All Australian police gazettes

FREE - all 5 state police gazette indexes

Click here to access indexes with millions of names
These indexes are the key to finding what years are of interest to you

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Treasures in Australian government (and police) gazettes - book  |  ebook

Police gazettes offer great information and detail, opening up a window to our past that cannot be found anywhere else. Fascinating to browse and a vast resource of useful information! 

5 star reviews from our customers

NSW POLICE GAZETTES

Official records ***** Keith 22 Mar 2024
These indexes are a great resource for genealogists and because of the record’s origins they are official ‘diary’ entries which can seldom be disputed

NSW Police Gazette Indexes ***** Keith 1 Feb 2024
Great source of information for family historians of publications which were never made available for public access

Excellent source of information ***** Mel 10 Dec 2023
Found this to not only be useful for research, it is was interesting to read context of the era and of locations. I am glad I grabbed a copy.

 QUEENSLAND POLICE GAZETTES

Excellent source ***** Julie 2 Feb 2024
Traced my great-grand uncles in the Police Force in Queensland.

SOUTH AUSTRLIAN POLICE GAZETTES

Police Gazette Index ***** Adam 31 Jan 2024
Found this to be very helpful, was able to narrow down people by Decade or under other areas like Inquests, Stealing, Missing friends, which reduced time spent looking for them, Thanks.

TASMANIAN POLICE GAZETTES

72 years of great information source for those compiling a family history ***** Keith 23 Feb 2024
Thanks for making this valuable resource available to genealogy students.

Informative ***** Janet 8 Feb 2022
Helps if your Ancestor was involved or a victim in research - good Reading None of my ancestors there but great for research

Police gazette info ***** Sue 14h Jan 2022
It’s very informative…found lots of information I’ve been looking for ….Well laid out

VICTORIAN POLICE GAZETTES

Wonderful to gain access to this compendium ***** Colleen 9 Feb 2024
Having eBook access to this vast amount of information is incredible. Thank you

Victoria Police Gazette Indexes 1864-1924 - EBOOK ***** Ros 6 Feb 2024
Excellent item with clues to family names

About police gazettes

Police gazettes differ from government gazettes in that they are not open to the public for some time after creation. 

They were compiled generally weekly in each Australian state starting from around the 1850s and 60s, as a confidential record of police activities, reports and information – for police use only. They often contain details that would not be found in the more publicly accessible government gazettes.

Police gazette commence dates - with Police restriction in brackets (period from the present they are unavailable for public use).

• New South Wales - 1862 (70 years) - available as 
• Queensland - 1864 (65 years)
• South Australia - 1862 (60 years)
• Tasmania - 1861 (75 years)
• Victoria (Port Phillip) - 1851 (30 years)
• Western Australia - 1876 (50 years)
• New Zealand - 1877 (100 years)

Information on crimes committed. One of the chief purposes of the gazette was to communicate information on crimes. Including what was committed, where it was committed, details of the victim of the crime, the details of the crime, any information or evidence gathered that may lead to the arrest of the criminal, details of the suspect or appearance of the criminal and who to contact with further information. These accounts often included names and detailed descriptions.

Information regarding criminals. This includes lists of warrants issued, arrests made, convicted people, people discharged from prison and people released on good behaviour bonds. These lists often included details of the crime, the name of the criminal, any alias’s, sex and their race, the location, sentence and terms of release. More detailed information including the appearance of the criminal including height, hair colour, eye colour, any distinguishing features, clothing, place, (including names of ships or prisons or any other relevant place) and the crime they were included in, as well as any dates and sometimes photographs. 

Notice of missing persons. These are often recorded as missing family or friends, but also anyone who someone wanted to find. Information such as the missing person’s description and appearance is given, the nature of their disappearance, the time of their disappearance, their supposed destination, details of their last known or supposed whereabouts is reported when relevant. 

Official police department information. Personnel change within the force. Lists of promotions, dismissals, resignations and appointments are given with information on position, place, and name. Also, appointments such as Justice of the Peace and inspectors. 

Other related government department information. The police gazettes also include information on vacancies, appointments, promotions and resignations in other government departments. These include lists of Justices and court clerks etc. Notice of amendments and introductions of new acts of parliament are also given. Court lists and sessions are included.

Notice of licences (some states). Licences of various types and lists of those holding them are given in the police gazettes. These include the name, date, location for the licences.

Information from other state police gazettes. Often it was necessary for communication between states and even New Zealand regarding particular criminals, crimes, or missing persons. These are also recorded in the police gazettes, mainly regarding serious crimes or wanted people.

Police gazette information

This varies, but may include the following

• Theft
• Arson
• Wife or child desertion
• Pick-pocketing
• Murder
• Drunkenness
• Supplying liquor to an Aboriginal
• Wanted people – often with details such as
• age
• height
• “native of …”
• sometimes accent
• appearance
• marks (scars, tattoos)
• peculiarities
• sometimes photos (later gazettes)
• Escaped prisoners
• Military absconders
• Ship deserters
• Suspected criminals
• Licences (some states)
• tobacco sellers
• liquor sellers
• wine sellers
• auctioneers
• billiards
• hawkers
• poisons
• timber cutting
• chemists and druggists
• medical practitioners
• Police appointments
• Justices of the Peace
• Victims of crime

Sample police gazette content

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