Assisted Immigration to Victoria
1836 to 1879

This list is of ships which brought passengers to the Port Phillip District of New South Wales (now the State of Victoria) Australia over the years 1836 to 1879. It is compiled from three sources but mainly from assisted immigration agent's books. A few ships that brought assisted German immigrants to Victoria and 16 ships which brought passengers from 1836 to 1851 are also included.

Most of this information is compiled from the immigration agent's books (reference VPRS 7310) held by the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). These immigration agent's books have been available on fiche for many years at the PROV and were sold for a short time as the Immigration Kit in the 1980s. There are currently (2001) two widely available indexes to the passengers listed in these books. One is part of the Immigration Kit and the other is a fiche copy of the card index held by the PROV.

This index of ships also contains references to lists not part of VPRS 7301 immigration agent's books. It contains lists covering 1836 to 1851 published on fiche 123 as part of the Immigration Kit and the German immigrants published as Assisted German Immigration VPRS 8811 & VPRS 11402.

This index to ships is an attempt for researchers to make sure all sources of information for each passenger is explored. The agent's books contain much more information about each immigrant than the ship's passenger lists. There are often two separate agent's books that list the same immigrant: one a disposal list; and the other a nominal list. Prior to the separation of Victoria from New South Wales in 1852 the disposal list may be part of Victoria's records whilst the nominal list may be part of the state records of New South Wales.

Undertake a search

• search for a name in the available indexes at the PRO (assisted and unassisted) or on their website (unassisted only).
• using the ship's name search this index for possible additional information.
• note remarks for where additional information can be located.
• Obtain a copy of the agent's immigration book entries. These are available from Macbeths (see below)

Obtaining a copy

Macbeth requires ship name, month and year of voyage, and book and page numbers. You can contact Macbeth to order your photocopies in several ways.

Email -

Order a photocopy from Macbeths sales@macbeth.com.au using a credit card (VISA, Mastercard or Australian Bankcard).

Mail -

Send to Macbeths with your credit card details:

PO Box 136
Hampton Vic 3188
AUSTRALIA

Fax: 03 9598 0365
International + 613 9598 0365

Key

N = another list or copy list exists in New South Wales State Archives microfilm reels.
P = passenger list and additional papers published by Public Record Office Victoria on fiche Assisted German Immigration VPRS 8811 & VPRS 11402.
B = the passenger list exists as part of Public Record Office Victoria published fiche VPRS 7666.
ML= Mitchell Library, Sydney has papers apparently filmed and also available through New South Wales State Archives.
K = passenger list exists as part of Public Record Office Victoria published fiche Immigration Kit.
W = wrecked.