Research Services

Professional genealogy to uncover your family's story.

Every family has unanswered questions — a missing ancestor, an unknown parent or grandparent, a family story waiting to be tested against the evidence. My role is to find the clearest answers the evidence allows.

LET'S TALK

What would you like to discover?

A family History question

You have one specific question you'd like answered — perhaps identifying an ancestor's parents, confirming an immigration, locating military service, or resolving a single documentary problem.

Focused Research Project

A DNA or unknown Ancestor Mystery

You're seeking an unknown parent, grandparent or biological family, or trying to make sense of unexpected DNA matches. These projects combine documentary research with DNA analysis.

Discovery Project

A family history project

You want your family history documented in depth — whether that's one branch or a lasting record built across many generations. All projects include DNA investigations.

Family History Projects

A specialist historical project

You have a specialist project in mind — convict ancestry, military history, house and property history, local history, or a family history published as a book.


Specialist Projects

Our process

1. Exploration
We discuss your goals by email, phone or video call and sign a research agreement.

2. Research Plan
A research plan is developed outlining your goals, the search strategies and repositories to be searched.

3. Search & Evaluate
Records are searched, extracted and analysed to the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS). Conflicts are resolved, where possible, and conclusions reached.

4. Deliver Results
A final report is delivered to you. It may include pedigree charts and images in a fully documented narrative, all in an easy-to-read format.

What You'll Receive
Every project includes the following, so it isn't repeated under each package below:

  • A professionally written, fully cited research report
  • Copies of all documents located
  • Family trees and relationship charts
  • GEDCOM file on request
  • Historical context, maps and photographs
  • DNA relationship diagrams, where DNA analysis is part of your project
  • Recommendations for further research
  • Digital delivery via secure cloud storage.

Professional Standards

Evidence before assumption — conclusions are based on documentary and genetic evidence, not family tradition or speculation.

International research standards — research follows the internationally recognised Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS), ensuring reasonably exhaustive research and sound evidence analysis.

Complete documentation — every report includes full source citations, together with copies of the records located wherever possible.

Personal oversight — most research is undertaken personally. On occasion an affiliate researcher is engaged for additional capacity, but every project is personally reviewed before it's delivered to you.

Honest conclusions — genealogy can't guarantee discoveries. Missing records, privacy restrictions and the complexity of family relationships sometimes mean a definitive answer isn't possible. Where that happens, you'll get a clear explanation of the evidence considered and recommended next steps.

Tricia S. & Alison H.  | Two grateful sisters

Research skills second to none...

What an amazing piece of detective work you did in Ireland.
Your research skills are second to none, and your knowledge of how and where to search is phenomenal … the result of years of experience that is totally beyond the scope of new recruits to genealogy, like ourselves.
The headstone could not have been erected without your tenacity and tireless researching.

Research Options

Focused Research Project: $1350

Best for: one clear, specific question you want answered. 
Example: When did Thomas Martin arrive in New South Wales? or Who were the parents of John Smith, born 1846 in County Tipperary?

  • Up to 10 hours of research, using traditional records
  • Typically completed within 3 months.


DNA analysis is not included in this package.


Discovery Project: from $2500

Best for: bigger mysteries — identifying unknown parents, breaking through a brick wall, or piecing together a family group. Combines traditional records with DNA match analysis.

How the pricing works, in plain terms:

  • Stage 1 costs $2500 and covers 20 hours of research.
  • At the 15-hour mark, you get a progress update and decide together whether to wrap up or continue.
  • If you continue, further work is billed in 10-hour blocks at $1150 for traditional research, or 20-hour blocks at $2300 when the remaining work involves DNA. The larger block reflects the time needed for this specialised analysis. No payment is required until you say yes.
  • Most projects like this need one to three further blocks, depending on the mix of DNA and traditional research still needed (roughly 35–60 hours in total). You're never committed beyond the stage you've paid for.

Family History Projects: Ancestral Lines

Choose how far back you want to go

Best for: a deep, extended investigation into one branch of the family, or the whole tree. Three sizes, priced by scope. All three include an allowance for certificates, wills and similar record purchases.

One Couple: $4250

One set of grandparents and their ancestry, typically to the great-great-grandparent generation. DNA can be added to confirm relationships.

Maximum of 35 hours, including the research report. Takes 3–6 months to complete.

One Surname Line: $8750

One paternal or maternal surname, traced as far back as records allow. DNA analysis can be added in $2300 / 20-hour blocks — DNA work takes this long on its own — without reducing your traditional research time.

Maximum of 70 hours. Takes 5–8 months to complete.

 Full Ancestral Project: $16850

All four grandparent surname lines (30 hours per line), each traced back to the immigrant ancestor who first arrived in Australia, then documented forward three generations from that ancestor. Arrival dates and record availability vary by line, so depth will differ across the four surnames, but each line stays within its allocated hours. Covers research, evidence analysis and report preparation. DNA add-on available as above.

Maximum of 135 hours. Takes 10–18 months to complete.

Specialist Historical Projects & Hourly Work

Specialist Projects

Need something different?

The custom research package can cover a variety of topics. For example, you may want to find out more about a convict ancestor, someone who served in the military or the history of your house or a property owned by ancestors over many generations. You may require research to be undertaken and then published in book form. Pricing and hours are negotiated, based on the extent of the research and the type of publication. 

Hourly Research and Lookups

Research: $135 per hour

  • Record lookups in person (eg, local repository such as the Queensland State Archives, Brisbane City Council Archives or the State Library of Queensland)  $135 for the first hour and $105 per hour thereafter.
  • Business, legal or probate research from $185 per hour.

Good to Know

  • Hourly rate: $135 for individuals; a 50% deposit secures your place on the research waitlist.
  • Reports, supporting documents and GEDCOM files (where requested) are supplied digitally.
  • Not included: extra printed copies (quoted on request), postage & packing, and African or Asian ancestry research (available via affiliate researchers, quoted case-by-case).
  • Please review the cancellation and refund policy in the Letter of Agreement before deciding.
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