DNA for Family History: A Practical Starting Point

Thinking about taking a DNA test — or already staring at your results wondering what to do next? This practical, beginner-friendly session covers everything you need to get started.

We'll explore the benefits, limitations, and potential surprises of genetic testing, including privacy considerations, unexpected discoveries, and the ethical questions worth thinking through before you test. Then we'll move into the results themselves — what centimorgans (cM) mean, how to interpret relationships, and practical strategies for sorting, grouping, and identifying shared ancestors using AncestryDNA and beyond.

Whether you're weighing up whether to test or ready to make sense of the matches already waiting for you, this session will take you from curious to clarity in just one hour.

About the Presenter:

Andrew Redfern is a Sydney-based family historian, educator, and speaker with a passion for helping people discover, preserve, and share their family stories. He presents regularly on family history research, DNA, artificial intelligence, and digital skills, combining practical advice with engaging examples from his own research.

Andrew serves on the Board of the Society of Australian Genealogists and has delivered presentations for libraries, family history societies, community groups, and major genealogy events in Australia and overseas. His interests include Australian family history, convict and migration research, genetic genealogy, and the use of technology to uncover new insights about the past.

Known for his approachable style and practical demonstrations, Andrew enjoys helping people of all experience levels build confidence in their research, make sense of DNA results, organise their findings, and find creative ways to bring their ancestors' stories to life.

When: Wednesday 12 August | 6:30-7:30pm

Where: Penrith City Library
Who: Adults
How: $5 per ticket, bookings are essential

Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for all. If you require any accommodations to attend this event, please contact 02 47327891.