Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
See Crown Land.
Also see Miners.
From 1855 a miners' right is required before a mining claim could be occupied and mining operations undertaken. Historically these also gave the right to occupy a quarter acre of Crown land for a residence. Miner's rights needed to be renewed annually. In 1858 holders of miner's rights were also given the right to operate a business on Crown land (such as a shop or hotel), the right to fell timber on claims and the right to build races and dams on Crown lands for mining purposes. Miners' rights were obtainable from the local court. See Court Records. Various records relating to miners' rights are also held by Public Record Office Victoria. They are not online.
Records were kept of mining claims. These are held by Public Record Office Victoria. They are not online.
Records were kept of mining leases. These are held by Public Record Office Victoria. They are not online. They were also advertised in newspapers. See Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
Mineral leases are on computer at Public Record Office Victoria.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - MINING LEASE APPLICATION PLANS
These may be accessed by surname or place through the catalogue.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - MINING SURVEYOR'S SURVEYS, BALLARAT EAST DIVISION 1871-1872
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS1019
Records were kept of water right licenses. These are held by Public Record Office Victoria. They are not online.
Mining disputes were adjudicated in the Court of Mines which may also be reported in newspapers. See Court Records. Also see Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
Lists of miners who contributed to local hospitals and asylums may be found in local newspapers. These sometimes include employers. See Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
FAMILYSEARCH - ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO GENEALOGICAL MATERIALS OF THE SMYTHESDALE AND SCARSDALE AREAS OF VICTORIA
This includes Index to Miners Rights, Smythesdale, 1859, Mining Registers, Smythesdale 1860-1864. Cards housed at the Woady Yallock Historical Society, Ballarat.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/538139?availability=Family%20History%20Library
VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS DATABASE - MINES DEPARTMENT REPORTS AND PAPERS
These include statistical information, mining returns, number of people employed and general information on various mines. Other reports include enquiries into the discovery of gold and other earth resources before rewards are paid. See under Victorian Parliament.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF VICTORIA - LIST OF NUGGETS FOUND IN VICTORIA
The report published by the Department of Mines, Victoria, 1912. Series: Memoirs of the geological survey of Victoria no. 12.
http://earthresources.efirst.com.au/product.asp?pID=49&cID=15
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES - PEOPLE IN THE REPORT "LIST OF NUGGETS FOUND IN VICTORIA"
The report was published by the Department of Mines, Victoria, 1912. Series: Memoirs of the geological survey of Victoria no. 12.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE - GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF VICTORIA GEOLOGICAL QUARTER SHEETS
https://digitised-collections.unimelb.edu.au/handle/11343/23981
GEOVIC - EARTH RESOURCES
GeoVic is a free online mapping application that enables you to build your own earth resource related maps, perform searches and access data, using a huge range of data sources.
https://earthresources.vic.gov.au/geology-exploration/maps-reports-data/geovic
From the late 1850s to 1871 registers of mining companies may be seen in local Court of Mines records. See Court Records.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - MINING COMPANIES 1850S-1978 (VPRS 567)
Public Record Office Victoria has a register of mining companies up to 1978. They also have registration files for mining companies up to 1978. These are not online. Mining companies ceased to be separately registered in 1958. Any files which were still in existence at this time continued to operate under their mining company number. Any new registrations after this date were included in the trading company registration sequence. In 1978 any mining company still operating with a pre-1958 mining company registration number was re-numbered and incorporated into the trading company registration sequence. See Company Records.
Shareholdings in mining companies were advertised in government gazettes and newspapers. In smaller mining companies many or all of the shareholders actually worked for the company. See Government Gazettes. Also see Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
In order to log forestry areas licenses are required from the state government and records are kept of forestry license holders. Archived records are held by Public Record Office Victoria. These may be name searchable through the catalogue.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - CORRESPONDENCE BOOK OF ASSISTANT TO INSPECTOR OF FISHERIES, PORT FAIRY 1913-1949 (VPRS 3366)
These include Fishing Licences and Boat Registrations.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS3366
ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, SELECTED TRIAL BRIEF AND CORRESPONDENCE REGISTERS AND OTHER IMAGES, 1837-1993
These include Port Fairy Fisheries Correspondence 1913-1949. These records are not indexed but can be browsed by description and range. These are provided by Public Record Office Victoria.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=60672
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