George Augustus Robinson gained a certain notoriety for his role in 'conciliating' the Aboriginal people of Tasmania and for his role as Commandant of the Flinders Island Aboriginal Settlement. He was the logical choice to be the Chief Protector of the newly-formed Aboriginal Protectorate in the Port Phillip District (now Victoria). He arrived in Melbourne in early 1839 to commence his leadership of the Aboriginal department. For the first time in one single volume, this work publishes in their entirety Robinson's private journals spanning the years from 1839 until 1852 when he retired and returned to England. His journals are an unparalleled source of information on the Aboriginal people of south-eastern Australia and their publication represents a major contribution to the reclamation of the linguistic heritage of southern Australia.