir Thomas Mitchell - Explorer and surveyor who mapped large parts of NSW and Victoria, with routes passing through the Highlands.
• Ben Hall - Bushranger said to have had links to the region and used its forests as cover during his hold-ups.
• Sir Donald Bradman - Cricketing legend raised in Bowral, whose legacy lives on at the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame.

Events Much Loved by the Locals:

• Brigadoon at Bundanoon - A colourful celebration of Scottish heritage with pipe bands, dancing and traditional games.
• Tulip Time Festival - Held each spring in Bowral, with dazzling floral displays and a nod to the region’s European settler history.
• Southern Highlands Autumn Gardens Weekend - Access to spectacular private gardens that often include guided heritage walks and local stories.
• Bundanoon Winterfest - A celebration of community, creativity and chilly Highlands charm, with storytelling, music, food and fireside fun.

Traditional custodians of this land include the Gundungurra and Dharawal peoples, whose deep connection to Country is embedded in the escarpments, waterways and walking tracks of national parks like Morton and the spectacular Fitzroy Falls.

The Southern Highlands is a place where bushland meets heritage, and where every lane and landscape seems to whisper a story from the past.

• Regional Victoria
  Travel around the Victorian goldfields and you’ll see some amazing architecture, and access interesting historic records that  illustrating the impact  that the  boom and bust  had on this beautiful par tof the country.   It’s easy to get around regional Victoria, and plenty to keep you occupied while you’re on your quest. Take the family cycling to old villages, stop at local markets or take a break at the odd winery or two on the way.
• Northern Territory
  
  The dramatic, breathtaking landscape of Northern Territory is matched by its fascinating and poignant history. An exploration of the top end is an education in Indigenous heritage and colonial Australia. Did you know the Northern Territory was part of New South Wales from 1825 - 1863, and then part of South Australia from 1863 - 1911? Explore some of the country's most iconic landmarks from Uluru to Kakadu, and develop a deeper understanding of the territory's history, as you unravel your own. 
• Far North Queensland 
  
  Cairns, Cape York, Port Douglas and the Daintree have a history steeped in Indigenous culture, gold mining and agricultural pursuits. Many of these areas became tourist spots after playing significant roles in WWII efforts. Soak up this Queensland paradise and explore its stunning natural phenomena as you dig up your family roots.
• The Barossa Valley
  With vineyards over 160 years old, there’s plenty of family history trails to follow in South Australia’s wine regions. Named after a region in Spain, and home to many English and European settlers looking for a better life, old church spires are still to be seen across the valley, with fabulous markets in small villages showing how old traditions (particularly German ones) are alive and well today.
• Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the UK
  A trip anywhere in the British Isles can provide many answers about your ancestors. There’s the clans, the crofts, the factories and farms, and so many places can give you a clear picture back into the past. Get to know the locals whose people knew your people. Stay in an old inn, a cosy cottage, or a grand manor house close to the places your forebears worked and played and found their way forward.
• Europe
  Starting with the anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, there are now many ongoing commemorations and many Australians are going back to see where their ancestors were involved in WW1 and WW2. Places of interest cover Egypt, Israel and Palestine along with France, Italy and Germany
• India/China/Singapore
  Originally perceived as exotic outposts of the empire, the cities and villages across Asia or the Indian subcontinent can unveil fascinating insights into the family legends. Whether it’s tracking your stories back through multiple generations or looking into the war records and colonial customs, these destinations offer a family history holiday with a difference.

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Wishlist Where do you want to go?

This will be a great year for a Family History Holiday. Start the conversation this summer and find out more about who’s who in your family. We’d love to hear all about it.

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