Listed in column format, each person is shown in alphabetical order (by surname) together with their ship of arrival in Australia, and where this information was ascertained. The other section of the book listed alphabetically by ship is listed in column format, and gives the following information: ship name; date; port; number (of migrants/crew/convicts etc); record (hardcover number); access form (fiche/film number). The information has been compiled using the official victualling lists, military payrolls and musters as the main sources of information, plus New South Wales Colonial Secretary's Records, and some family records were used as well.