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Look for research already completed. Check the following:
Stonnington History Centre
National Trust
Heritage Victoria
State Library of Victoria
Previous owners or neighbours
MelbourneMansions Database (for house of two or more storeys)
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Investigate the architectural style and period.
Ask at your library for books on architecture, or browse the shelves at Dewey number 720.
Compare the style of your house with neighbouring properties.
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Look for old plans.
Land subdivision plans (many are included in the History Centre catalogue).
MMBW plans (Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works), especially at scale 40 foot to the inch. Most have now been scanned by the State Library. You may find it easier to first contact Stonnington History Centre for a grid reference number before proceeding to the SLV catalogue.
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Check the Sands & McDougall postal directories
These are widely available on microfiche and cover the years 1862-1974.
Compile a list of the occupiers of your house over the years.
Note that it is occupants rather than owners that are listed.
Beware of changes to street numbers.
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Check the Council rate books
These are available on microfiche/film and cd-rom.
A guide to using the rate books is available.
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Malvern building plans
The Stonnington History Centre holds building plans for properties east of Kooyong Road from 1917 to c.1975
Building plans for the area west of Kooyong Road (i.e.: the former City of Prahran) have not survived.
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Certificates of Title
These may provide useful information relating to ownership of the land, rather than to a particular building on that land.
The records are maintained by state rather than local government bodies.
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Try Googling your address!
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Information on architects and builders is in the 'Architects Index', on microfilm at the State Library of Victoria.
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Don't waste your research.
Offer a copy to the Stonnington History Centre.