Colonial and Convict Interest Group 2025
2025-08-10 10:00 - 14:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
The Colonial and Convict Interest Group aims:

to provide a specialist forum for members with a particular interest in the history of settlement from 1788 through the colonial period, before the colonies united to become the nation of Australia in 1901.
to seek to collaboratively explore all aspects of this fascinating period of our history and our colonial heritage, Develop insights into your ancestors’ life experiences, including the horrors of transportation. Join, research, learn and share information. Hear the stories of others.

Meetings:
Meetings are held on the 2nd Sunday of even months of the year unless advised.
The Resource Centre opens at 10.00am and closes at 2.30pm. The meeting begins at 10:00 am until 12 noon, to allow members to conduct research after the meeting.
The Annual General Meeting of the Group is held in February each year.
The meetings are Hybrid, so that those unable to attend on the day can still join in the meeting via Zoom.

2025: 9th Feb; 13th April; 8th June; 10th Aug; 12th Oct; 14th Dec;
Attendees are asked to contribute a gold coin donation.
Contact Convenor Bev Murray on CandC@gsq.org.au to obtain a link for Zoom or further information.

Monday Indexing Team
2025-08-11 10:00 - 14:30, 2025-08-25 10:00 - 14:30, 2025-09-08 10:00 - 14:30 | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
This time is set aside for the Monday Indexing Team, who work at GSQ on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 10am – 2.20pm.
If you do need to have a meeting at GSQ during this time period please be aware of the team being there and keep meetings quiet and conducted as quickly as possible.

Regards
GSQ Indexing Team

MT Zoom 2025
2025-08-11 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-08-18 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-08-25 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-09-01 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-09-08 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-09-15 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Welcome to Monday Morning Zoom

Are you interested in learning more about Genealogy/ Family History?
What can you find regarding records on the various websites, in the books at GSQ, microfiche that have not been digitized, and what you can find in Archives and Libraries.
Do you like to be part of a very relaxed group that LOVE to talk and share information?
GSQ is not opened on a Monday so why not join us from the comfort of your home along with a cuppa and don’t forget the pets.
We have discovered that many of our pets love being on Zoom and enjoy the attention of everyone saying hello to them. So all pets are welcome to come along as well.
We like to discuss events that are occurring in the genealogical world.
As a group we try to help others by offering alternative ideas or websites/records to search when someone has a problem or a brickwall.
So come and join Ailsa and Helen, every Monday from 11am – 12.30pm, and find out more about the joys of belonging to a Genealogical Society.
We do not meet on public holidays, see the event calendar,
If you are not a member of GSQ yet, you can come along for 2 meetings before needing to join.
Send your request to join us to mtzoom@gsq.org.au and we will add you to our list.
Your Hosts are: Ailsa Corlett and Helen Connor

Ailsa Corlett

Helen Connor

Breaking Down Brick Walls with TheGenealogist - FREE for GSQ Members
2025-08-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
TheGenealogist is a subscription database of which GSQ has two seats. This is also available via MyGSQ for our members to use from home as well as at the GSQ Resource Centre.
It uses a MasterSearch which can help you find very quickly the information you are looking for by narrowing down your search to a particular type of data and further filtering the results to only include certain record sets, years or spellings.
You can search for a specific address by county and street name; search for a person using keywords such as their occupation; search for a family by forename and surname; pinpoint your ancestor’s records using GeoReferenced historic maps; and SmartSearch finds related records for you.
Uncover the secrets to overcoming stumbling blocks in your family history research! Discover new and innovative search strategies to locate those elusive relatives. Explore unique record collections that can tell you more about your ancestors’ lives.

Presenter:
Mark Bayley from TheGenealogist.co.uk
Working as the head of online development for TheGenealogist and also as a Director of S&N British Data Archive, Mark has been involved in many aspects of genealogy and the family business from an early age. In his spare time, he gives talks on tools, techniques and alternative record sets for researching genealogy at events across the country.

Tickets will close at 5pm Tuesday 12 August 2025
The link is included in your registration payment – Please make sure you retain this.
Registrants will be able to view the recording for the following month.
QFHS and any GSQ Affiliate members you will require to put in your Member No or Branch as well as the code given to you to use.

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2nd Wednesday Night Zoom 2025
2025-08-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
GSQ extends its invitation to everyone that is interested in learning or finding out more about Genealogical Research to attend the 2nd and 4th Wednesday Nights of the month,
via Zoom starting at 7pm.
You do not have to be a member of GSQ in order to come along, they are FREE.

Are you interested in knowing about Family History, What does it involve, How can I find out about records available, How do I go about doing Research, Would like to listen to some experts ?
If these are questions you have, then please come along to our Wednesday Night Zooms. It is a self help group as well so that you can offer solutions/ideas/web sites/books and knowledge to anyone attending. Attendees are asked to participate in the 2nd Wednesday Night topic, thus sharing information about our ancestors.
The 2nd Wednesday Nights are topic based plus I have a Problem! night. (Please send in these problems or questions at least a week before the meeting)
The 4th Wednesday Nights we have a guest speaker talking on a large variety of topics that are involved in Family History of some sort.
These meetings are FREE to attend, but a donation is always welcomed to help sponsor subscriptions to various sites.

The topic for Discussion for this 2nd Wednesday Night 13th August 2025 will be:

To attend, please email wedpmzoom@gsq.org.au to advise you would like to be added to the attendee list. This will enable us to send you the Zoom link as well as information each month on what is happening.

Your hosts for the meetings are:

Ailsa Corlett

Fleur Creed

Ailsa has always been interested in family history, starting in 1989 after a trip to Central Otago and seeing photos and dresses of her Paternal ancestors in the Cromwell Museum. Being the eldest grandchild, her grandmother also told her stories and she obtained many of those wonderful little trinkets that get handed out.
Worked as a professional genealogist in the 1990’s specialising in NZ research for Australians. She was accredited under AAGRA. Now retired is very involved with GSQ and helps to run the website, the Monday and Wednesday Zooms as well as the FHTech group.

Fleur developed an interest in family history from her father, who was active in family history research, also writing books about the early settlers of the Queanbeyan, NSW district prior to the selection of the Limestone Plains as the site for the Federal Capital. Her ancestors came from England, Scotland and Ireland, and Africa via America, and include convicts, assisted immigrants and some free settlers. She has completed the SAG Certificate of Genealogical Studies, as well as completed the Diploma of Family History at UTAS. Fleur has a PhD on the topic, “Australian churches building social capital in their local communities” and currently works part-time as an academic researcher. She also operates a Facebook group about the history the early settlers of the tiny town in the North Burnett where she and her husband are turning a little timber church into their home.

Writing Interest Group 2025
2025-08-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
The Writing Interest Group aims:

to provide a forum in which members can learn more about the writing, editing, and publishing processes.
meetings will include discussion and presentations. Guest speakers will be invited from time to time.
members are invited to submit pieces of writing for comment and suggestions by other members.

Meetings:
Meetings are held on the 3rd Sunday of even months of the year, unless otherwise advertised. Via ZOOM.
2025: 16th Feb; 20th April; 15th June; 17th Aug; 19th Oct.
The Writing Group was formed in 2012 and grew out of two education sessions presented in 2011. We meet five times per year except December. From our beginnings as a small cohort of 10 members to a regular attendance of between 20-30, the group’s activities have also evolved.
As at June 2021 our meetings are held virtually via Zoom from 10am to 12 noon. It is hoped that we can have a mix of Zoom and face-to-face meetings in the future to provide members with the opportunity to do some personal research as well as engage with other members over morning tea and lunch, as well as meet the needs of those members who do not use Zoom.
The format for the meeting varies depending on the main topic to be discussed. Regular features include short practice sessions on a random topic; review of writing submitted by members in advance; an opportunity for members to share their achievements. Main topics we have covered include grammar, writing and style, evidence and proof, citation and referencing, copyright, different formats and structures for family histories, and many more. We have had guest speakers from time to time.
Members are encouraged to share their writing as group members may be able to provide suggestions for enhancing the style, format, etc. All comments are constructive, and the writer has discretion on whether to accept them or not. It does help, however, to have input from those not connected with a story.
Group members are at different stages of their writing; some are published authors, whereas others are just beginning. It is exciting to note that most of the winners of the Joan Reese Memorial Short Story Competition are members of the Writing Group. We regularly review how the group operates in order to meet the differing needs of beginning and more experienced writers.
Attendees are asked to contribute a gold coin donation.
At present meetings are being held via Zoom.

Contact Convenor Pauline Williams on writing@gsq.org.au for the Zoom Link or further Information.

Committee Meeting Dates
2025-08-18 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-15 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The GSQ Committee meet on the 3rd Monday of each Month between 9am – 12pm
Committee Members will be unavailable during this time period, please leave them a message so they can return your call.

Wednesday morning Zoom meetings hosted by Bobbie Edes
2025-08-20 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-09-17 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Wednesday morning Zoom meetings hosted by Bobbie Edes.
Starting at 11am on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month Feb to Nov.

Each of our friendly meetings is run for about 90 minutes or so. The sessions alternate between a Topic PowerPoint presentation with notes on the 1st Wednesday of each month and a help/learning aid session on the 3rd Wednesday with those present all sharing their contributions which are compiled into a handout on that subject so they can be kept for future use. Recently in these mid-moth meetings we have covered military, Australian births, immigration, land records, burials with more planned as well as helping members with their brick walls.
Our topic sessions have recently covered Plotting your ancestors journey using Google Earth, Preparations for visiting an archive, Education in Australia, Using short stories, Timeline creation, Using PowerPoint, and Using PowerPoint to tell your family story in movie format.
**Please email requests to join to: wedmorningzoom@gsq.org.au
2025 – 5th & 19th Feb; 5th & 19th March; 2nd & 16th April; 7th & 21st May; 4th & 18th June; 2nd & 16th July; 6th & 20th Aug; 3rd & 17th Sept; 1st & 15th Oct; 5th & 19th Nov; 3rd Dec Christmas Gathering.

Topic’s on the 1st Wednesday of the Month
Learning Aid/ Brickwall on the 3rd Wednesday of the Month.

Tour of National Archives of Australia
2025-08-21 10:00 - 12:00 | National Archives of Australia Qld, 16 Corporate Drive, Cannon Hill, Queensland, 4170, Australia
Enjoy special access at this behind the scenes tour of National Archives of Australia’s Queensland storage facility and learn how Australian Government records are stored, preserved and digitised.

GSQ has arranged with NAA Qld, 16 Corporate Drive, Cannon Hill to conduct a tour of the archives showing how the records are stored, preserved and digitised.
This will take place on 21 August 2025 starting at 10am for 2 hours, with a chance to conduct personal research after the tour has finished.
If we have more than 15 interested, we can conduct two tours. – There will be a General talk regarding the Collection and the tour itself.
When signing up for this event can you please indicate if you are 1st time attendees or experienced researchers.

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GSQ Open Day
2025-08-23 10:00 - 14:00 | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
GSQ is holding its Annual OPEN DAY again on
Saturday 23rd August 2025 from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm
Come along to talk to our research assistants and look around our resource centre. See what our members have access to on the GSQ computers as well as what is in the Library – We have LOTS of Books on all topics and countries.
In our car park we will have the following organisations –
National Archives of Australia, Qld State Archives; Brisbane; State Library of Qld; FamilySearch.
All our Interest Groups – Scottish; Chinese; Family History Tech; English, Irish and Wales; Scandinavian; Writing; DNA; Colonial and Convict; German; Wednesday Morning Zoom; Wednesday Night Zoom; and Monday Morning Zoom.
Sausage Sizzle and a Cafe as well as the Moovin’Coffee Van
Second hand Books for sale as well New Books from our Bookshop.
Talks will be held inside the Resource Centre:
11.00 am: Dr Jennifer Harrison – So you want to do family history?
12 Noon: Jan Richardson – Where did they come from? Finding Queenslanders in migration and colonial records.
1.00 pm: Ailsa Corlett – Using GSQ Resources in your Family History Research.
and we will also be running a Raffle with prizes donated from Corrine McMillan, Steven Huang, Kara Cook and Bendigo Bank
All are welcome to come along and enjoy the day and learn about researching your family history.

DNA Interest Group
2025-08-24 09:30 - 13:30 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The DNA Interest Group aims:

The DNA Group launched in May 2015 to assist members understand how DNA works and how it can assist you with your research.

Meetings:
Are held on the 4th Sunday of even months and begin at 9:30am sharp, with the Zoom room open to login from about 9:15am. These can be long meetings and can go up to 1.30pm depending on needs.
2025: 23rd Feb; 27th April; 22nd June; 24th Aug; 26th Oct.
GSQ members are welcome to join our meetings as well as our closed Facebook group. Because our meetings are usually attended by 30 – 40 members we meet currently only via Zoom and an invitation with the meeting link goes out a few days before the event.
During the meeting we have a presentation on recent updates in the DNA world, usually one other presentation and Q&A sessions.
Another feature of the group is the Mentoring sessions where those attending decide which Zoom room they’d like to join to learn more about a specific subject ie DNA general, DNA Painter, Clustering, Y-DNA/FTDNA, MyHeritage/23&Me/Ancestry etc.
DNA Clinic:
GSQ members with DNA problems can arrange a one-on-one virtual help session with one of our admin team during our DNA Clinic nights on the 5th Wednesday of specific months from 7 – 8:30pm. Dates can be found in the GSQ Events calendar.
Attendees are asked to contribute a gold coin donation.
Contact Convenor Greg Carlill on dna@gsq.org.au to be sent the Zoom link or further information.

4th Wednesday Night Zoom 2025
2025-08-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
GSQ extends its invitation to everyone that is interested in learning or finding out more about Genealogical Research to attend the 2nd and 4th Wednesday Nights of the month,
via Zoom starting at 7pm.
You do not have to be a member of GSQ in order to come along, they are FREE.

Are you interested in knowing about Family History, What does it involve, How can I find out about records available, How do I go about doing Research, Would like to listen to some experts ?
The 4th Wednesday Nights we have a guest speaker talking on a large variety of topics that are involved in Family History of some sort.
These meetings are FREE to attend, but a donation is always welcomed to help sponsor subscriptions to various sites.

The Guest Speaker for this 4th Wednesday Night 27th August 2025 is

To attend, please email wedpmzoom@gsq.org.au to advise you would like to be added to the attendee list. This will enable us to send you the Zoom link as well as information each month on what is happening.

Your hosts for the meetings are:

Ailsa Corlett

Fleur Creed

Ailsa has always been interested in family history, starting in 1989 after a trip to Central Otago and seeing photos and dresses of her Paternal ancestors in the Cromwell Museum. Being the eldest grandchild, her grandmother also told her stories and she obtained many of those wonderful little trinkets that get handed out.
Worked as a professional genealogist in the 1990’s specialising in NZ research for Australians. She was accredited under AAGRA. Now retired is very involved with GSQ and helps to run the website, the Monday and Wednesday Zooms as well as the FHTech group.

Fleur developed an interest in family history from her father, who was active in family history research, also writing books about the early settlers of the Queanbeyan, NSW district prior to the selection of the Limestone Plains as the site for the Federal Capital. Her ancestors came from England, Scotland and Ireland, and Africa via America, and include convicts, assisted immigrants and some free settlers. She has completed the SAG Certificate of Genealogical Studies, as well as completed the Diploma of Family History at UTAS. Fleur has a PhD on the topic, “Australian churches building social capital in their local communities” and currently works part-time as an academic researcher. She also operates a Facebook group about the history the early settlers of the tiny town in the North Burnett where she and her husband are turning a little timber church into their home.

Keys to solving family history mysteries: some case studies
2025-08-30 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The intention is to use specific examples of problematic family research to identify where the gaps and inconsistencies in family information are, consider why these might be a problem and find tools to reveal the family story.

Presenter:
Stephanie Ryan – Member of GSQ
Originally a high school teacher and teacher-librarian Stephanie Ryan joined the public library service in 1996. Her research has focused on the origins of Queenslanders, their paths to Australia, their experiences where they settled and their local communities. This has led her to indexing and research projects, as well as presentations shedding light on their stories. It has made her aware of the diversity of Queensland, a place distinguished by having its capital city in the south-east corner of the State. It is approximately 2½ thousand kilometres from Brisbane to the tip of Queensland and 13 hundred kilometres from Brisbane to Cameron Corner where the borders of Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia meet. Stephanie appreciates the differences this makes for those outside Brisbane and the ribbon development near it. This presentation is an attempt to show the history of a part of the State of which many would not be conscious much less realise its astonishing background and how it has come to terms with it. This story is part of a patchwork of surprising tales of scattered small towns across long distances which prosper, fail or transform, sometimes dramatically, without many Queenslanders, Australians or others being aware of it. This framework of interest has been a fascinating part of her library work in an area of the world she loves (except for the heat).

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 30 August 2025
The link is included in your registration payment – Please make sure you retain this.
Registrants will be able to view the recording for the following month.
QFHS and any GSQ Affiliate members you will require to put in your Member No or Branch as well as the code given to you to use.

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GSQ TAG IT Meetings 2025
2025-09-02 09:00 - 10:30 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
TAG IT, meet every 1st Tuesday of the month at 9.00am
Link will be sent out to all via Convenor at least the day before.

Wednesday morning Zoom meeting hosted by Bobbie Edes
2025-09-03 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia

Hail! Stranger, hail! Right welcome to our shore
2025-09-06 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Populating North-Eastern New South Wales 1842 – 1860
“Frederick” wrote this poem in February 1849 to welcome the Reverend John Lang’s Fortitude immigrants to our district, “queen of southern seas”. To gain these glories still involved months on fragile vessels sailing the hazardous Great Circle route.
In this review for GSQ, two historian members will take a detailed look at government encouragement to entice settlers to stream into the north-eastern districts within the confines of colonial New South Wales. Between 1842 and 1860 these travellers were a cosmopolitan grouping from several European countries – all looking to leave behind difficult economic or social conditions. Jennifer Harrison will describe the illusory schedule. Would these masses find prosperity on the other side of the world “to render justice to the glowing tale”? In the second half of the of the presentation, Dot Wickham will investigate attributes of the intrepid 240 passengers who ventured to start new lives boarding the very first immigrant ship to arrive in Moreton Bay, the Artemisia in December 1848. During these two decades, the incomers contributed to a new world, far from family, friends and familiar sites.

Presenter:
Dr Jennifer Harrison
Dr Jennifer Harrison is a research adviser with the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at The University of Queensland. Her experience over a generation as Queensland Researcher for the Australian Dictionary of Biography at the Australian National University reinforced her fascination for the people element within family and local history. She has written the Australian Notebook column for Irish Roots since its inception in 1992 and lectured and published widely on Irish-Australian immigrants – convicts and settlers. While Jennifer currently is caught up in marking the two hundredth anniversary of establishment of the penal colony at Moreton Bay and the genesis of Brisbane Town, she continues to enjoy her role as patron of the Genealogical Society of Queensland

Presenter:
Dr Dot Wickham
Is a Director of Ballarat Heritage Services, educator, author and historian. In 2003 Dorothy completed a Master of Philosophy about the Ballarat Female refuge (1867-1921) and in 2008 a PhD, “Women of the Ballarat Goldfield 1851-1871: A Case Study in Agency”. She is a member of the Professional Historians’ Associate (Vic & Tas) (Qld) and a visiting fellow at the Harry Gentle Resource Centre, Griffith University (Qld).
Dorothy has overseen many diverse projects and collaborative efforts, including consultancies with local councils, historical groups, educational research projects and universities. She has written, designed, publish and co-authored many books and book chapters, including The Eureka Encyclopaedia, the overall winner of the 2005 Victorian Community History Awards and Women of the Diggings: Ballarat 1854, commended in 2010. She has also assisted in the creation and maintenance of the Eurekapedia Wiki.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 6 September 2025
The link is included in your registration payment – Please make sure you retain this.
Registrants will be able to view the recording for the following month.
QFHS and any GSQ Affiliate members you will require to put in your Member No or Branch as well as the code given to you to use.

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Scottish Interest Group 2025
2025-09-07 09:30 - 14:00 | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
The Scottish Interest Group aims:

To provide assistance to those researching Scottish ancestors.
To provide resources to assist in research; providing opportunities to talk to other researchers; and organising presentations about subjects connected with Scottish genealogy, culture and history.
Via attending the Gaelic Festival each year and not only having a great time talking to everyone about GSQ and the Scottish Group, but to encourage those interested to come along and join us.

Meetings:
Meetings are held on the 1st Sunday of the odd months of the year, unless otherwise advertised.
2025: 2nd March; 4th May; 6th July; 7th Sept; 2nd Nov.
Topics for 2025 will be:
March 2nd: Lanarkshire – Alistair Henderson
May 4th: Using Scotlands People – Ailsa Corlett
July 6th: Highland Clearence History – Helen Connor
Sept 7th: Using National Records of Scotland Records – Alistair Henderson
Nov 2nd: East Lothian – Ailsa Corlett

The Resource Centre opens at 9:30 am and closes at 2:00 pm.
The meeting commences at 10am and runs for about two hours, with the remaining time for members to conduct their own research.
The meetings are hybrid so that anyone who is unable to attend on the day can still join in with the meeting using Zoom.
Attendees are asked to contribute a gold coin donation.

Contact Convenor Alistair Henderson on scotgroup@gsq.org.au to obtain a Zoom link or further information.

2nd Wednesday Night Zoom 2025
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
GSQ extends its invitation to everyone that is interested in learning or finding out more about Genealogical Research to attend the 2nd and 4th Wednesday Nights of the month,
via Zoom starting at 7pm.
You do not have to be a member of GSQ in order to come along, they are FREE.

Are you interested in knowing about Family History, What does it involve, How can I find out about records available, How do I go about doing Research, Would like to listen to some experts ?
If these are questions you have, then please come along to our Wednesday Night Zooms. It is a self help group as well so that you can offer solutions/ideas/web sites/books and knowledge to anyone attending. Attendees are asked to participate in the 2nd Wednesday Night topic, thus sharing information about our ancestors.
The 2nd Wednesday Nights are topic based plus I have a Problem! night. (Please send in these problems or questions at least a week before the meeting)
The 4th Wednesday Nights we have a guest speaker talking on a large variety of topics that are involved in Family History of some sort.
These meetings are FREE to attend, but a donation is always welcomed to help sponsor subscriptions to various sites.

The topic for Discussion for this 2nd Wednesday Night 10th September 2025 will be:

To attend, please email wedpmzoom@gsq.org.au to advise you would like to be added to the attendee list. This will enable us to send you the Zoom link as well as information each month on what is happening.

Your hosts for the meetings are:

Ailsa Corlett

Fleur Creed

Ailsa has always been interested in family history, starting in 1989 after a trip to Central Otago and seeing photos and dresses of her Paternal ancestors in the Cromwell Museum. Being the eldest grandchild, her grandmother also told her stories and she obtained many of those wonderful little trinkets that get handed out.
Worked as a professional genealogist in the 1990’s specialising in NZ research for Australians. She was accredited under AAGRA. Now retired is very involved with GSQ and helps to run the website, the Monday and Wednesday Zooms as well as the FHTech group.

Fleur developed an interest in family history from her father, who was active in family history research, also writing books about the early settlers of the Queanbeyan, NSW district prior to the selection of the Limestone Plains as the site for the Federal Capital. Her ancestors came from England, Scotland and Ireland, and Africa via America, and include convicts, assisted immigrants and some free settlers. She has completed the SAG Certificate of Genealogical Studies, as well as completed the Diploma of Family History at UTAS. Fleur has a PhD on the topic, “Australian churches building social capital in their local communities” and currently works part-time as an academic researcher. She also operates a Facebook group about the history the early settlers of the tiny town in the North Burnett where she and her husband are turning a little timber church into their home.

Executive Committee Meeting Dates
2025-09-12 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The GSQ Executive Committee met on the Friday before the Committee Meetings which is the 3rd Monday of the month.
All meetings are held between 9am – 12pm and Committee Members will be unavailable during that time. Please just leave them a message and they will return your call once finished.

Putting Your Ancestors in their places
2025-09-13 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
By exploring the places where our ancestors lived, worked, played and died we can add depth to their stories. In this session we will explore a range of resources and institutions that will help us learn about places, both physical and invisible where our ancestors belong. (Jill will talk about wikitree and its wonderful categorizations, local museums, surname and one place studies, cemeteries, archives etc., highlight a few books, include DNA matches etc. , clubs, religions.

Presenter:
Jill Ball
Jill Ball is an enthusiastic amateur genealogist from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. Her passion for family history began over thirty years ago, fuelled by a curiosity about her roots. With ten direct convict ancestors, Aboriginal heritage confirmed by DNA, and early European settlers in Australia, Jill’s tree is rich in local history. A retired librarian, teacher, and IT specialist, Jill is interested in the applications of technology in genealogy. She shares discoveries and connects with enthusiasts through several blogs including GeniAus. Jill harnesses social media platforms to connect with genealogists and distant relatives and promote, record and preserve stories and projects. As a former teacher Jill loves presenting at large and small genealogy events. She has served as an Official Blogger for RootsTech and AFFHO conferences. Since the pandemic Jill has embraced Zoom to connect, teach and learn; she particularly enjoys her role as a host for SAG events. Jill is involved in the genealogy community, serving as Vice-President of the Lake Macquarie Family History Group and on the Education Committee of the Society of Australian Genealogists. She is a proud member of genealogical societies in Australia, England, and online. When not researching her ancestors, Jill enjoys time with her husband, four children and twelve grandchildren. Her hobbies of traveling, photography and reading meld nicely with her family history activities. Her overseas itineraries often include visits to ancestral sites, archives and libraries. Jill has been the subject of interviews on the Familysearch blog and the Family Histories Podcast. Last year she was the guest star of the 2024 WikiTree Challenge 11. She is grateful for these and other opportunities that have given her a rich and rewarding retirement. For Jill, genealogy is more than a hobby—it’s a joyful pursuit of uncovering the stories of everyday people. She strives to inspire others on their own family history journeys and embrace the opportunities technology offers for exploring the past and preserving our stories for future generations.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 13 September 2025
The link is included in your registration payment – Please make sure you retain this.
Registrants will be able to view the recording for the following month.
QFHS and any GSQ Affiliate members you will require to put in your Member No or Branch as well as the code given to you to use.

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Family History Tech Interest Group 2025
2025-09-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The Family History Technology Group aims:

To assist GSQ members with increasing their knowledge and skills in using technology which can assist with their Genealogical research.
Make members comfortable with Genealogical advancements that are happening in the world.

Meetings:
Meetings are held on the 2nd Sunday of odd months of the year, unless otherwise advertised. Via ZOOM.
2025: 9th March; 11th May; 13th July; 14th Sept; 2nd Nov (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm)
The meeting commences at 10:00 am until 12:00 noon and generally consists of updates which have occurred, anything New; a Presentation and then Discussion on the presentation and problems to be solved.
This group gives opportunities to look at many other technologies that may help you in relation to recording, preserving, and looking at various technology to help you with your family history.
We like to look at and discuss

File management and storage
Various Software Programs especially ones to use with family history
Help in relation to the many Genealogical Website usage.
Common Windows/PC or Mac problems.
Work together as a group to help others overcome issues and also to swap ideas which can assist others.

If you are not a member of GSQ yet, you can come along for 2 meetings before needing to join.
Attendees are asked to contribute a gold coin donation.
Contact Convenors Ailsa Corlett and Helen Connor on FHTech@gsq.org.au for the Zoom Link or further information.
