Victoria Passenger Lists Index

Passenger lists for Victoria offer vital insights into the colony’s dynamic growth, especially during the gold rush era of the 1850s. Both assisted and unassisted immigrants arrived at Port Phillip (later Melbourne), with records dating from the 1830s through the early 20th century. Lists typically include names, ages, occupations, ship names, departure ports, and arrival dates. Many settlers came from the British Isles, Europe, and China, reflecting the multicultural foundations of the colony. For genealogists, Victoria’s passenger records are a gateway to uncovering early family movements, migration motivations, and settlement patterns in a rapidly expanding society.