Description of series:
Bound ships' log books varying in size and shape according to period (generally 15" x 10"), from the earliest date of Royal Navy ships stationed in Australian waters and showing information pertaining to hourly happenings on board ship.

History Prior/Subsequent to Transfer:
Prior to transfer: The Navy Hydrographic Office was created in Sydney in 1920 to be responsible for mapping, charting, sounding, and supply of material to HMA Ships and for receipt of all Ships' Logs and their maintenance. Ships' Captains were responsible for compilation, maintenance, and handing-over of Logs to that Office. Up to approximately 1911 all logs were handed in at "Sydney Station". In 1911 the Navy Office, Melbourne, took over the logs from Sydney. When the Hydrographic Officer was appointed to Sydney in 1920 the logs were transferred back to Sydney. The logs were stored by the Hydrographic Office as they were received.

During the 1939-45 War the volume of logs caused storage problems and they were cased without regard to order and stored at Naval Stores, Randwick in approximately 1943. In 1958 they were transferred from Randwick to Rydalmere and stored in dank and poorly constructed sheds where boats were housed. Water treatment to these boats for their preservation caused dampness to case bottoms and consequently deterioration to some logs.

These logs refer to ships of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy in Australian service from 1855 and include Colonial ships, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australian Naval units. This series is incomplete.  Log books are not held for every ship and there is not always a full set of log books for the entire period of a ship's operation.

Information received from Department of the Navy indicates that the logs comprise books surrendered in Australian Ports or Stations. Some titles of Logs of the sloop "Victoria" are shown for reference, viz.: Outside title of Log, 1856 - Her Majesty's Colonial Steam Sloop Victoria Log Book, Inside title of Log, 1856 - Log Book of Her Majesty's Colonial War Steamer Victoria. Inside title of Log, 1859 - Log Book of HMC Steam Sloop Victoria, Outside title of Log, 1886 - Log Book of Her Majesty's Victorian Ship Victoria. Inside title of Log, 1886 - Log Book of the Victorian Gunboat Victoria.

Subsequent to transfer: The Logs were transferred in scrambled order from the Navy. Representations resulted in the Navy resorting the whole set into its present order.

Administrative information

The following data was keyed from the paper documentation:
Form number:              CA 17
Creating department:      , Navy, Flag Officer in Charge Eastern
                          Australia Area, Hydrographic Service 
Transferring department:  , Navy, Flag Officer in Charge,
                          Eastern Australia Area, Hydrographic
Date of transfer:         07/02/1962
Archives file number:     RWS31/3/3