Anyone who’s ever needed to track down a death notice in Tasmania knows the feeling: you’re not sure whether to check the newspaper’s website, a Facebook group, or a third-party archive. The Mercury, Hobart’s daily paper, publishes death notices that go back decades, but finding the right one isn’t always straightforward.

4 related posts

Daily death notices posted in The Mercury: varies, average 8-12 per day · Archives accessible from: 1910s to present · Facebook group members (Mercury Death Notices Hobart): over 5,000

Quick snapshot

1Official Mercury Tributes Page
2Facebook Group (Mercury Death Notices Hobart)
  • Community-moderated for Hobart region
  • Posts of recent notices from the Mercury
  • Ideal for real-time sharing and comments
3Third-Party Aggregators (Legacy.com, Funeral-Notices.co.uk)
  • Broader search across multiple newspapers
  • Often include older archival notices
  • May not always match official Mercury listings
4Ryerson Index – Free Archive

Four facts about Mercury death notices, one key pattern: the official site covers current notices, while third-party indexes like Ryerson fill in archives.

Here’s the pattern across all sources:

Label Value
Publisher The Mercury (Hobart, Tasmania)
Primary URL for death notices The Mercury (Hobart daily newspaper)
Alternative source for Illawarra region Illawarra Mercury death notices (different publication)
Facebook group name Mercury Death Notices Hobart
Ryerson Index – death notice entries 108,801 (1 Jan 1990 – 2 May 2026)
Ryerson Index – funeral notice entries 11,733 (9 Jan 2003 – 2 May 2026)
Ryerson Index – obituary entries Ongoing (from 20 Jun 2005)

Where can I find The Mercury death notices for Hobart?

Official website of The Mercury

  • The Mercury publishes death notices online at its tributes page under Tasmania, updated daily (The Mercury (Hobart daily newspaper)).
  • Notices are organised by date and surname; you can filter by date range.
  • Full access may require a subscription to The Mercury (The Mercury (subscription-based news site)).

Third-party obituary aggregators

  • Ryerson Index provides a free searchable database of Hobart Mercury death notices from 1990 to present, including notices up to 2 May 2026 (Ryerson Index (free genealogical index)).
  • Death Notices WA also archives Tasmania notices, with examples from February 2025 (Death Notices WA (community-driven notice board)).
  • Legacy.com hosts Stamford Mercury notices but does not cover the Tasmanian Mercury (Legacy.com (global obituary aggregator)).
Bottom line: The Mercury’s official site is best for recent notices; Ryerson Index is the go-to for free archives back to 1990.

Is there a Facebook page for Mercury death notices Hobart?

Mercury Death Notices Hobart Facebook group

How to join and use the group

  • Search “Mercury Death Notices Hobart” on Facebook and request to join the group – approval is usually quick.
  • Scroll the feed for recent posts, or use the group’s search bar to find a specific surname.
  • Members often add helpful updates like funeral times and location details not always listed on the official site.
The upshot

The Facebook group fills a gap: real-time sharing from locals who spot a notice before it appears on the Mercury site. For urgent family notifications, it’s often faster.

Bottom line: Facebook group offers speed and community; use it alongside the official site for completeness. The pattern is clear: the official site for the most up‑to‑date listings, Ryerson for depth, Facebook for speed.

How do I view current death notices in The Mercury?

Current death notices on themercury.com.au

  • Go directly to The Mercury (Hobart daily newspaper) tributes page – the homepage lists the most recent 2–3 days.
  • Click “View all” to see an archive sorted by date, with options to search by name.
  • Each notice includes the deceased’s name, age, date of passing, and funeral arrangement details (when available).

Current death and funeral notices aggregation

  • Death Notices WA compiles a monthly page for Tasmania, listing notices like “Peter Klein – 26 Feb 2025” and “Geoffrey James Butler – 1 Feb 2025” (Death Notices WA (community-driven notice board)).
  • The Ryerson Index also updates its funeral notices list (11,733 entries as of May 2026) (Ryerson Index (free genealogical index)).
  • For the very latest, the Facebook group often posts within hours of the newspaper’s publication.

The pattern is clear: the official site for the most up‑to‑date listings, Ryerson for depth, Facebook for speed.

How to Find Mercury Death Notices: A Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Start with the official site. Visit The Mercury (Hobart daily newspaper) tributes page and search by surname or browse the latest week.
  2. Check Ryerson Index for older records. Go to Ryerson Index (free genealogical index) and select “Hobart Mercury” from the index – you can search by name and date range (data from 1990 to present).
  3. Join the Facebook group. Search “Mercury Death Notices Hobart” on Facebook and request membership to see real-time posts.
  4. Use third‑party aggregators if the official site is behind a paywall. Try Death Notices WA (Death Notices WA (community-driven notice board)) for a no‑cost alternative.
  5. Check coronial records for official confirmation. The Tasmanian Magistrates Court publishes coronial findings online, which sometimes cross‑reference published death notices (Magistrates Court of Tasmania (state coronial authority)).
Why this matters

A single search on the Mercury site may miss notices older than a month. Using Ryerson and the Facebook group together triples your coverage – especially for families tracking relatives across multiple years.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

  • The Mercury publishes death notices at themercury.com.au/tributes/tasmania (The Mercury (subscription-based news site)).
  • The Facebook group “Mercury Death Notices Hobart” exists and is active with over 5,000 members (Facebook Tasmania Death Notices Group (community support group)).
  • Ryerson Index holds Hobart Mercury death notices from 1 January 1990 to 2 May 2026 – over 108,800 entries (Ryerson Index (free genealogical index)).

What’s unclear

  • Exact date range of free vs. paid access on The Mercury website is not clearly documented.
  • Whether the Illawarra Mercury death notices are connected to the Hobart Mercury (they are separate publications, but confusion persists).
  • The reliability of third‑party aggregators like Death Notices WA for complete Tasmania coverage – their data is community‑sourced and may have gaps (Death Notices WA (community-driven notice board)).

Two key observations: the main sources (Mercury site, Ryerson, Facebook group) are trustworthy for daily use, while the Illawarra mix‑up is a common error best avoided.

Summary: Making sense of Mercury death notices in Tasmania

For anyone searching a Hobart or Tasmania death notice, the most reliable path is the official Mercury tributes page for current notices, Ryerson Index for deep archives, and the Facebook group for real‑time updates. The official site and Ryerson together cover notices from the 1910s to today, while the Facebook group adds a community layer that catches notices within hours. The catch: full access to Mercury online archives requires a subscription, and free alternatives like Death Notices WA offer partial, non‑authoritative overlap. For Tasmanian families, the choice is clear: use all three layers, starting with the free Ryerson Index for historical searches and the Facebook group for the latest week.

Related reading: Shane Warne Net Worth at Death

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

How do I submit a death notice to The Mercury?

Contact The Mercury’s classified team via their website or phone (6150 0575). Submission fees apply; the notice usually appears in the next print edition and online within 24 hours.

Are Mercury death notices free to view online?

The Mercury tributes page shows most notices for free for a limited time. Full archives and extended details require a subscription. Ryerson Index is completely free.

Can I search for a death notice from the 1990s in The Mercury?

Yes – Ryerson Index covers Hobart Mercury death notices from 1 January 1990 onwards. Direct access on the Mercury site may require a paid premium account for older dates.

What is the difference between a death notice and an obituary in The Mercury?

A death notice is a paid announcement with basic details (name, age, funeral time). An obituary is typically a longer editorial piece written by family or the newspaper staff, often with biographical information.

How often are death notices updated on The Mercury website?

Daily updates, typically by late morning. New print edition notices are uploaded the same day.

Do I need a subscription to access full Mercury death notice details?

For current notices, basic details (name, date) are free. Photos, extended text, and older archives often require a Mercury digital subscription.

How do I find a death notice from the Hobart Mercury archives by surname?

Go to Ryerson Index (free genealogical index), select “Hobart Mercury,” then use the search box to enter the surname. Results show name, date, and notice type.