Originally the Gazettes for each state were not available to the public, but were produced for informing members of the police force and government officials.
Most people listed thereunder were not criminals, but were merely sought by police so that relatives, old friends, or government officials could renew contact with them.
In the case of the deserters of wives and children, the Victoria Police Gazette would list (where known) the name of the offender, their place of birth, age, occupation, the area in which they had been living, their possible future movements and known relatives.
It included entries that covered: The Legislative Council of Victoria passed an Act on 8 January 1853, for the regulation of the police force.
In December of that year, the Victoria Police Gazette started as an official means of pooling information among these newly uniformed bodies.