GUIDE TO RESOURCES FOR TASMANIAN GENEALOGY

10.1  

START HERE! GENERAL

Attempting to find the emigration of an ancestor via passenger lists can be difficult and frustrating. Many records have not survived and even at the time, passengers travelling cheap - eg "steerage" - may not have had their names recorded in the first place. Persistence is required but also a realisation that your ancestor may have not have left any evidence of their voyage to Tasmania (especially if arriving from other Australian colonies).

There are many types of emigration records at the AOT and people interested in this subject are strongly encouraged to FIRST look at the AOT guides on the subject, including here:
http://www.archives.tas.gov.au/guides/genealogy and http://www.archives.tas.gov.au/guides/list/bg030

10.2

TAS LIST IMMIGRATION RESOURCES AND LISTS

For a number of very good resources and lists by genealogists for genealogists; go to
http://www.rootsweb.com/~austashs/immig/immig.htm

10.3

AOT FREE ARRIVALS INDEX

The Archives Office free arrivals index is on-line at http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=91. Originals can be viewed on microfilm at the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, State Library, Hobart. Please note that the on-line index has not been completed as yet, therefore it is suggested that you keep checking the index for more recent additions.

This index contains only a small proportion of those people arriving 'free'. See comments in Section 10.1 above.

10.4

AOT DEPARTURES INDEX

The Archives Office Departures Index is searchable on-line at: http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=2. Originals can be viewed on microfilm at the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, State Library, Hobart.

Like the Arrivals Index, this is a far from complete index.

10.5

AOT ASSISTED IMMIGRATION ARRIVALS

The AOT holds microfilm of arrivals under the Assisted Immigration scheme that operated between 1840 and 1886; they have a guide published in book format on the topic. These records contain quite detailed information on the individuals and families that arrived. The records are included in the series CB 7.

The Assisted Immigrants are also being included in the AOT on-line Arrivals Index, see 10.3 above.

10.6

AOT MARINE BOARD OF HOBART ARRIVALS

The AOT holds records of the Marine Board of Hobart inwards passenger lists which commences in 1829 - series MB 2.

10.7

PRIVATE WEB PAGES WITH LISTS

http://www.monissa.com/VDL/shipping.html
http://www.genseek.net/pass1.htm#TAS

10.8

TFHS PUBLICATIONS

Some arrival indexes have been published; see http://www.tasfhs.org/publicat.htm and follow the links to 'Publications' of the various branches

10.9

ARRIVALS VIA OTHER STATES

Many immigrants had their first port of call in other states of Australia, so it is worth consulting the Archives in other states. Some of these are on line and the following is a selection:

Victoria
Victorian Public Record Office http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/
Index of arrivals and departures http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/access/online.asp

NSW (includes Queensland and some Victoria)
NSW State Records: http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/
(follow the links to 'search our on line indexes' then 'assisted immigration 1839 - 96' )
Mariners and ships in Australian Waters index: http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/

Western Australia
http://www.perthdps.com/shipping/index.html

National Library of Australia
A page containing links to many ship and passenger resources:
http://www.nla.gov.au/guides/discoverguides/shippassenger.html

New Zealand
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ourstuff/ShippingArrivalsDepartures.htm
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nzbound/

Australia and NZ 'gateway' web page
http://www.list.jaunay.com/ausnzpassengers/

Australian Shipping Index
Records of ship arrivals and departures, some passenger lists http://www.blaxland.com/ozships/