SNIPPET: Excerpts from article by Jennifer HARRISON, Queensland, Australia, in the 1999 No. 2 issue of "Irish Roots" magazine published in Cork: "As local family historians sadly are aware, in Australia the last complete census readily accessible, with names and family groupings, is that taken in 1828 when the majority of the population comprised either serving convicts or those already emancipated. (Census of New South Wales, November 1828, " ed. Malcolm R. SAINTY & Keith A. JOHNSON, Library of Australian History, Sydney 1980). During the 1800s the colonies were involved in census-taking regularly, although the frequency differed in various territories. Despite the United Kingdom census being counted every ten years, until 1901 some Australian colonies tried three, four or five-year intervals before most settled on decennial* enumerations. ... The census in the 20th century has been fitted in around the Depression and the Second World War before developing into a five-year pattern in the last few decades. Initially most were conducted around the dates selected in Great Britain and Ireland, that is, the end of March or beginning of April, but the appeal of this season in the northern hemisphere proved not so appropriate for the antipodes. Complaints from enumerators explained the difficulties. In 1871, 'the weather was unpropitious - torrents of rain, falling for weeks before and after the 8th of April, had broken up the roads, carried away bridges and seriously interfered with the internal communication....' On the other hand 20 years later, in an 1891 report, drought caused problems. 'There was nothing on the face of the country upon which animals could subsist, therefore, mounted collectors were obliged to bring feed on their journey sufficient to keep their horses in anything like serviceable condition.' Then a decade later when conditions had further worsened, collection costs increases because 'Stages had to be travelled according to the distances at which water existed, and no food for man or horse to be had on the way.' Nevertheless, the census taken in 1881 adopted the Imperial date of 3 April to enable the first simultaneous census of the British Empire.... All the colonies encouraged immigration which greatly influenced the interpretation of population numbers and mixes. In the 1871 Queensland census, 2.75 percent of the people were Chinese .... Reportedly - 'In not a few cases Chinamen are married to European wives, it is popularly supposed chiefly Irish, but really the English predominate.' In 1851 the United Kingdom the questions about religion proved so controversial, they were withdrawn for the 1861 event. Though this discomfort prevailed in Australia as well, the queries remained on the forms, later being deemed 'optional.' In 1871, one colonial authority considered, 'It is to be regretted that returns respecting religion should be required in a country where the State has severed its connection with religion, and tolerates alike all creeds that do not interfere with the State or each others' liberty. But it is the more to be regretted, because of all the questions put by the Census collectors, and frequently, though ignorantly, deemed impertinent, none seem to have given nearly so much offence as those relating to religion.' ...." *decennial: occurring every ten years. Please check various websites, books, for current resources and suggestions on how to proceed with Australian research.