Trace addresses in Australian electoral rolls

An Australian electoral roll helps trace a registered person’s address at a given date. It does not list all residents or all household members. National Library of Australia guidance explains collections and territorial searching.

The method, step by step

1. Identify state or territory, year and electorate. Match the locality to the division or subdivision in that roll; modern boundaries may differ.
2. The guide describes a change in arrangement: before 1990 within subdivisions; after 1990 by state or territory. Check edition and catalogue format rather than assuming identical name search for all years.
3. Record name, address, year, territory, division and reference. Occupation can help in older editions; the guide notes its omission after 1983. A blank recent field does not mean unemployment.
4. Compare at least two editions and verify same-address people with another record. Shared addresses may mean family, boarding house or separate dwellings; they do not establish kinship.