English Irish Welsh Interest Group 2025
2025-12-07 10:00 - 14:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
The English Irish Welsh interest Group aims:

To assist members with their research into their English, Welsh or Irish ancestry through discussion, guest speakers and acquisition of resources.

Meetings:
Are held on the 1st Sunday of even months of the year, unless otherwise advertised.
2025: 2nd Feb; 6th April; 1st June; 3rd Aug; 5th Oct; 7th Dec.

The Resource Centre opens at 9:30 am and closes at 2:30 pm, the meeting begins at 10:00 am with a discussion followed by one of the members giving a presentation relevant to one of the counties the Group covers. There will be opportunities to ask questions of the group, seek help with a research problems you may have and to share your knowledge. You will have time to do personal research and talk to members.
The meetings are hybrid, so that anyone who is unable to attend on the day can still participate in the meeting via Zoom.
Attendees are asked to contribute a gold coin donation.
Contact Convenor Kim Davis on irisheng@gsq.org.au to obtain a Zoom link or further information.

Monday Indexing Team
2025-12-08 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
2025-12-08 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

Executive Committee Meeting Dates
2025-12-12 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.

GSQ Closure for Xmas
2025-12-13 08:00 - 2026-01-12 17:00 | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
GSQ will be closed for the Christmas from Saturday 13th December 2025 and will reopen again on Tuesday 13th January 2026

GSQ XMAS RAFFLE
2025-12-13 14:00 - 16:00 | Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ), 25 Stackpole St, Wishart, Brisbane, QLD, 4122, Australia
GSQ Christmas Raffle
A number of Hampers and prizes to be won
Drawn at the GSQ Christmas Afternoon Tea for GSQ Members being held at the Resource Centre, 25 Stackpole Street, Wishart.
2:00PM – 4:00PM Saturday 13th December

Cost of Raffle tickets is $2 each or 5 x $2 for $10

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Committee Meeting Dates
2025-12-15 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.

Fundamentals Course 2026
2026-01-15 10:30 - 12:30, 2026-01-22 10:30 - 12:30, 2026-01-29 10:30 - 12:30, 2026-02-05 10:30 - 12:30 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Join GSQ’s Fundamental Course in Family History
it is then followed by the Digging Deeper Course in June

If you are just starting out with your genealogical research or if you would like a refresher on what, where and how to do it, then this course has been designed for you.
It is a four week course starting on Thursday 15th January 2026 at 10:30 AM via Zoom.
All sessions are recorded and will be available for attendees to view for the following 4 weeks.
If you are new to researching your family history and are not already a member of GSQ, but decide to join us during the course, then you will be refunded the $15 difference that occurs between the GSQ member and non member registration fee for this course.
Topics and Dates:
15 Jan 2026
Where do I start? The basics of family history research. Certificates, civil registration, and Australia’s convicts.
1st Session: – Marg

Basic’s – Start with yourself, write down what you know, ask family members who might know some details etc.

2nd Session: – Bev

Civil Registration in Australia, what is on Certificates, and early church records available. The UK BDM’s civil registration and information regarding Australia’s convicts.

22 Jan 2026
Finding records, primary and secondary, citations, standards, other sources of information and research plans.
Both Sessions: – Kim

Primary and secondary records, citations, with examples from personal research. Advantages of looking at cemetery and funeral directors records. Research plans and logs and Standards.

29 Jan 2026
Using Australian census and census substitutes, UK census. Practicalities of research and Repositories
1st Session: – Bev

Australian 1828 and 1841 Census and their substitutes – Electoral Rolls and Post Office Directories. Census of the UK 1841 – 1921 and the 1939 UK Register.

2nd Session: – Marg

Repositories – using them and what to expect to find in them. Practical details of research and being prepared for your visit.

5 Feb 2026
Putting it altogether in a Family History Program or an online tree and filing.
Both Sessions: – Ailsa

Genealogical Programs – Family Tree Maker, Legacy, RootsMagic, Family Historian.
Online Trees – Ancestry, MyHeritage, WikiTree and FamilySearch.
Filing on your computer.

All sessions are with experienced GSQ researchers: Marg Doherty; Kim Davis; Bev Murray; Ailsa Corlett
Please book in early to ensure you have a spot and get the Early Bird discount.
Early Bird – up to 5th Jan 2026 is $70 for GSQ/QFHS/ Affiliate and Corporate Members and $85 for Non-members
After the 5th Jan 2026 prices will be $80 and $95

Tickets will close at 8am Thursday 15 Jan 2026
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 Tree Maker 2024: An Overview of New and Enhanced Features - FREE GSQ Members
2026-01-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The most popular Genealogical Recording program, got better in 2025 with the release of Family Tree Maker 2024 – FREE to GSQ Members
Mark Olsen plans to cover the latest updates and significant enhancements in Family Tree Maker 2024. The specific content will be tailored to the interests and discussions of your group, ensuring we address the most relevant aspects and common queries among your members. This flexible approach will allow for a dynamic and engaging session focused on what truly matters to the Genealogical Society of Queensland.
So if you are using this version of the program, or wondered what it was all about, come to this session and talk to Mark regarding it. We are sure he will be able to answer all your queries.

Presenter:
Mark Olsen
Mark Olsen is the Family Tree Maker Ambassador to historical and genealogical societies around the world working to support their members as they use Family Tree Maker. Mark is a graduate of Brigham Young University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Family History with a Spanish records emphasis.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 17 Jan 2026

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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Who, what, why in nineteenth century maternity care practice
2026-01-31 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
In the era before compulsory regulation applied to nurses, midwives and others attending at bedsides, there are few records which explain what maternity practice was about: who did it, what their motivations were, what preparation people had for it, and what practice involved. Useful sources to fill the gap are investigations into maternal deaths, coronal inquests and magisterial inquiries. In developing these investigative systems in the nineteenth century, Australian jurisdictions imported conventions from Britain and applied local considerations, of necessity. In this presentation, I will discuss maternity practice in Australia during the nineteenth century and the outcomes for pregnant women, with particular reference to colonial Queensland. Content alert: Please note that some material in this presentation is grim.

Presenter:
Dr Madonna Grehan
Madonna Grehan was born and grew up in Queensland. She is an independent historian, a Registered Nurse and Midwife and holds a PhD in history (Melb.). She is an Honorary Fellow in the Melbourne School of Health Sciences. Her research interests in history include: women and society in Australia from 1795; nurses, midwives and maternity care; oral history; biography; aspects of women in war. Madonna is in her 18th year as a volunteer, social-history, tour guide at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 31 Jan 2026
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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The Mary Toole Case Study
2026-02-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
The Mary Toole Case Study series examines the complexities of her lineage, familial connections, and the ties to the Buchanan name. Across four parts, the study transitions from an introductory exploration of genealogical challenges to the sophisticated application of genetic genealogy tools, culminating in the genealogical reports adhering to the Genealogical Proof Standard. It demonstrates the integration of DNA evidence with conventional research, employing a variety of methodologies, tools, and analyses to shed light Mary Toole’s ancestry. This series not only unravels Mary Toole mysteries, but also serves as a guide for genealogists navigating the nuanced realms of family history research, DNA analysis, and report writing.

Presenter:
Greg Carlill
Greg Carlill is an experienced genealogist with more than 35 years of research experience. His research has taken him into Ireland, Scotland, England, and the early days of the Australian and New Zealand colonies. As the Convener of the Genealogical Society of Queensland’s DNA Interest Group, Greg has spent the past eight years applying advanced genetic genealogy techniques to confirm and expand his research. He excels in using tools like DNA Clustering, WATO (What Are The Odds), and DNA Painter, and is skilled in managing and analysing multiple DNA tests to solve complex genealogical puzzles. Greg has a special interest in using DNA to confirm his existing research.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 14 Feb 2026
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 the code given to you to use. (please contact your secretary if you do not know it)

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Obsidian Workshop - Part 1
2026-02-21 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Part 1: Getting started with Obsidian, setting the program up, running through a workshop example
Parts 1 and 2: **Organise your genealogical research with clarity and control !** This Obsidian workshop is perfect for genealogists and family historians juggling research leads, source notes, historical documents, and case studies. The strategies taught — such as note linking, ancestor-centric hubs, and research trail mapping — are critical to understanding complex relationships and hypotheses that genealogists frequently encounter.

Presenter:
Greg Carlill
Greg Carlill is an experienced genealogist with more than 35 years of research experience. His research has taken him into Ireland, Scotland, England, and the early days of the Australian and New Zealand colonies. As the Convener of the Genealogical Society of Queensland’s DNA Interest Group, Greg has spent the past eight years applying advanced genetic genealogy techniques to confirm and expand his research. He excels in using tools like DNA Clustering, WATO (What Are The Odds), and DNA Painter, and is skilled in managing and analysing multiple DNA tests to solve complex genealogical puzzles. Greg has a special interest in using DNA to confirm his existing research.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 21 Feb 2026
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 the code given to you to use. (please contact your secretary if you do not know it)

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Obsidian Workshop - Part 2
2026-02-28 09:00 - 11:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Part 2: More advanced topics, making the most out of the data in your Obsidian Vault dataview queries, bases.
Parts 1 and 2: **Organise your genealogical research with clarity and control !** This Obsidian workshop is perfect for genealogists and family historians juggling research leads, source notes, historical documents, and case studies. The strategies taught — such as note linking, ancestor-centric hubs, and research trail mapping — are critical to understanding complex relationships and hypotheses that genealogists frequently encounter.

Presenter:
Greg Carlill
Greg Carlill is an experienced genealogist with more than 35 years of research experience. His research has taken him into Ireland, Scotland, England, and the early days of the Australian and New Zealand colonies. As the Convener of the Genealogical Society of Queensland’s DNA Interest Group, Greg has spent the past eight years applying advanced genetic genealogy techniques to confirm and expand his research. He excels in using tools like DNA Clustering, WATO (What Are The Odds), and DNA Painter, and is skilled in managing and analysing multiple DNA tests to solve complex genealogical puzzles. Greg has a special interest in using DNA to confirm his existing research.

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 28 Feb 2026
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 the code given to you to use. (please contact your secretary if you do not know it)

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From Europe to Australia: tracing the roots of migrant ancestors - Mini Seminar
2026-03-28 09:00 - 13:00 | Virtually via Zoom, QLD, Australia
Many of us will have European ancestors that came to Australia or even New Zealand in our history. Many left their homelands to come to Australia for a large variety of reasons. But all wanted to make a go of it and experience the freedom we have to own land, educate our children and plenty to eat. Which was not always possible in some countries due to wars, depressions and persecutions.
If it is a few generations back, then many of the stories that were told or handed down will now have gone or changed so much you don’t really know what the full truth was. As we all know when many arrived here their names were Anglicised to make it easier for people to pronounce their names. Eg. Petro became Peter and Maria became Mary. Language of a different country often makes it difficult for us to know where to find the records and what records do exist and how to use them for our family history.
Come and join 5 Fantastic Presenters in a mini seminar to learn about what life was like before and after they arrived in Australia; what and where to find records and how to make advancement in tracing the roots of your migrant ancestors.

Eastern European Family History Online:

Without leaving your home, you can research your family’s origins in Eastern Europe. DNA testing and the rapidly increasing range of online databases are changing the way we research family history in Eastern Europe. Plenty of resources are available, but they are not necessarily on the usual family history sites. This session will provide ideas for pushing your research in new directions, and suggest tools that would make your work easier. It should be possible to sort out problems and questions regarding language, geography, history and boundary changes.

Presenter:
Dave Obee
Dave Obee is a Canadian journalist and genealogical researcher who has written a dozen books and given more than 700 presentations at conferences and seminars in Canada, the United States and Australia since 1997. He is Editor and Publisher of the Times Colonist in Victoria, British Columbia. The University of Victoria has awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws for his work as a historian, genealogist and journalist. In 2023, the university named Dave an honorary librarian and archivist.
He has been researching family history for more than four decades. His father’s ancestors came to Canada from England and Ireland in the 19th century, and his mother was born in the Soviet Union and came to Canada with her parents in 1928. He has travelled extensively in Eastern Europe in pursuit of his ancestors, and has already booked a flight to Poland for March 2026.

Italian Family History:
“This session will cover how to start your Italian family research. It begins with finding Australian arrivals and then moves back to researching in Italy. You’ll learn about the records held in Italy – how to find them, and how to read them. These include records created by civil authorities, the Roman Catholic church, and cemetery records. We’ll also discuss how to navigate Italy’s complicated history to find the right archive, and look at various online resources.”

Presenter:
Charlotte Sale
Charlotte has a long professional background in research, organisational change, and communication. More importantly, she is the holder of family stories for her family, near and far, and regularly swaps granny snaps with her first, second and third cousins in Australia, the UK, Italy, Spain, and South Africa.
Completing several courses on researching in Italy with the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, Charlotte honed her skills in accessing Italian family history resources online. She also worked with an Italian genealogist, obtaining copies of original records tracing her family in Lombardy (northern Italy) back to 1700. She visited Italy just before COVID, visiting and researching the lives of her Italian forbears.
She is a regular presenter on a variety of topics for both GSQ and QFHS as well as others.

My ancestors were German: Can I research my family history:
Some might think that researching the family history of our German ancestors would be too difficult. This presentation aims to correct that misconception by outlining what we need to do to get started, warning of some some traps to avoid, and showing examples of German records that are so useful in family research.

Presenter:
Eric Kopittke
Eric studied at the University of Queensland and was awarded a B.Sc., B.A. and a Diploma of Education. He retired in 2014 after teaching Physics and Mathematics at St Peters Lutheran College, Indooroopilly for over 40 years.
A family historian, presenter, and author with a strong interest in Germany and the former German Empire, Eric has been actively researching his family since 1985 – in Australia, England, and present and former parts of Germany – and has been a member of the Queensland Family History Society for all of that time. For over 30 years he has convened the Society’s Central European Special Interest Group.
Probably best known for the series Emigrants from Hamburg to Australasia: 1850-1879 which was completed with his wife Rosemary, Eric received the Queensland FHS Award for Services to Family History (1990); was made a Fellow of the Queensland FHS (2000); and in 2006 was awarded the AFFHO Award for Meritorious Services to Family History.

Diaspora: The Greek migrant experience in Queensland:
Did you know that the word ‘diaspora’ is a Greek word meaning ‘dispersion’?
5 million Greeks are estimated to live in countries outside of Greece, and in the years after the Second World War, Australia became home to more than 350,000 Greek migrants in search of a better future.
Today, Queensland boasts a vibrant, close-knit Greek-Australian community, with more than 30,000 people in the state who claim Greek ancestry.
Join us to explore migrant selection documents, arrival records, and alien registration papers from the national archival collection that document the Greek migrant experience in Queensland.

Presenter:
Eve Terry
Eve Terry is Manager of Public Engagement for the National Archives of Australia, Queensland.
Eve’s experiences as a second-generation Greek Australian, have led to her choice of career and her passion for connecting people to their heritage through Australian Government records.

30 minute presentation on what European records are available on MyHeritage:
MyHeritage has a very large and varied database covering the following countries of which at times were classified as European countries.
Germany, Prussia, Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Ukraine and a few others.
All have a variety of records covering Births, Deaths and Marriages, Migration records, WW1 and WW2, Census, Church Records and Newspapers.
Not everything is available or covered but they do have an extremely good lot of records to search through.
GSQ has Library Diamond Subscription for its members to access in the Resource Centre at Wishart, plus at home via the Members Area.

Presenter: TBA
MyHeritage

Tickets will close at 8am Saturday 28 March 2026
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 be required to put in the code given to you to use. This will then action the discount for you. (please contact your secretary if you do not know it)

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