Crown Plans revisited
Crown plans are some of the most valuable sources of information about land in NSW.
More than just recording land boundaries, these plans can provide information about the use, purchase and resumption of Crown land by and from the government. They can also act as a starting point for further research, unlocking other parts of the State Archives Collection. These plans are a valuable (and often underutilised) resource for both local and family history.
In this introduction to the world of NSW Crown plans you will learn how to start searching for, accessing, and understanding Crown plans and related records in the State Archives Collection.
Land resources
Local history guide
Resources in our collection to help local historians trace the history of a place
Commissioners of Crown Lands guide
A brief overview of the major sources and key related series we hold that relate to the Commissioners of Crown Lands
Surveyor General guide
These cartographic records provide detailed descriptions of the nature, agricultural potential & occupancy of land in the colony
Conditional purchase of crown land guide
This Guide provides an historical background on the conditional purchase scheme in NSW from 1862 to 1951, also known as 'free selection before survey' along with a list of the major record series and step-by-step guidance on how to access them
Crown lands occupation guide
Sources relating to the occupation of Crown lands in the period prior to 1856
Land grants guide, 1788-1856
These records relate to the original alienation of land from the Crown. Parish maps are useful for research in this area, as they record original grants