Who We Are

We are a local group of family history enthusiasts.
A local group of family history enthusiasts attended seminars and workshops conducted by visiting members of the West Australian Genealogical Society, back in the 1980s, they then decided they wanted their own association, and assembled sufficient numbers of interested people to create their own. They contacted WAGS, in Perth, and, on July 3rd, 1982, after an intense weekend workshop, set up the Albany Group a branch of WAGS.
They started with a President, a Secretary and a Committee of three, and like all societies, had their ups and downs - most notably, finding a suitable 'home' for the library. During this time, they maintained a close association with WAGS by inviting visiting speakers from their ranks, borrowing books from the Perth library and by conducting seminars.
After 18 years of association, it was decided that country branches should stand on their own and if they wished become independent, Affiliated societies of WAGS. We are now the Albany Regional Family History Society Inc., and have a full executive of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Librarian, aided by several committee members.

Our Aims!
Our Society main aim is to help people research and build their family trees, promoted and encouraged the pursuit of family history, for its social record and it's medical value. The knowledge of a illness in ones family which may lead to serious consequences, gives the research even more immediacy.

Another of our aims is to collate diverse records of the early settlers in the Lower Great Southern Region of Western Australia, so that they are accessible to the public.

How do we propose to do this? By:
  1. Preserving, recording and acquiring family histories and other genealogical material.
  2. Operating a reference lending library and research center.
  3. Liaising and reciprocating with other societies having similar aims and interests.
  4. Conducting meetings of members for the purpose of furthering the objectives of the Society.  
Please note: The Society has no religious or political affiliations and is open to all interested people whether they are members or not.

Our big move (thrice) and settling in!
Thirty-two years further on, and after shifting to the historical Co-op building, then to the Vancouver Centre, have settled into our present location in 2020. The ARFHS is now happily established at the Albany Public Library. At last we are in the central business district and via the Public Library Internet we are at last linked to the Internet and are able to access multiple genealogical and research websites.