Victoria

Check the shelves in GSC's library - we hold numerous items relating to Victoria, many of which are not available on-line. These include: 

• Histories of specific cities, towns and localities (organised by postcode)

• Books relating to the history of particular industries and occupations e.g. pastoral, mining, nursing

• Migrant stories

• Biographies of prominent men and women

• Church histories

• Indexes to historic records

• Inquests and coroners' reports

Victoria officially separated from NSW on 1st July 1851 to become a self-governing colony. Prior to that it was known as the Port Philip District of New South Wales. The overland mail route between Melbourne and Sydney was established in 1838.

Amongst Victoria’s earliest settlements were Western Port (1826), Portland (1834, first settled by a whaler in 1829), Melbourne (1835) and Geelong (1838).

The gold discoveries of 1851 saw the beginning of a rapid influx of people to Victoria, with the population increasing from 76,000 to 540,000 in ten years as rushes were sparked with each new discovery. Locations included Ballarat, Bendigo, Beechworth, Chiltern, Castlemaine, Daylesford, Omeo, Walhalla and Bright. If you are researching this period, be conscious of the intermediate towns and localities which serviced those making for the goldfields.

Victoria BDM: Homepage | Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria (bdm.vic.gov.au) Records are available from 1836, however registration of births, deaths and marriages only became compulsory from 1853. Any items from 1836 to 1853 are church and parish records. These are not necessarily complete and church ministers often treated such records as part of their personal papers. Note that around 1850, about 50% of Victoria’s population (of about 77,000, with 23,000 in Melbourne) was Anglican, but there were only 3 vicars servicing the entire state.

Public Record Office of Victoria is the archive of state and local government records in Victoria: Homepage | PROV

Start at the home page to see the types of information which may be found. This can range from Wills and Probate records to Shipping and Immigration,  Land records and much more. It's possible to search the site by name, location, ship etc., using filters to narrow the number of results. Some records are not yet digitised, but may be available to view on site if you're visiting Melbourne.

PROV has an extensive collection of incoming passenger records, as well as some outward passenger records. The inward bound passenger lists are divided into: “assisted” (subsidised); “unassisted” (paying their own way), or “coastal” (travelling to Victoria from an Australian port). There’s also a section on Post-World War II British Immigration. 

State Library of Victoria: Search & discover | State Library Victoria (slv.vic.gov.au)

Council heritage studies where available, can provide detailed information about the history of an area from pre white settlement. Particularly helpful when researching country areas and adding context to your family history, as there will usually be details describing the smallest of towns, major properties and significant family names, as well as buildings of interest etc.

Sands & McDougall Directories - Sands & McDougall directories | State Library Victoria are a treasure trove of information. These directories were published annually from 1857 to 1974. The State Library has digitized copies for every 5 years from 1860 to 1974. They are a great resource for researching the history of Melbourne and Victorian properties, residents, businesses and streets. Indexed and divided into sections by location, name, trade and more, plus many pages of advertisements at the back. The directories can be really helpful for cross referencing and verifying information, as well as providing a general picture of society at the time.