Some citations for works on the history of Victoria, Australia, and a few from nearby. Particular emphasis on older books which are available online. Keep them handy for a bit of cut and paste.

Resources

Explorers and Early Settlers Journals

Broughton, William Robert (1804), A voyage of discovery to the north Pacific Ocean : in which the coastal Asia, ... Japan ... as well as the coast of Corea have been examined and surveyed, performed in His Majesty's Sloop Providence and her tender in the years 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, T. Cadell and W. Davies, OL 24159440M, retrieved 20 January 2012
Collins, David (1802), An account of the English colony in New South Wales ..., vol. 2, London: T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies, p. 85, retrieved 20 January 2012
General and Garrison orders given by David Collins Esq’re, Lieut Governor of Port Phillip & Lieut. Colonel of the Royal Marines. 16th October 1803, Sullivan Bay - Hobart Town, 3rd May, 1808, State Library of NSW transcription
Grant, James (1803). The narrative of a voyage of discovery, performed in His Majesty's vessel the Lady Nelson, of sixty tons burthen: with sliding keels, in the years 1800, 1801, and 1802, to New South Wales. Printed by C. Roworth for T. Egerton. ISBN 978-0-7243-0036-5.
Lee, Ida (1915). The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson, with the journal of her first commander Lieutenant James Grant. London: Grafton. OL 6580132M.
Heeres, J. E., ed. (2006). "Abel Janszoon Tasman's Journal of his Discovery of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand in 1642 with Documents Relating to his Exploration of Australia in 1644...to which are added his Life and Labours, 1898". Project Gutenberg of Australia. Retrieved 2006-07-09.
Hunter, John (1793), An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island, London: Printed for John Stockdale, OL 8025878W
Tuckey, James Hingston (1805), An account of a voyage to establish a colony at Port Philip, in Bass's Strait, on the south coast of New South Wales, in His Majesty's ship Calcutta, in the years 1802-3-4 , Portsmouth: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and J.C. Mottley, Also at Google Books

Victoria

Finn, Edmund (Garryowen) (1878), Der eggsberiences ov Hans Schwartz, Melbourne: Alex. M'Kinley & Co., Printers, OCLC 215627657
Finn, Edmund (Garryowen) (1880), The "Garryowen" sketches : historical, local, and personal, Melbourne: A. McKinley & Co
Finn, Edmund (Garryowen) (1888), The chronicles of early Melbourne, 1835 to 1852 : historical, anecdotal and personal, Melbourne: Fergusson and Mitchell

Fleming, James (2002), Currey, John (ed.), A journal of Grimes' survey : the Cumberland in Port Phillip January-February 1803, Malvern, Victoria: Banks Society Publications, p. 43, ISBN 0949586102

Tasmania

West, John (1852), The history of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania: H. Dowling, Vol 1, Vol 2

Australian Dictionary of Biography

"Collins, David (1756–1810)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 1966. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
"Collins, William (1760–1819)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 1966. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
Cooper, H. M. (1966). "Flinders, Matthew (1774 - 1814)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
McMartin, Arthur (1966). "Grant, James (1772 - 1833)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
Roe, Margriet (1966). "Hayes, Sir John (1768–1831)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
"Kent, William (1760–1812)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 1967. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
Rutledge, Martha (1986). "Lee, Ida Louisa (1865–1943)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
Pretyman, E. R. (1966). "Harris, George Prideaux Robert (1775–1810)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
Tilghman, Douglas Campbell (1967). "Woodriff, Daniel (1756–1842)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.

Historical Records of New South Wales

These are available from a number of places. All volumes are available from National Library of Australia. Both Open Library and Google Books have partial holdings.

Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1893), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 1, Part 1—Cook, 1762-1780, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, OL 20445908M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1892), Historical records of New South Wales, Facsimiles of charts to accompany Volume 1, Part 1—Cook, 1762-1780, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, OL 26242827M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1892), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 1, Part 2—Phillip, 1783-1792, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, OL 26242838M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1893), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 2—Grose and Paterson, 1793-1795, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, also at Google Books
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1895), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 3—Hunter, 1796–1799, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, OL 20445904M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1896), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 4—Hunter and King, 1801,1802,1803, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, OL 20445905M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1897), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 5—King, 1803-1805, Sydney: Charles Potter, Government Printer, OL 3048032M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1898), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 6—King and Bligh, 1806-1807, 1808, Sydney: William Applegate Gullick, Government Printer, OL 20531287M
Bladen, F. M. (Frank Murcott), ed. (1901), Historical records of New South Wales, Volume 7—Bligh and Macquarie, 1809, 1810, 1811, Sydney: William Applegate Gullick, Government Printer, OL 26242863M

Historical Records of Australia

Trove catalog entry

Series 1—Governors Despatches to and from England

Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 1. 1788—1796, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1914, hdl:1959.9/523879, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 2. 1797—1800, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1914, hdl:1959.9/502599, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 3. 1801—1802, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1915, hdl:1959.9/522477, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 4. 1803—Jun 1804, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1915, hdl:1959.9/517967, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 5. Jul 1804—Aug 1806, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1915, hdl:1959.9/497553, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 6. August 1806—December 1808, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1916, hdl:1959.9/517509, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 7. January 1809—June 1813, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1916, hdl:1959.9/517428
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 8. July 1813—December 1815, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1916, hdl:1959.9/519540, also at Hathi Trust
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 9. January 1816—December 1818, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1917, hdl:1959.9/533137
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 10. January 1819—December 1822, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1917, hdl:1959.9/499340
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 11. January 1823—November 1825, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, hdl:1959.9/495025
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 12. June 1825—December 1826, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1919
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 13. January 1827—February 1828, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1878, hdl:1959.9/517780
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 14. March 1828—May 1828, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1878, hdl:1959.9/536273
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 15. July 1829—December 1830, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1922, also at Hathi Trust
volume 16. 1831-1832
Volume 17 1833-Jun 1835
Volume 18 Jul 1835-Jun 1837
Volume 19 Jul 1837-Jan 1839
Historical records of Australia. Series 1. Governors Despatches to and from England. Volume 20. February 1839—September 1840, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1924, also at Google Books
Volume 21 Oct 1840-Mar 1842
volume 22 Apr 1824-Jun 1843, also at Google Books
volume 23 Jul 1843-Sep 1844
Oct 1844-Mar 1846
Apr 1846-Sep 1847
volume 26. Oct 1847-Dec 1848

Series 2

Series 3

Historical records of Australia. Series 3. Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States Volume 1. Port Phillip, Victoria 1803–1804, Tasmania 1803–June 1812, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1921, hdl:1959.9/494347
Historical records of Australia. Series 3. Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States Volume 2. Tasmania : July, 1812 – December, 1819, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1921, hdl:1959.9/540423
Historical records of Australia. Series 3. Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States Volume 3. Tasmania : 1821 – December 1820, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1921, hdl:1959.9/520483
Historical records of Australia. Series 3. Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States Volume 4. Tasmania : 1821 – December 1825, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1921, hdl:1959.9/520868
Historical records of Australia. Series 3. Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States Volume 5. Tasmania, December, 1825-March, 1827. Northern Territory, 1823-1827. Western Port, Victoria, 1826-1827, Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia, 1922, hdl:1959.9/512894

Ships

Ships that were active in the early years of Victoria

Britannia (whaler) - Third Fleet, then commanded by William Raven
HMS Buffalo (1797) 12-gun storeship commanded by William Raven
HMS Calcutta (1795) - Collins 1803 settlement
Champion (schooner), active WA 1836-1862
HMS Cumberland (1803) - Charles Robbins and Charles Grimes; Matthew Flinders
Enterprize (1829) built in Hobart, Tasmania in 1829. John Pascoe Fawkner bought the ship in April 1835 for use in his forthcoming settlement activity in Port Phillip Bay
Estramina, (1803-1816) a two masted schooner of 102 tons captured off Peru
Francis (1793) was a 41 burthen ton colonial schooner that was partially constructed at the Deptford Dockyard, England and sent in frame aboard the Pitt
HMS Investigator (1798), Flinders ship
HMS Lady Nelson (1798)
Margaret (brig), third ship to sail eastward through Bass Straight
Marquis Cornwallis (1789 ship)
Norfolk (sloop) built on Norfolk Island in 1798. Used by Flinders and Bass to circumnavigate Tasmania
Norfolk (brig), previously Harbinger, second ship to sail eastward through Bass Straight
Ocean (1794) used for 1803 Sullivan Bay settlement
HMS Porpoise (1799)
- commissioned in October 1799 under Lieutenant William Scott as a storeship for New South Wales
- wrecked in 1803. Matthew Flinders was returning to England as a passenger on Porpoise
HMS Porpoise (1804), 10-gun storeship, formerly the Lord Melville. She was purchased in 1804 and sold in 1816.
- perhaps the ship that brought William Bligh to Australia in 1806 and then took him to Hobart after the Rum Rebellion
- Yes. In the Warship Histories Vessels, file Warship_Histories_Vessels_iii.pdf, p744, Vessel ID 373582
HMS Providence (1791), (1791-1797)
- William Bligh on his second breadfruit voyage between 1791 and 1794.
- William Robert Broughton in Australian waters briefly in 1795
HMS Reliance (1793), a discovery vessel of the Royal Navy that brought Bass and Flinders to Australia in 1795
HMS Sirius (1786) First fleet
Sydney Cove (ship) was a sailing ship wrecked in 1797 on Preservation Island off Tasmania while on her way from Calcutta to Port Jackson. She was among the first ships wrecked on the east coast of Australia.
William and Ann (1759) - whaler and Third Fleet convict transport commanded by Eber Bunker

People

Mainly early navigators and explorers, with a few little know ones.

William Bligh
William Robert Broughton
Eber Bunker, whaler
David Collins (governor)‎, 1803 settlement of Victoria
George Dixon (Royal Navy officer)‎
William Kent (Royal Navy officer)
Angus McMillan
Nathaniel Portlock
William Raven, whaler
William Westgarth

Other

Dunn, E. J.; Mahony, D. J. (1910). Biographical sketch of the founders of the Geological Survey of Victoria. Geological Survey of Victoria Bulletin 23. Melbourne: Department of Mines, Victoria, Australia.
Hīroa, Te Rangi (Peter. H. Buck) (1953). Explorers of the Pacific: European and American Discoveries in Polynesia. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication 43. Honolulu, Hawaii: Bernice P. Bishop Museum. OCLC 646912113.

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