THE Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Family Research Group is celebrating its twentieth birthday this month, with an anniversary luncheon at the Tea Gardens Country Club on 29 May.

Present and past members and anyone who is interested in family research have been invited to attend.

The group began when Margaret Munright and her husband Terry moved to the area from Sydney.

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“I used to attend a similar group in Sydney, and when we moved up here we thought it was a good idea.

“Terry agreed with me, we put an ad in the paper and away it went,” said Margaret Munright.

From that initial ad in the NOTA in March 2002, twenty five locals turned up to the group’s first meeting in the Masonic Hall.

The original group leadership group was then formed; with Terry Munright as President, John Bieshevel as Secretary, Ernie Reid as Treasurer, Shirley Cox as Librarian, Jan Winn as Historian, and Margaret Munright and Lesley Turner as committee members.

Ever since, the group has dedicated itself to the research of family history, tracing members’ family lines through time and across the globe.

“We trace family histories worldwide,” said group Librarian Shirley Cox.

“Wherever people come from, and as far back as they want to go.

“The research material that we have gathered is from all over, and it gives people a starting point to know where to go to find information.”

Shirley said the experience of family history research was different for everyone.

“Everyone has a unique family history, you can’t use the same techniques for everyone.

“However, it is amazing how many people find out they are related to other people here when they do the research,” Shirley laughed.

President Lesley Turner said it was a common misconception that the group just researched local families.

“People think it is just researching your own local family history, but it isn’t just where you are born, its genealogy and it is researching where your ancestors came from, anywhere in the world.”

Many incredible family stories have been uncovered by the group over the years.

“That is what keeps the group going,” said Shirley.

“Depending on your heritage, you can trace it back to William the Conqueror or Genghis Khan.

“We regale each other with our stories.”

Group members’ detailed research has also, at times, uncovered inaccuracies in the verbal histories and stories handed down from generation to generation in their families.

“You see all the family stories that weren’t quite true.

“Stories that were either embellished or kept very quiet,” Shirley said.

The research has allowed group members to add detailed and colourful elements to the official histories of their families.

One current member discovered their great-grandfather was a butter judge at the Royal Easter Show, while another member’s father had found success in banana competitions in Coffs Harbour; both small details they had never learnt from the family retellings of their loved ones’ lives.

Over the decades, the group’s research toolbox has changed significantly.

Today, a myriad of online options makes family history research easier than ever before.

“Trove is a great tool, Births Deaths and Marriages, Ancestry.com, Find My Past; the list goes on,” said Secretary Judith Glover.

“It is interesting how it has changed over the years, originally we were using CD-ROMS of vital records, books, journals and the microfiche reader.

“Now you have so many resources,” she said.

Aside from supporting people to delve deep into their family stories, the group are actively involved in the Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest community, regularly hosting and participating in an array of events.

The group also hosts regular workshops, supporting members to improve their research skills, and enriching their ability to tell the intricate stories of their forebears.

The group has also undertaken the mammoth task of raising the funds for digitising all past editions of the NOTA and submitting them to Trove to be enjoyed by future generations all over the world.

The Committee and Members of the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Family Research Group Inc., would like to publicly acknowledge the wonderful support it has received from the members of Lodge Port Stephens No.522 since their first meeting in the Masonic Hall in 2002.

“Thanks to the Tea Gardens Country Club who have allowed us use of their cottage for our meetings and the Tea Gardens Library,” said Judith.

“As from June 2022 our group will be known as Tea Gardens Family Research and Local History Inc after the disbanded Myall Coast Historical Society,” she said.

For more information visit https://tghnfrg.tidyhq.com/.