Shipping and passenger records
Before you start
Finding out some key information will make it easier to find records.
- Estimated arrival date: the earliest known family event found occurring in Australia such as a marriage or birth is generally a a good clue. Death certificates from some states may also record how long a person has been in Australia.
- The colony or state of arrival: early events for the family in this country are a guide to a starting point for research, but bear in mind that the traveller may have arrived in another state or colony and travelled overland to their final residence.
- Ancestor's occupation: a person's means may help you determine whether they might have paid their own fare.
What information is in passenger lists
Passenger lists contain varying amounts of information depending on the type of travel and the time period. Early passenger lists may have very little detail recorded.
Unassisted passenger lists
Information on unassisted passenger lists can vary from just a name; to include name, age, occupation and nationality. The port of embarkation and disembarkation are sometimes also noted.
Assisted passenger lists
Information on assisted passenger lists can be more comprehensive and may also contain native place, parents' names and relations in the colony.
Ship passengers relaxing on deck, 1870, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-146719701
Ship passengers relaxing on deck, 1870, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-146719701
Looking for convict records?
If you're trying to locate records for your convict ancestors, use the section on transportation and arrivals in our convict research guide.
How to search records and indexes
Before 1924, the administration and recording of shipping and passenger arrivals was the responsibility of each Australian colony or state. The surviving original records are now held in each respective state archives or public records office. We either holds copies of these records or provide access to them.
After 1924 immigration became the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government. All immigration and naturalisation records after 1924 are held at and available through the National Archives of Australia.
Searching passenger indexes
Names can appear on passenger lists in varying forms. Some lists provide the full names of each passenger whereas other lists may simply state a surname, with or without an initial, or with title such as Mr or Mrs only. The names of children may be listed in full or merely as a number of persons accompanying their parents. Steerage passengers may not be named with only the total number of persons provided.
Once you have found a possible immigrant on a passenger index, note down all the details given and the title of the resource indexed. A copy of the original passenger list may be held by the Library and listed in this guide.
Outgoing lists
Not only should incoming passenger lists be examined but where possible outgoing passengers, especially from the United Kingdom and which are available on both Ancestry and Find My Past. If you cannot find a name as an arrival in Australia it may be possible to locate someone leaving from a British port.
Saloon or steerage
Depending on a passenger's wealth or means the manner in which they travelled aboard the ship could have been either saloon or steerage, or first, second or third class. Australian newspaper references to shipping arrivals and departures often list the names of those passengers who travelled 'saloon' but not those who travelled steerage, whose total number only is generally reported. If your relative chose or could afford to travel 'saloon' to or from Australian ports you will have more chance of finding them through searches of digitised newspapers on Trove, or Papers Past for New Zealand arrivals and departures.
Ship information
Information about ship's arrivals and departures, lists of passengers, ship's cargo and descriptions of voyages can often be found in the digitised Australian historic newspapers in Trove.
J. W. Lindt, Passengers and crew on board the S.S. Orient on the way to Australia, 1881, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148312640
J. W. Lindt, Passengers and crew on board the S.S. Orient on the way to Australia, 1881, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148312640
New South Wales
To use our Ancestry (Library Edition) and Findmypast (World edition) subscriptions, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
To access them, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Ancestry' or 'Findmypast'. The original data has been obtained from NSW State Archives and Records unless otherwise indicated.
Ancestry (Library Edition)
The Library's subscription to Ancestry provides New South Wales immigration and travel related resources.
| Record | Original data |
|---|---|
| New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922 | Inward passenger lists, NRS 13278, Reels 399-560, 2001-2122, 2751 Reports of vessels arrived (or Shipping reports), NRS 1291, Reels 1263-1285, 2851 |
| New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896 | Returns of convicts applications for wives and families to be brought to New South Wales at Government expense, NRS 1190, Reel 699 Persons on bounty ships (Agent's Immigrant Lists), NRS 5316, Reels 2134-2143 Persons on early migrant ships (Fair Copy), NRS 5310, Reel 1286 Wage agreements and entitlement certificates of persons on bounty ships (Agent's Immigrant Lists), NRS 5315, Reels 2449-2456 Persons on bounty ships to Sydney, Newcastle, and Moreton Bay (Board's Immigrant Lists), NRS 5317, Reels 2458-2498 Persons on bounty ships arriving at Port Phillip (Agent's Immigrant Lists), NRS 5318, Reels 2143A-2145 Passengers arriving at Sydney 1846 (Agent's Immigrant Lists), NRS 5326, Reel 2457 Passenger lists of the Family Colonization Loan Society, NRS 5323, Fiche 839 Members of the Family Colonization Loan Society, NRS 5322, Fiche 839 |
| New South Wales, Australia, Settler and Convict Lists, 1787-1834 | Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; HO 10, Pieces 1-4, 6-18, 28-30; The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England |
| New South Wales, Australia, Immigration Deposit Journals, 1853 - May 1900 | Immigration Deposit Journals 1853-May 1900, NRS 5264, Reels 2668A-2676 Immigration Deposits (refunded or declined) 1852-1885, NRS 5266, Reels 3111-3114 |
| New South Wales, Australia, Departing Crew and Passenger Lists, 1816-1825, 1898-1922 | Ships musters 1816-1825, NRS 1289, Reels 561-562 Vessels and persons departing (outward lists), 1898–1922, NRS 13279, Reels 563–579, 3149–3205 |
| New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Naturalization, 1849-1903 | NRS 1039, Reels 2688-2699 Registers of Certificates of Naturalization 1849-1903, NRS 1040, Reels 128A-141A Lists of Aliens to whom Certificates of Naturalization have been issued 1859-1876, NRS 1041, Reel 130 |
| New South Wales, Australia, Passengers Arriving at Port Phillip, 1846 | New South Wales Government. Immigration Agent. Passengers arriving at Port Phillip, 1846, Series 5327, Reel 1408 |
| New South Wales, Australia 1828 - 1842: Bounty Immigrants List | Bounty Immigrants to New South Wales 1828 - 1842 Records kept at New South Wales State Archives and Records, Libraries Tasmania and State Records Office of Western Australia |
| New South Wales, Australia, Wives & Children of Irish Convicts, 1825-1840 | Wives & Children of Irish Convicts Petitioned by Husbands and Fathers. CD-ROM. Central Coast Family History Society Inc. East Gosford, New South Wales |
| New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1825 | Main series of letters received, 1788-1825, NRS 897, Reels 6041-6064, 6071-6072 Special Bundles, 1794-1825, NRS 898, Reels 6020-6040, 6070; Fiche 3260-3312 Memorials to the Governor, 1810-25, NRS 899, Fiche 3001-3162 |
| New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Seamen, 1859-1936 | Registers of seamen engaged before the Shipping Master, 1859–1923, NRS 13282, Reels 3669–3680 Index of seamen engaged before the Shipping Master, 1917–20, NRS 13283, Reel 3669 Registers of seamen engaged on board ships, 1864–1919, NRS 13284, Reels 3667–3668 Registers of seamen discharged, 1859–1916, NRS 13286, Reels 3680–3688 Registers of Certificates of Competency issued, NRS 10785, Reels 3689, 3694 |
Findmypast (World Edition)
Findmypast has the following New South Wales-related travel and migration records available.
| Record | Original data |
|---|---|
| New South Wales and Tasmania: Settlers and Convicts 1787-1859 | |
| Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960 | Records kept at The National Archives of the UK (TNA), London, England |
| Australia, Assisted Emigration | Australia, Government Ships 1811-1856, NRS 5313, Reels 2654, 2668 Wage Agreements and Entitlement Certificates of persons on Bounty Ships 1844-1845, NRS 5315, Reels 2449-2456 Entitlement Certificates of persons on Bounty Ships 1832-1842, NRS 5314, Reels 1286-1349 Persons on Bounty Ships arriving at Port Phillip 1839-1851, NRS 5318, Reels 2143A-2145 |
CD-ROMs
You can access CD-ROMs at the Library by requesting them through the catalogue.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bounty Immigration New South Wales 1828 to 1842 | Contains nearly 60,000 records of immigrants arriving in New South Wales from 1828 to 1842 |
| 1828 Census of New South Wales | This was the first New South Wales census. It was held in November 1828 and is the only census to survive in full to the present day. It aimed to record all the inhabitants of the colony at the time, and provides the individual's full name, age, place of residence, ship of arrival, occupation employer's name and place of residence. |
| Free passengers to NSW 1826-1837 | Society of Australian Genealogists: Contains a searchable database of 36,000 names of free passengers, crews & military arriving by passenger, merchant or whaling vessels to New South Wales between 1826 and 1837. |
| NSW immigration deposits combined index 1853-1900 | This title provides an index to the following records held by State Records New South Wales: Immigration; NRS 5264, Immigration Deposit Journals, 1853-1900 [4/4576 to 4/4598, microfilm copy SRNSW Reel Nos. 2668A to 2675] and the supplementary records of Embarkation Orders and Shipping Lists in Immigration; NRS 5269, Persons Proceeding to the Colony under Remittance Regulations, Oct 1856-Feb 1858 [with Ships Arriving Nov 1856 to Feb 1858] - part of 1 box (Ref: 9/6182.1 1 bundle). |
| Paracensus of Australia 1788-1828 | A reconstruction mainly prepared by the consolidation of contemporary records about the people of that era and their families. Some family records and literary references are included. A few Maori and Aboriginal family records are also included. Sources on personal information about each of them are listed. It includes marines, soldiers, ship's captains, some sailors, migrants, convicts, some visitors, officially recorded Aborigines, exiles and orphans, also births, migrants, and ships. The shipping arrivals cover 1788-1828, details included are: names of ship, date arrived, port, no. of migrants/convicts, and referenced numbers. The lists of people give surname, given name/s, year of arrival, ship name, reference numbers. |
| Unassisted Arrivals to Sydney (NSW) 1842-1857 | Pastkeys: Index lists name, age, arrival date, status, departure ports, including foreign, coastal and interstate and any other information such as nationality, description, occupation and any additional information from the original source. Available only on the standalone/jukebox PC in the Newspapers and Family History zone. |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
| Name | SR / AO Reel or Fiche Number |
|---|---|
| Assisted (Bounty) Immigrants Arriving in N.S.W., 1828-1842 (Boards Lists) | Reels 1286-1349 (Pink label) |
| Assisted Immigrants Sydney, 1838-1896 and Moreton Bay, 1848-1859 (Agents Immigration Lists) | Reels 2134-2145 (Green label) |
| Wage Agreements and Entitlement Certificates of Persons on Bounty Ships (Sydney) 1844-1845 | Reels 2449-2456 (Green label) |
| Persons on Bounty ships to Sydney, Newcastle, Moreton Bay 1848-1891 (Assisted Immigration. Boards List) | Reels 2458-2498 |
| Immigration Deposit Journals 1853-1900 | Reels 2668A-2676 |
| Unassisted Passengers Arriving in Sydney, 1826-53, 1854-1900 For a name index for the period 1842-1855, use: microfiche at mc N 1187 | Reels 1263-1280 (Yellow label), Reel 2851, Reels 399-560 (Orange label) |
| Ships Musters: Passengers Departing, 1816-25 | Reels 561-562 (Brown label) |
| Germans on Bounty ships (Sydney) 1849-52 | AO Fiche No. 851 |
| Passenger lists of the Family Colonization Loan Society, 1854-1855 | AO Fiche No. 839 |
| Members of the Family Colonization Loan Society, 1854-1857 | AO Fiche No. 839 |
| Wives and Families of Convicts on Bounty Ships (Sydney), 1849-55 | AO Fiche No. 837-838 |
Other microfiche
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
| Index to the N.S.W. Immigration Deposit Journals 1853-1900, 20 microfiche | mc N 751 |
| Immigration Deposit Regulations Supplementary Index 1856-1857 immigrants and depositors, 4 microfiche | mc N 1472 |
| Index of Assisted Immigrants from Kent to Sydney, 1844-1859, 1 microfiche | mc N 1359 |
| Index to Emigrants from Hamburg to Australia: 1850-1878 | mc N 1065 Print version also available in Newspapers & Family History zone Reference Collection at Call number: RX 929.308931094 K83 |
| Irish Immigrants to NSW (index to) 1848-1870, 8 microfiche Fiche 1-3: lists passengers alphabetically by surname, with ship's name and date of arrival Fiche 4-8: Lists passengers by county on each ship | mc N 1849 |
| Free Passengers and Crew on Convict Ships into Sydney 1830-1840, 3 microfiche | mc N 1626 |
| Index of Passengers and Crew In and Out of Sydney from Sydney Newspapers, 1830-1841, 7 Volumes, 15 microfiche | mc N 1608 |
| Ships & Masters to Sydney Index 1842-1855, 4 microfiche Indexed from reports of vessels arrived 1842- 1855, Passengers arriving in Sydney 1846 and Shipping Masters' Office 1854-1855 and supplemented by ... Shipping Intelligence columns of the Sydney Morning Herald 1843-1855 | mc N 1215 |
| Index to Passengers into the Port of Newcastle 1865-1881, 2 microfiche The majority of ships bearing unassisted passengers into Newcastle came from New Zealand ports. The period of index coverage coincides with the end of the NZ gold rush. The index includes ships' deserters. Information provided includes surname, given name, ship, year of arrival, NAA reel number, frame number and AGEC number. The reels of passenger lists are not held by the National Library of Australia | mc N 1205 |
Related and other resources
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
| Miscellaneous (Correspondence) re Immigration, Shipping & Trade (SR/AO 3279-3284) | mc N 763 |
| Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List Vol. 1, no. 1-v. 17, no. 869 (Mar. 23, 1844-Dec. 31, 1860) | mc N 700 |
| Unclaimed Letters (Noting Ship or Regiment) Index 1836 – 1852 | mc N 1881 |
Registers of Certificates of Competency Masters and Mates: Colonial Trade. (BT 128) New South Wales 1871-1921 | The Registers are arranged by certificate number and entries give name, place of birth, year of birth and date of certification as Master, 1st Mate or 2nd Mate. The pre 1890 entries often give the name of ships on which the individual served. In some case deaths are recorded. Available on 2 microfilm reels call numbers mfm PRO 6894-6895 |
| Index to Ships' Logs found in the Australian Joint Copying Project | Draft booklet available at the Newspapers and Family History zone desk |
NSW State Archives
NSW State Archives and Records also provides access to the following records and indexes through its own website.
- Assisted Immigrants (digital) Shipping Lists
- Assisted Immigrants Index (arriving in Sydney, Newcastle, Moreton Bay and Port Phillip)
- Crew and Passengers Index (1828-1841)
- Miscellaneous Immigrants Index (1828-1843)
- Unassisted Immigrants Index (1842-1855)
- Vessels arrived in Sydney (1837-1925)
Go to State Archives immigration and shipping collection
Mariners and Ships website
Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters provides a searchable listing of transcriptions of NSW Shipping Master's Office, Inwards Passenger Lists, held by State Archives and Records NSW.
Northern Territory
The area now known as the Northern Territory was originally part of New South Wales until it was formally annexed to South Australia in 1863. Between 1863-1910 the 'Northern Territory of South Australia' was administered from Adelaide. From 1 January 1911 administration of the Territory was assumed by the Commonwealth Government. Self-Government was granted in 1978.
Records relating to immigration and shipping for each of the different periods of governance are held in the respective Commonwealth, State or Territory archives.
To use Findmypast (World edition) subscriptions, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
To access, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Findmypast'.
Findmypast (World Edition)
Findmypast has the following NT related travel and migration records available.
| Record | Description |
|---|---|
| Aliens Registered In The Northern Territory 1916-1921 | Includes names and locations of individuals but not their arrival dates or ships |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
| Name | Call number |
|---|---|
Alien births, alien deaths, overlanders, mining leases
| mc N 352 |
| Port Darwin, NT Shipping, 1900, 1899, 1898, 1889, 1887 | mc N 511 |
| Index of Shipping Northern Territory of Australia, Port Darwin, 1901-1921 | mc N 694 |
| Port Darwin Passenger Lists, November 1873 to December 1914 | mc N 796 |
| Index of boats mention in the Northern Territory newspapers, November 1873 to December 1914 | mc N 798 |
These indexes may also refer to people arriving in the Northern Territory as passengers.
National Archives of Australia
| Record | Description |
|---|---|
| Register of Census Returns, Election Returns, Overlanders, Passenger Departures, Passenger Arrivals | This digitised register mostly comprises alphabetic lists from the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses and some election results, but also includes lists of Overlanders from 1879 to 1883 and several lists of passengers departing and arriving at Port Darwin between 1872 and 1874. Indexes to part of the content are also available on microfiche in the Library's Newspapers and Family History zone at Call Numbers mc N 347 (1901 census), mc N 348 (1881 and 1891 censuses) and mc N 352 (overlanders). |
The National Archives of Australia has also produced a research guide on Commonwealth Government Records about the Northern Territory. It includes information on records relating to:
- Passenger arrivals and departures, Darwin
- Crew lists
- Shipping registers
- Immigrants to the Northern Territory
- Registration of aliens
- Refugees, and
- Citizenship
State Records of South Australia
As the former administering government, South Australia holds records relating to the Northern Territory, including material associated with Customs and Immigration. Contact State Records or search their catalogue for series of records held.
Queensland
To use our Ancestry (Library Edition) and Findmypast (World edition) subscriptions, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
To access them, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Ancestry' or 'Findmypast'. The original data has been obtained from NSW State Archives and Records unless otherwise indicated.
Ancestry (Library Edition)
The Library's subscription to Ancestry provides QLD immigration and travel related resources.
| Record | Original data |
|---|---|
| New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896 | New South Wales Government. Wage agreements and entitlement certificates of persons on bounty ships (Agent's Immigrant Lists). Series 5315, Reels 2449-2456. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales. New South Wales Government. Persons on bounty ships to Sydney, Newcastle, and Moreton Bay (Board’s Immigrant Lists). Series 5317, Reels 2458-2498. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales. |
| Queensland, Australia, Passenger Lists, 1848-1912 | Queensland State Archives, Series ID 13086, Registers of Immigrant Ships' Arrivals, Rolls M471, M473, M1075, M1696–1710 |
| Far North Queensland, Australia, Pioneers & Settlers Registers, 1825 -1920 | Pioneers & Settlers Register Far North Queensland to 1920. Print Publication, 1 volume. Cairns and District Family History Society Inc., Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Maryborough, Queensland Australia Immigrants from the British Isles & Germany 1861-91 | Queensland State Archives. 1861-91 Immigrants to Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. Queensland, Australia: Queensland, State Archives, 1861-1891 |
Findmypast (World Edition)
Findmypast has the following QLD travel and migration records available.
- Queensland Assisted Immigration 1848-1912
- Queensland Early Pioneers
- Queensland Immigrants Nominated For Passage 1884-1907
- Queensland Immigration Registers 1922-1940
- Queensland Naturalisations 1851-1904
- Queensland Nominated Immigrants 1908-1922
- Queensland Passage Certificates 1887-1906
- Queensland Passport Registers 1926-1939
- Queensland Register Of Immigrants 1864-1878
- Queensland Ship Deserters 1862-1911
- Queensland, Brisbane Register Of Immigrants 1885-1917
- Queensland, Maryborough Registers Of Rations Issued To Immigrants
CD-ROMs
You can access CD-ROMs at the Library by requesting them through the catalogue.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Emigrants from Hamburg to Australasia 1850-1879 | This database provides an index to over 40,000 passengers departing from Hamburg for ports in Australia and New Zealand between 1850 and 1879. Additional information may be found in the original series of books on which this is based, compiled by Eric and Rosemary Koppitke between 1990 and 2006. The books are located in the Newspapers and Family History zone reference collection. |
| Index to Immigrants Arriving in Brisbane & Queensland Ports 1900-1915 | Available on Newspapers and Family History zone standalone/jukebox computer. |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
| Name | Reel Number(s) |
|---|---|
Queensland Public Records Historical Resource Kit. Part 1 NB: A partial index to these passenger lists can be found online (1848-1884, 1884-1912) and via eResources (1900-1915). | mfm N 252 |
Card Index to Immigrants These cards form a complete alphabetical name index to the material below. Note the reel and page no. (e.g. IMM 144) from the index and select appropriate reel from the drawer. | Reels A1-A55 (16mm) |
Immigration Agent, Marlborough
| Reel M471 |
Immigration Department
| Reel M473 |
Office, Quarterly statements of receipts and expenditure 1865-1866
| Reel M1075 |
Immigration Department Register of Migrants arriving 1848-1893
| Reels M1696-1704 |
Immigration Department Register of Migrants arriving 1886-1912 | Reel M1705 |
Immigration Department Register of Migrants arriving Oct 1883-1910 | Reels M1706-1707 |
Immigration Department
| Reel M1708 |
Immigration Department
| Reel M1709 |
Immigration Agent, Bowen
| Reel M1710 |
State Library of Queensland
The State Library of Queensland provides the following guides relating to passengers, immigration and shipping:
- German immigrants
- Immigration and shipping: getting started
- Immigration and shipping: more than lists
- Naturalisation records
Queensland State Archives
The Queensland State Archives also provides the following guides to its passenger, immigration and shipping-related records:
South Australia
To use Findmypast (World edition) subscriptions, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
Findmypast (World Edition)
Findmypast has the following NT related travel and migration records available. To access, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Findmypast'.
- Emigrants seeking free passage to South Australia 1836-1841, (9236 entries)
- Passengers To South Australia on board Buffalo 1836, (289 entries)
- South Australia Naturalisations 1849-1903, (2958 entries)
- South Australia Passenger Lists 1847-1886, (165087 entries)
- South Australia, Immigrant Agricultural Workers 1913-14, (289 entries)
CD-ROMs
You can access CD-ROMs at the Library by requesting them through the catalogue.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bound for South Australia: passenger lists 1836-1851 | Provides passenger lists for the 3000 overseas and local ships that came to South Australia between 1836-1851. Includes additional information such as names, ages and occupations for many of the 60,000 local and overseas families and individual passenger arrivals |
| Bound for South Australia : births and deaths on government-assisted immigrant ships 1848-1885 | A complete listing of 323 voyages to South Australia between 1848 and 1885 under the auspices of the South Australian Government. Information for each ship includes the port and date of departure, date of arrival, number of emigrants, and their age-class and regions of origin. Includes a list of births and deaths at sea for these ships. |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
| Name | Call number |
|---|---|
Index to Register of Emigrant Labourers Applying for a Free Passage to South Australia: 1836-1841, 52 microfiche
| mc N 492 |
Official Passenger Lists, Mainly of Immigrants Arriving in South Australia under United Kingdom Assisted Passage Schemes, 1847-1886, 144 microfiche
| mc N 494 |
Horner Index: index to departures by passenger ship from South Australia directly for overseas (not interstate or intrastate) taken from the Register newspaper, Part 1 1836-1875, Part 2 1876-1887
| mc N 1212 (See also Horner Index to overseas departures by passenger ship from South Australia 1836-1887 on the website of the State Library of South Australia |
Alphabetical Index to in-coming passenger lists 1888-1908, 42 microfiche
| mc N 1236 |
Manifest of Shipping departing from Port Adelaide July 1841-May 1844
| mc N 1237 |
Index to applications for assisted passage as a domestic helper 1921-30 / 1938-39
| mc N 1238 |
Index to applications for assisted passage as a boy migrant 1927-1929
| mc N 1239 |
South Australian Record Series No. 14 - Arrivals Index Part 1
| mc N 1328 |
| mc N 1897 |
Application for Agricultural Labourers by South Australian Residents 1912-1914
| mc N 1898 |
Application for Assisted Passage by Agricultural Labourers 1911-1914
| mc N 1900 |
| mc N 1901 |
| mc N 1902 |
List of Certificates issued under the Assisted Passage Regulations
| mc N 1904 |
A-Z Index of Special List of Naturalisation Records 1853, 1854, 1856-64
| mc N 1905 |
| mc N 1907 |
Schedule of Free Immigration Certificates September 1876 - April 1879
| mc N 1908 |
Schedule of Free Immigration Certificates September 1876 - April 1879
| mc N 1909 |
| mc N 1910 |
Immigration Application for Agricultural Labourers by South Australian Residents
| mc N 1915 |
| mc N 1929 |
| South Australian. deserters register 1852-1876, 1877-1882, 1883-1890 | mc N 889 |
| Ship deserters : [register for the period of 1891-July 1952] | mc N 1150 |
State Library of South Australia
- Pioneers and settlers bound for South Australia passenger lists
- Horner Index to overseas departures by passenger ship from South Australia 1836-1887
- The Horner Index was compiled by Sally Horner from the Register newspaper and is an alphabetical list by passenger of departures from South Australia directly for overseas between 1836-1887. It does not list departures for interstate or intrastate ports.
The State Library of South Australia provide a number of relevant guides on its website including:
State Records of South Australia
State Records of South Australia has mostly complete passenger lists for the period 1847 to 1940. Prior to 1847 these passengers lists are incomplete as not all have survived. A Fact Sheet on Immigration to South Australia is available on their website.
South Australian Maritime Museum
The South Australian Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide provides a passengers database which includes entries for 250,000 passengers and 20,000 ships which arrived between 1836 and 1961. The database, which is currently only available onsite at the Museum, also includes over 1000 pictures of ships.
- Passengers in History
- Provides online access to entries for 328,000 passengers and 20,000 voyages to South Australia between 1836 and 1964 from the passengers data base developed by the SA Maritime Museum. Also includes material from Ian Nicholson's list of ships’ logs and diaries, Log of Logs.
Tasmania
To use our Ancestry (Library Edition) subscription, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
To access the database, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Ancestry'.
Ancestry (Library Edition)
The Library's subscription to Ancestry provides Tasmanian immigration and travel related resources.
- Tasmania, Australia, Passenger Arrivals, 1829-1957
- Tasmania, Australia, Immigrant Lists, 1841-1884
- Tasmania, Australia, Immigrant Applications and Bounty Tickets, 1854-1887
CD-ROMs
You can access CD-ROMs at the Library by requesting them through the catalogue.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Tasmania Collection of Records 1830s to 1930s, Macbeth Genealogical Services | This resource contains over 175,000 references to people in Tasmania up to 1950. It has been compiled from material held in the Mitchell Library, New South Wales, and in the Archives Office of Tasmania. Records include musters, immigration, church records to 1950, hotel licences, court, hospital, prison, land etc. Some records are from 1792 Norfolk Island and 1823-1848 New South Wales. |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
| Name | Call number |
|---|---|
Index of assisted immigrants (into Tasmania) 1841-1889 (Index to Immigration Board Passenger lists below) 3 microfiche | mc N 1070 |
[Immigration Board Passenger lists c. 1850-1880] Descriptive lists of immigrants and including details of deaths and births on board. 5 microfilm reels | mfm N 435 |
Unassisted immigrants & coastal passengers to Hobart Tasmania 1829 – 1865 (Index to Marine Board of Hobart passenger lists below) 11 microfiche | mc N 1573 |
[Marine Board of Hobart passenger lists 1829-1900] Includes list of ships arriving at Port of Hobart, Return of ships departure and list of passengers. 18 microfilm reels | mfm N 434 |
Index to Passenger Arrivals and Departures from Early Launceston newspapers includes The Cornwall Chronicle, The Independent, The Launceston Advertiser, and The Examiner. Volume 1: 1829-1840 Volume 2: 1841-1845 Volume 3. 1846-1850 27 microfiche | mc N 1363 |
Libraries Tasmania
The Tasmania Names Index includes the following shipping, passenger and immigration-related content:
- Arrivals (19th Century): passengers and ships arriving, mainly in Hobart. Contains surnames A-K, L-Z to be added
- Departures (1817-1867): people leaving Tasmanian ports, mainly Launceston.
- Records of people departing were not routinely or comprehensively kept at Tasmanian ports, although for some periods, such as the 1850s, the records are fairly complete. This index covers most available records before 1860 and some beyond that date, and it is being added to gradually. Generally these records are 'one line' register entries which are fully transcribed into this index. Copies of the passenger record may be obtained from LINC Tasmania
- Naturalisations (1835-1905): people applying to become citizens.
- LINC Tasmania holds records relating to the application by non - British subjects for certificates of denization and naturalisation for the period 1835 - 1905. The applications are in the files of the Colonial, later Chief, Secretary's Departments and the Oaths of Allegiance and copies of certificates are among the records of the Supreme Court. The first act enabling the Lieutenant Governor to grant letters of denization was passed in 1835. This legislation was repealed in 1861 by the Aliens Act. The records cease when the function is transferred to the Commonwealth Government.
Victoria
The Port Phillip District officially separated from New South Wales to become the colony of Victoria on 1 July 1851.
In 1852 the new Legislative Council of Victoria passed into law the following Acts relating to passengers and immigration into Victoria:
Laws relating to the carriage of passengers by sea (15 & 16 Vic., No. XLIV [1852] ss. XIII and XIV),
The Act to Regulate the Conveyance of Passengers to the Colony of Victoria 1852 (16 Vic., No. XVII)
These laws include a description of the official schedules (forms) upon which the masters of ships were to record the names of passengers and which were to be delivered to the Office of Customs. It is these generally these forms which have been transcribed, indexed, microfilmed and/or digitised and made accessible.
Assisted arrivals to Victoria commenced in 1839 whilst Victoria was still a part of the colony of New South Wales. The immigrant’s fare was paid, in part or completely, by the colonial government, funded by land sales in Victoria.
To use our Ancestry (Library Edition) and Findmypast (World edition) subscriptions, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
To access them, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Ancestry' or 'Findmypast'.
Ancestry (Library Edition)
- Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839–1923
- New South Wales, Australia, Passengers Arriving at Port Phillip, 1846
Findmypast (World Edition)
- Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960
- Victoria Inward Passenger Lists 1839-1923
- Victoria Outward Passenger Lists 1852-1915
- Births At Sea, 1854-1960
- Deaths At Sea, 1781-1968
- Marriages At Sea, 1854-1972
CD-ROMs
You can access CD-ROMs at the Library by requesting them through the catalogue.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Marine Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria 1853-1920 | This resource contains an index to and images of records of births, deaths and marriages on board international and coastal ships bound for Victoria between 1853 and 1920. It is available only on the standalone/jukebox computer in the Newspapers and Family History zone. |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
Using the PROV microfiche in the Library
To use this material you should first locate the relevant passenger on either the Index to Assisted British Immigration 1839-1871 on the Public Record Office of Victoria website or on Ancestry.com.
Each entry for a passenger in the Index will give a book and page number. With this information just look for label on the microfiche with the correct Book and Page numbers, e/g. 'Bk 4 Pg 46-93', as this will contain a copy of the relevant page on the original ship's passenger list.
These passenger lists may include each persons' name, age, occupation and place of birth.
NB: Some individuals may have multiple entries on the Index for the same ship. This generally indicates that there is more than one list of passengers for the ship.
Public Record Office of Victoria (PROV) microfiche
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
Registers of Assisted Immigrants 1839-1871 134 microfiche | mc N 761 |
NB: If the letter “F” appears in the 'Port' column of the relevant online indexes, then the above passenger lists should be consulted. | mc N 1135 |
Immigration to Victoria : index to inward passenger lists British ports 1852-1923
If the letter “B” appears in the 'Port' column of the relevant online indexes, then the above passenger lists should be consulted. | mc N 1655 |
Immigration to Victoria : inward passenger lists, New Zealand ports 1852-1923 390 microfiche
If the letter “N” appears in the 'Port' column of the relevant online indexes, then the above passenger lists should be consulted. | mc N 2256 |
Other (non-PROV) microfiche
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
Coastal Passengers to Port Phillip 1839-1845 7 microfiche | mc N 1351 |
Victorian Deserters from Ships Index 1853-1880 This index was compiled from the weekly Victorian Police Gazettes; the information was listed under the headings of “Deserters from Merchant Vessels” and “Deserters from H.M. Service” 1 microfiche | mc N 1560 |
Victorian Sponsored Immigration Index 1856-1858 2 microfiche | mc N 1408 |
Shipping Intelligence from Newspapers - Passenger Indexes
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
Port Phillip Herald Passenger Index 1840-1846 2 microfiche | mc N 1390 |
Argus Passenger Index 1846-1851 3 microfiche | mc N 1391 |
Argus Passenger Index 1852-1855 6 microfiche | mc N 1126 |
Argus Passenger Index 1856-1860 5 microfiche | mc N 1139 |
Argus Passenger Index 1861-1865 6 microfiche | mc N 1392 |
Shipping Intelligence from Newspapers - Shipping Movements
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
Port Phillip Herald Shipping Movements Index 1840-1846 2 microfiche | mc N 1390 |
Argus Shipping Movements Index 1846-1851 (supplement to Argus passenger index) 2 microfiche | mc N 1392 |
Argus Shipping Movements 1852-1855 (supplement to Argus passenger index) 2 microfiche | mc N 1127 |
Argus Shipping Movements Index 1856-1860 (supplement to Argus passenger index) 2 microfiche | mc N 1140 |
Argus Shipping Movements Index 1861-1865 (supplement to Argus passenger index) 6 microfiche | mc N 1392 |
Public Record Office of Victoria
The Public Record Office of Victoria provides a guide on Ships and Shipping on its website.
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria provides the following relevant research guides on it's website:
Western Australia
To use our Ancestry (Library Edition) and Findmypast (World edition) subscriptions, you need to visit the Library in person. Find out more about how to access eResources.
Ancestry (Library Edition)
To access records, visit eResources, select the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Ancestry'.
| Record | Original data |
|---|---|
| Fremantle, Western Australia, Passenger Lists, 1897-1963 | Inward passenger manifests for ships and aircraft arriving at Fremantle, Perth Airport and Western Australian outports, chronological series, Dec. 1897–Dec. 1978. Series K269. National Archives of Australia |
| Western Australia, Australia, Crew and Passenger Lists, 1852-1930 | This is a collection of records for arriving passengers in Western Australia port cities between 1852-1930. The records cover many different ports and were kept by two different agencies over that time period. The records vary, but most contain port of departure, port of arrival, vessel name, passenger name, rank, nationality or origin, arrival date, departure date, and destination port. |
Findmypast (World Edition)
| Record | Original data |
|---|---|
| WA Ship Arrivals 1898-1926 | A listing of the ships that appear in the Society's member-only WA Passenger Arrivals 1898-1926 index. Links are also provided to images of some ships. |
You can access microfilm for free in the Library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
State Archives of Western Australia microform
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
Access to ancestors. Part 1 a research kit of resources in the State Archives of Western Australia
See also guide book Access to Ancestors in the Newspapers and Family History zone reference collection. Call Number RX Australia 13. | mfm N 303 |
Access to Ancestors: a research kit of resources in the State Archives of Western Australia
See also guide book Access to Ancestors in Newspapers and Family History zone reference collection. Call Number RX Australia 13. | mc N 972 |
Western Australian Genealogical Society microfiche
| Title | Call number |
|---|---|
Shipping Passenger Arrivals from Overseas [to] Albany, W.A. 1873-1899 5 microfiche Shipping Passenger Arrivals from Overseas [to] Albany, W.A. 1900-1925 11 microfiche | mc N 391 |
Albany Shipping Arrivals [from] interstate, 1873-1924 4 microfiche | mc N 1133 |
Shipping Passenger Arrivals Fremantle [from] interstate, 1885-1908 12 microfiche | mc N 1152 |
State Library of Western Australia
The State Library of Western Australia provides the following relevant subject guides on its website:
State Records Office of Western Australia
The State Records Office of Western Australia provides a guide on its website to Passenger Lists and Immigration Records which includes mention of relevant indexes on microfiche.
Western Australian Museum
The Maritime History department of the Western Australian Museum maintains an extensive Immigration and Migration Collection that documents maritime immigration into Western Australia.
Reference resources
Tom Mellor, Alf.J Lawrance, and Harry Gifford, There's a big ship sailing in the morning, 1906, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-181298814
A selected collection of reference items are available on open access in the Newspapers and Family History zone.
A number of these reference titles are related to shipping and immigration and have call numbers such as:
'Shipping 1', 'Shipping 2' etc.
Other items commencing with RF are available in the Main Reading Room General Reference Collection. All other items can be requested through the online catalogue and are available via the Main Reading Room.
Photographs
Music
- William Worsley and De Gruchy & Co. The S.S. Orient galop [music]
Books
- The Australian colonies : where they are and how to get to them
- Shipping and migration : research on the internet
- Arrivals in Australia from 1788
- How to Find Shipping and Immigration Records in Australia
Get help with your research
Our specialist staff can help you with your research, to locate resources and to use our microform and scanning equipment but they cannot undertake extensive or ongoing genealogical, historical or other research on your behalf.
Find out more in our Information and Research Policy.
Continue tracing your family history
Max Dupain, Card catalogue at National Library of Australia, 1968, nla.obj-144066439
Conor Ashleigh, Bridal couple Achol and Marial and their bridal party, Sydney, December, 2013, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-506867692
More to explore
Special Collections Research & Support team
John Joseph and Harriett Willson Denison celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, November 1939, nla.obj-151150861