Sources for an Australian Interdisciplinary Historical Demography

Abstract

This chapter begins with quantitative sources: population censuses, vital registration, administrative statistics (including convict records), and sample surveys. This is followed by a short section on the many qualitative sources and a discussion of the neglected field of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander demography. We conclude that although Australia lacks a Centre akin to Britain’s Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure, historical demography is experiencing a renaissance in Australia thanks in part to the work of multi-disciplinary teams which are employing previously unavailable sources.