I have traced the history of my four Aboriginal grandparents' family lines to as far back as we can go in the written record. Spanning five generations, this comprehensive study is supported by a stockpile of archives illuminating my ancestors’ lived experience; from being on country during white settlement, to segregation on reserves, to Aborigines Protection Board control, to the exodus to big cities, urban radicalisation, the fight for land rights and Aboriginal advancement, to the present day. I have come to realise that Aboriginal family history research is not just a two-dimensional, horizontal, past-to-present chronology—duly inserted into the context of Australian history. I have found it very valuable to frequently change the lens of the site. By situating the human experience as the starting point, and zooming in and out to encompass local history, micro and macro history, political and bigger history (as well as turning biographically and affectively), using multiple methodologies simultaneously imbues research with an almost three dimensional solidity, enabling a more intimate, deeply personal understanding of Aboriginal peoples’ experiences throughout Australian history.