FamilySearch Centres
Family History Centres (FHCs) are local branches of the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City and can be found worldwide. Access to most of the microfilms and microfiche in the Family History Library are available at these Centres. You do not have to be a member of the LDS to use a FHC or their resources.
Australia and New Zealand
Residents of Australia and New Zealand (and maybe other countries also) must order their films on-line by first opening an account and then signing in to order at FamilySearch Microfilm Ordering. This requires the use of your Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card. You will need to nominate a FHC to which the films will be sent. A different FHC can be nominated for different orders; but once ordered films cannot be transferred from one FHC to another. Some Centres have better facilities than others, so check opening hours and film reading facilities first. For enquiries, phone when the FHC is open, as there are usually no facilities for phone messages or mail enquiries. If you don't have a FHC near you, you might be able to 'find a friend' who will agree to look at your film if delivered to their nearest FHC.
NSW
For those in or near Sydney, NSW, Australia it is recommended that you attend the LDS Family History Centre at North Parramatta. This Centre holds many India related films of records from the British Library permanently onsite, including all the baptism, marriage and burial indexes, indexes relating to wills, and Registers of European Soldiers Services to 1860. This will save you a lot of time, as you do not need to order in these films. Currently (November 2009) Thursdays and Saturdays usually have librarians on duty who have a particular interest in India.
Address: 169 Pennant Street
North Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
(Situated near James Ruse Drive, Parramatta side, and opposite the intersection with Isabella Street))
The Centre is situated towards the rear of the LDS chapel, left hand side, near the parking area.
Public transport: 545 bus from Parramatta station to Chatswood station.
Phone: (02)9683 5849
Hours: Tues-F 10am-3pm; 1st Sat LDS Members only; 2nd,3rd Sat 12pm-4pm; Closed over Christmas/January for four weeks.(For example, last open day 19th Dec 2009, re-open 19 Jan 2010)
Phone prior to your visit, when the Centre is open, and book a film reader.
No phone messages or mail enquiries. (The phone is disconnected outside of opening hours)
Victoria
Melbourne. The LDS FHC at Blackburn is well equipped with modern film readers and scanners, and is popular with India researchers. It is situated close to AIGS (Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies) in Melbourne which has a large collection of India material
Queensland
The Rockhampton Family History Centre in Queensland, Australia has a set of indexes for baptism, marriage and burial in the three presidencies.