Port of Brisbane Passenger Lists 1925
View of the Harbor at Brisbane, Queensland. Australia Today, 1 November 1912. GGA Image ID # 1d41e3df3b
The Port of Brisbane
Brisbane is situated approximately midway between the northern and southern limits of the eastern coastline of Australia in a subtropical zone in Lat. 27° 35' S. ; Long. 153° W E. The principal shipping wharves and located in the City Area, and extend at intervals along the Brisbane Hiver for several miles below Victoria Bridge, some 17 miles from the river mouth at Moreton Bay.
Overseas vessels come up the river to the city, the largest steamers berthing in the lower reaches, where the river has been dredged to a minimum depth of 26 feet at low water. In this river port the tidal range varies from 3 feet 6 inches to 8 feet 6 inches. The salinity of the water, which is over 30 grams, per kilo in Moreton Bay, falls rapidly as the river is ascended.
The Brisbane River empties into the relatively shallow and partially protected waters of Moreton Bay, some 40 miles in length by 15 miles in width.
Approximately one-half of the total bay area has a depth of under 3 fathoms at low tide, whilst the maximum depth is about 15 fathoms. Entrance to the Pacific Ocean for shipping is effected at the northern end of the bay through a 10-mile wide strait, partially blocked in places by submerged banks.
Map Showing Australia's Central Position Concerning the Region Immediately Affected by the Panama Canal. Australia Today, 1 November 1912. GGA Image ID # 1d42212abe
Passenger Lists from 1925 available from the GG Archives from the Port of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Organized by Date of Departure, Steamship Line, Steamship or Ocean Liner, Class of Passengers, Route, and the Ship's Captain.
Digitized Passenger Lists for the Port of Brisbane
1925-08-13 SS Sophocles Passenger List
- Steamship Line: Aberdeen Line
- Class of Passengers: First Class
- Date of Departure: 13 August 1925
- Route: United Kingdom to Australia
- Port of Calls: London to Brisbane via Tenerife, Capetown, Albany, Melbourne, and Sydney
- Commander: Captain A. Ogilvy
C. J. J. Watson, "Chapter I. Biological Testing Stations: The Port of Brisbane," in , p. 5, Notes on the Silviculture of Hoop Pine, Forestry Bulletin, No. 2, Part I, August 1924.
⚠️ About Accuracy in Historical Records Research Tip
Context. The GG Archives presents passenger lists as faithfully as possible to the original documents. While OCR is generally accurate, portions of these collections—especially image captions and some transcriptions—are typed by hand and may include typographical or spelling variations. The original manifests themselves also contained clerical inconsistencies (names recorded phonetically, mid-voyage corrections, etc.).
What this means for your research:
- Search variant spellings of names (e.g., “Schmidt/Schmitt/Smith,” “Giuseppe/Joseph”).
- Cross-reference with immigration cards, passport applications, naturalization files, city directories, and newspapers.
- Treat manifests as primary sources with historical quirks—use them alongside corroborating records.
- For place names, consider historical borders and language variants (e.g., Danzig/Gdańsk, Trieste/Trst).
How to cite. When quoting a name from a manifest, consider adding [sic] for obvious misspellings and include a note such as “spelling as printed in original passenger list.”
Need help? If you spot a likely transcription error in captions, feel free to contact us with the page URL and a brief note—we love community input. 🙏
Curator’s Note
For over 25 years, I've been dedicated to a unique mission: tracking down, curating, preserving, scanning, and transcribing historical materials. These materials, carefully researched, organized, and enriched with context, live on here at the GG Archives. Each passenger list isn't just posted — it's a testament to our commitment to helping you see the people and stories behind the names.
It hasn't always been easy. In the early years, I wasn't sure the site would survive, and I often paid the hosting bills out of my own pocket. But I never built this site for the money — I built it because I love history and believe it's worth preserving. It's a labor of love that I've dedicated myself to, and I'm committed to keeping it going.
If you've found something here that helped your research, sparked a family story, or just made you smile, I'd love to hear about it. Your experiences and stories are the real reward for me. And if you'd like to help keep this labor of love going, there's a "Contribute to the Website" link tucked away on our About page.
📜 History is worth keeping. Thanks for visiting and keeping it alive with me.
