Online research made easy with new ‘Bendigo Historic Rates Index’

A new online historic rates index is now available on the Goldfields Library website giving access to rates records from the years 1856-1903.

In recent years the Bendigo Rates have only been available in the Bendigo library in their original form and as a name index. The new online version ‘Bendigo Historic Rates Index 1856-1903’ offers many more options for searching and is freely available online to anyone at any time.

Information Services Manager at Goldfields Library, Jordana Lory says the new online version of the index was easy to use and gives valuable insight into how people lived and worked on the Bendigo Goldfields.

“With over 300,000 entries by name, address, occupation and land description, the Bendigo Historic Rates Index holds a wealth of social history that will be of interest to historians, students and people interested in the history of their own home.

“The Bendigo Library, Bendigo Regional Archives Centre and the Bendigo Family History Group have worked together over a long period of time to make the Bendigo Rate books available in an easy to access way making Bendigo’s rich history more accessible.” Ms Lory Says

The project was funded by a Local History grant from the Public Records Office of Victoria and will be officially launched by Mayor Peter Cox on Friday 30 January at 10am at the Bendigo Library.

The launch is open to the public, and you can RSVP by contacting Jordana Lory on 54492787 by 28 January 2015.

You can find the Bendigo Historic Rates Index online at the Goldfields Library website www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/e-resources/familyhistory