Gold

Who would have thought? From 1836 the government of the state of Victoria, Australia published official information in the Victorian Government Gazette, and it's a goldmine for family historians.

It has always been available in, amongst other places, public libraries but now the State Library of Victoria has put digitised gazettes online, and it's free. And, even better, has a very user-friendly search page that has 'advanced' options.

Here's one result I unexpectedly found. I had no idea my great-grandfather, Robert Wyllie, was a cemetery trustee. And ironically he is now buried in the same cemetery.

 

 

Gazette 156: Wednesday, August 27th 1924

It's certainly worth searching by key words such as place names, ship names, company names, and surnames. Here's a quote from the 'About the Gazettes' tab on the website:

They contain information on everything from land transactions, bankruptcies, reward notices and new acts of parliament, to tenders, patent applications, unclaimed letters and monies, shipping and emigration notices, and more.

*Robert WYLLIE, son of William WYLLIE and Ann Megget CRANSTON was born on 19 Mar 1855 in McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia. He died on 27 Sep 1928 in Parwan, Victoria, Australia. He married Jeannetta COOK, daughter of William COOK and Mary Ann PRICE on 14 Apr 1884 (Cook home, Dunmunkle, Victoria, Australia). She was born on 17 Jul 1861 in Tahara, Victoria, Australia. She died on 11 Sep 1924 in Minyip, Victoria, Australia.