The records of The Royal Society of Victoria were transferred to the State Library of Victoria in the 1980's where they are held as SLV:MS 11663. An online guide to the holdings has been produced by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre of the University of Melbourne.

University of Melbourne

Science & Technology Heritage Centre

Guide to Records - Royal Society of Victoria

The records of the Royal Society of Victoria
www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/asrs/asrs.htm

The following is an extract from the online guide to the records of the Royal Society of Victoria created by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre of the University of Melbourne highlighting items relating to the Burke & Wills Expedition.

Scope and Content
This group of records, SLV:MS 11663, includes: minute books; correspondence files (general, secretarial, financial); correspondence relating to publication of the Transactions and Proceedings ; correspondence and accounts relating to the land and hall of the Society, and to memorial funds and government grants; original drafts of scientific papers (1857-1860, 1912); records relating to symposia held (1956-1974); library records; membership records, including 'deaths and resignations' files containing papers relating to wider matters; financial records; reports, notices and other printed matter (incomplete); manuscript papers of Royal Society of Victoria Government Prize essays, 1860; miscellaneous files relating to the history of the society and activitities of members; and, photographic material. Records relating to the Burke and Wills Expedition, SLV:MS 13071, are also held by the La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria.

Series 1: Minute Books
Minutes of council and ordinary meetings of the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science, Philosophical Society of Victoria, Philosophical Institute of Victoria and The Royal Society of Victoria. The contents of Volumes I (3 parts) and VIII (3 parts) have been listed as separate parts or 'items', although they are physically contained within one volume in each case. Similarly, the contents of item 1/1 are listed as separate parts.

Series: 1-2 Vol. I (b)
Philosophical Society of Victoria meetings, 24 June 1854 - 23 June 1855
Council Meetings
Date range 24 June 1854 - 23 June 1855 Quantity 1 volume (part)
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series: 1-3 Vol. I (c)
Philosophical Institute of Victoria (later the Royal Society of Victoria) meetings, 29 June 1855 - 16 February 1888; includes special and ordinary meetings
Council Meetings
Date range 29 June 1855 - 16 February 1888 Quantity 1 volume (part)
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series: 1-11 Vol. VIII (b)
Philosophical Institute of Victoria meetings, 10 July 1855 - 9 January 1860
Ordinary meetings
Creator Philosophical Institute of Victoria
Date range 10 July 1855 - 9 January 1860 Quantity 1 volume (part)
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series: 1-12 Vol. VIII (c)
Royal Society of Victoria meetings, 23 January 1860 - 13 July 1893
Ordinary meetings
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range 23 January 1860 - 13 July 1893 Quantity 1 volume (part)
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series: 1-15
Philosophical Institute of Victoria, March 1858; August - September 1858
Rough minute books for council and ordinary meetings
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range March 1858 - September 1858 Quantity 1 notebook (part)
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series: 1-16
Royal Society of Victoria, January 1860 - August 1860; December 1860
Rough minute books for council and ordinary meetings
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range January 1860 - December 1860 Quantity 1 notebook (part)
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series: 1-17
Royal Society of Victoria, 9 September 1861 - 16 June 1862; includes notices of meetings
Rough minute books for council and ordinary meetings
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range 9 September 1861 - 16 June 1862 Quantity 1 notebook
Formats Minutes and Agendas

Series 2: Correspondence
General correspondence including Honorary Secretary's correspondence and correspondence relating to programmes. The contents of each file [general correspondence] have been retained in their original order and filed in chronological sequence.

Series: 2-1
General and sundry correspondence, 1856-1888; includes some reports
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range 1856 - 1888 Quantity 2 envelopes
Formats General Correspondence and Reports

Series: 2-2
General and sundry correspondence, 1864-1918 and undated
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range 1864 - 1918
Quantity 1 envelope
Formats General Correspondence

Series 9: Financial Records
Cash books, petty cash books, postage books, debentures, accounts, receipts, statements.

Series: 9-2
Cash books, 1 January 1855 - 2 October 1885
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range 1 January 1855 - 2 October 1885
Quantity 1 book
Formats Accounts

Series: 9-3
Cash books, 15 May 1862 - 28 February 1876 ; includes list of members at front of book, 1862-1865
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Date range 15 May 1862 - 8 February 1876
Quantity 1 book
Formats Accounts and Lists

Series 11: Miscellaneous Papers
Manuscripts of Royal Society of Victoria government prize essays, 1860; miscellaneous files relating to the history of the society and activitities of members; scrapbook compiled by F. A. Cudmore, the Society's librarian, around 1945, includes news clippings relating to Society matters, copies of letters, annual reports, and invitations to conversaziones, 1859-1953.

Series: 11-15
Typescript of W. J. Wills last letter and photocopy of original
Creator Royal Society of Victoria
Quantity 1 envelope (part) Formats General Correspondence