Since this website was launched on June 30, 1998, it has proven to be just as popular with students and their teachers as it has with novice and experienced researchers.
Bearing our target audience in mind, we have taken care to provide varying depths of information, while at the same time, endeavouring to make the visit to the site as enjoyable as possible.
Our goal has always been to provide an overview of the settlement of Australia during its formative convict years while providing information on a wide range of themes. To further that aim, we have provided a wealth of on-line databases and have linked to many more elsewhere.
Our Convict Quiz and Claytons Convicts have been very popular and we find the Convict Tales section generates a great deal of interest and feedback.
The Convicts Mailing List
As far as feedback is concerned, we find it impossible to answer individual research questions while continuing to maintain and add to the site. We were delighted to witness the birth of the AUS-CONVICTS-L mailing list and urge cyber-tourists with convict interests to join that list. It comes in both list and digest format and to subscribe, simply click on the appropriate button below and send the pre-filled email form when it appears. You will receive further comprehensive instructions from the list owner by return email:
AUS-CONVICTS-L-request@rootsweb.com (for list mode) 
AUS-CONVICTS-D-request@rootsweb.com (for digest mode)
Site Navigation
As our site has grown we have found it necessary to help visitors find their way around. Hot links have been added to the top of the pages and links to sub directories have been placed down the left-hand side panel.
For ease of navigation, this 'research guide' has been split into several smaller pages devoted to specific areas of interest. The beauty of this approach is that it allows new pages to be added and makes them easy for cyber-tourists to locate.
To further assist researchers, we have installed three different search engines on site. While one searches the entire site, two more specialised ones have been dedicated to searching the Western Australian convict section and the New South Wales womens' area.
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All the Convict Ships
