Lexi Webster
Finding shipping and immigration records in Australia can be a treasure trove for uncovering family history and genealogy. The National Archives of Australia holds detailed passenger arrival records for all Australian ports from 1924, with some records dating back to before that. State libraries, such as those in New South Wales and South Australia, also offer online indexes and microfilm copies of assisted and unassisted immigrant records, including passenger lists, ship logs, and journals. These records can reveal key details about a person's migration story, such as their name, age, occupation, and family members. Additionally, websites like Ancestry, Findmypast, and Trove provide access to passenger lists and migration records, with some specifically related to New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where to find shipping and immigration records | The National Library of Australia (NLA), Ancestry Research Library, National Archives of Australia, State Records of South Australia, State Library of South Australia, National Archives of Australia, State Archives and Records NSW, Mitchell Library, and online databases such as Findmypast, Ancestry, and Trove. |
| What information is needed to search the records | The person's name, approximate date of arrival or departure, year of arrival or a range of years, ship name, and port of arrival or departure. |
| What information can be found in the records | Name of the ship, date of arrival, age, status (passenger, crew, or master), occupation, nationality, class (cabin, saloon, steerage, first, second, or third class), family members on board, names of employers or relatives in the colony, and reason for immigration. |
| Tips for searching the records | Use wildcards to search for variations of names, check all volumes or indexes as they may contain different information, search newspapers and shipping intelligence columns for additional information, and consult specialized guides and resources for further assistance. |
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What You'll Learn
Passenger lists and immigration schemes
The National Library of Australia (NLA) provides access to shipping and passenger records. These records are essential for family history research and can reveal key details about a person or family's migration story. The NLA holds passenger lists and immigration records for various Australian states and territories, including New South Wales, Victoria, and the Northern Territory.
The State Library of New South Wales provides access to shipping and passenger records for ancestors who came to NSW as assisted immigrants. Assisted immigrants refer to those whose passage was subsidised or paid for through immigration schemes. The library's Ancestry Research Library contains passenger lists and immigration records for New South Wales, including records of money deposited by sponsors and lists of bounty immigrants. The library also provides access to ships' logs, journals, letters, and diaries held in Australian institutions, as well as digital shipping lists from 1828 to 1896.
The State Records of New South Wales offers online indexes and microfilm copies of assisted immigrant records, including those arriving at Port Phillip, Sydney, Newcastle, and Moreton Bay (Brisbane) during the 19th century. Newspapers, such as major Australian and British publications, can also provide valuable shipping and passenger information, including the date and port of departure and arrival, ship movements, and passenger names and statuses.
The State Library of South Australia provides access to passenger lists and immigration schemes for South Australia. The library's website offers comprehensive indices and lists of ships and assisted and unassisted passengers immigrating to South Australia from 1836 to 1940. The National Archives of Australia holds immigration records after 1923 and more comprehensive records from 1940 onwards. The State Records of South Australia also holds digitised passenger lists from 1845 to 1940, listed by year and ship name, as well as official assisted passage passenger lists from 1845 to 1886.
The State Library of Victoria holds records of passengers arriving or departing Victoria, primarily as ship passenger lists. The Public Record Office of Victoria has Melbourne passenger lists that are searchable online. Trove, a digital archive, is another valuable resource for locating passenger lists and immigration schemes. It includes newspaper articles announcing arrivals and departures, as well as specialised indexes of passenger arrivals and departures between Australian colonies.
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Finding ancestors' records
Finding records of ancestors who immigrated to Australia can be a challenging task, but there are many resources available to help you uncover this information. Here are some steps you can take to find your ancestor's shipping and immigration records in Australia:
Start by Gathering Information:
- Begin your search by gathering as much information as possible about your ancestor. This includes their full name, approximate date of arrival in Australia, and any other relevant details, such as their occupation or family members travelling with them.
- Knowing the estimated arrival date is crucial. You can narrow down your search by looking for the earliest known family event in Australia, such as a marriage or birth record. Death certificates may also indicate how long a person had resided in Australia.
- Identify the colony or state of arrival. Keep in mind that your ancestor may have initially arrived in one state and then travelled to another, so consider all possibilities.
Utilize Online Resources:
- Many records have been digitized and are now available online. The National Archives of Australia is a valuable resource, especially for immigration records after 1923. Their website provides access to the Passenger Arrivals Index, covering over 10 million arrival records from 1898 to 1972, including arrivals by ship up to 1966.
- Ancestry Research Library is another excellent resource. Navigate to Immigration & Travel > Passenger Lists > Australia, and then select the specific state you're interested in. Here, you can find records like the NSW Immigration Deposit Journals (1853-1900), which provide information on sponsored immigration.
- Findmypast is a subscription-based service that offers access to travel and migration records. It includes departure lists for ships from Hamburg to Australia and New Zealand (1850-1879) and New South Wales-related records.
- Trove is a collaborative project between the National Library and State Libraries of Australia. It provides access to digitized newspapers, including shipping and passenger lists from the 19th century.
Explore State-Specific Records:
- Many records are held by state archives, so it's essential to focus your search on the relevant state or territory. For example, the State Library of New South Wales provides access to records of assisted and unassisted passengers, ships' logs, journals, and passenger lists.
- The State Records of New South Wales offer online indexes and microfilm copies of assisted immigrant records for various ports, including Port Phillip (1839-1851), Sydney and Newcastle (1844-1859), and Moreton Bay (Brisbane) (1848-1859).
- The State Library of South Australia also has comprehensive guides and online passenger lists (1836-1989). Their website includes surviving manifests and passenger details like names, ages, occupations, and accompanying family members.
Don't Forget Newspaper Records:
- Newspapers can be a valuable source of information, often providing details unavailable elsewhere. Search major Australian and British newspapers for shipping intelligence columns, which include information about ship voyages, dates and ports of departure and arrival, and passenger names.
- The State Library of South Australia's collaboration with Trove provides access to digitized newspapers, making it easier to search for family names and arrivals.
By following these steps and utilizing the suggested resources, you'll be well on your way to finding your ancestor's shipping and immigration records in Australia. It's important to be patient and persistent in your research, as some records may be challenging to locate, but the wealth of information available will ultimately help piece together your family's migration story.
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Online passenger lists
The State Records of South Australia also holds a full set of digitised passenger lists from 1845-1940, listed by year and ship name. These records are open for general access and are in searchable PDF format. The State Records of South Australia also provides indexes to passenger lists, including chronological lists of passenger lists for ships arriving at South Australian ports from overseas for the years 1836-1849 and 1846-1887.
Ancestry.com is another resource for online passenger lists. It contains collections of coastal passenger records from Victoria, as well as incoming and outgoing passenger lists for South Australia from 1845-1940. Ancestry Library Edition is available onsite at the State Library and at South Australian Public Libraries.
The National Archives of Australia holds immigration records after 1923. The National Archives Passenger Arrivals Index is searchable for immigration records up to 1972.
The State Library of New South Wales also has online resources for passenger lists. Ancestry Research Library, for example, has records of emigrants from Hamburg to Australasia from 1850-1879, covering all available departure lists for ships from Hamburg to Australia and New Zealand during that period. Ancestry Research Library also has records of immigration deposit journals from 1853-1900, which are records of money deposited by people wanting to sponsor the immigration of someone, usually a family member or someone for specific employment.
The State Library of New South Wales also provides access to the NSW State Archives and Records website, which includes a searchable listing of transcriptions of NSW Shipping Master's Office, Inwards Passenger Lists.
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Immigration records in libraries
Immigration records can be a great way to uncover details about your ancestors' migration story, such as when and how they arrived in Australia, their status as fare-paying passengers or assisted migrants, and their life before immigrating. Here is a guide to help you navigate immigration records in libraries:
National Library of Australia (NLA)
The National Library of Australia (NLA) holds a wealth of resources for those seeking to trace their family's arrival in the country. The NLA provides access to shipping and passenger lists, as well as guides and indexes to help navigate these records. The library also offers access to eResources, including Findmypast, which contains New South Wales (NSW)-related travel and migration records. These records can be accessed through the library's Newspapers and Family History Reading Room.
State Library of New South Wales
The State Library of NSW provides extensive research guides and resources for those exploring their family history. The library's Ancestry Research Library allows you to search for passenger lists and immigration books specific to Australia and NSW. It also provides access to records of money deposited by sponsors of immigration, dating back to the 1800s. Additionally, the library holds records of assisted passengers, including ship logs, journals, letters, and passenger lists. These records can offer valuable insights into the lives of immigrant passengers and their voyage.
Libraries Tasmania
Libraries Tasmania holds historical records of arrivals, immigration, and departures in Tasmania, dating back to 1803. These records include passenger lists and other details. The library's website provides a searchable catalogue, eResources, and the Tasmanian Names Index to facilitate your research.
State Archives and Records
State Archives and Records offices hold a wealth of immigration and shipping records. For instance, the NSW State Records provide online indexes and microfilm copies of assisted immigrant records arriving at various ports in the state during specific periods. Similarly, the National Archives of Australia hold immigration and naturalisation records from 1924 onwards, while the Public Record Office Victoria holds passenger records for those arriving or departing Victoria.
It is worth noting that before 1924, the responsibility for recording shipping and passenger arrivals fell to each Australian colony or state, so the surviving original records are now held in the respective state archives or public records offices.
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Immigration records in government archives
The National Archives of Australia holds millions of immigration records dating from 1898 to 1972. These include arrivals by ship from 1898 to 1966 at Fremantle or other Western Australian ports, arrivals by aircraft from 1944 to 1966 at Perth airport, and arrivals by ship and aircraft from 1965 to 1972 at all ports and airports. Passenger records usually include the passenger's name, place and date of embarkation, occupation or profession, sex, age, marital status, country of last permanent residence, nationality, and country of intended future residence. Details of the ship or aircraft are also given, including the name, port of registry, shipping line, master's name, and date and place of arrival.
The National Archives also holds migrant selection documents, which are records completed by or for migrants applying to migrate to Australia under various assisted passage schemes, including those for the resettlement of refugees and displaced persons. Records for assisted migrants who arrived in Australia before World War II may be held by the State Government archives for the state of arrival, while post-WWII records are held at the National Archives.
In addition to the National Archives, State Government archives, and the National Library of Australia, State Libraries in Victoria and New South Wales also hold immigration records. The State Library of Victoria holds inwards passenger lists for the port of Melbourne from 1924 to 1964 on microfilm, while the State Library of New South Wales provides access to immigration-related resources through its website, including indexes and online 'microfilm' copies of assisted immigrants records. The State Library of New South Wales also offers guidance on finding records such as ships' logs, journals, letters, diaries, and passenger lists held in Australian institutions.
State Records of South Australia also holds immigration records, including the names of individual passengers arriving in South Australia from 1845 to 1940, as well as official assisted passenger lists from 1845 to 1886, and lists of outgoing passengers departing from Port Adelaide from 1888 to 1940. These records were published in the South Australian Government Gazette and can be accessed through the State Archives website.
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Frequently asked questions
You can find shipping and immigration records in Australia by searching for them online or by visiting the Library in person. The National Archives of Australia holds detailed passenger records for arrivals and departures at all Australian ports from 1924.
You can search for shipping and immigration records in Australia online by using the National Archives of Australia's RecordSearch database. You can search for records by family name, year of arrival or departure, ship name, and port of arrival or departure.
To find shipping and immigration records in Australia by visiting the Library, you can use the Ancestry Research Library and select Immigration & Travel > Passenger Lists > Australia. You can also access microfilms and CD-ROMs containing shipping and immigration records by requesting them through the catalogue.
To find shipping and immigration records in Australia, you will need to know the person's name and their approximate date of arrival or departure. You can also use the name of the ship and the port of arrival or departure to narrow down your search.
