Hello toadfrog,

Australia's transportation records as far as I am aware are archived and copies are readily available at libraries and the NSW State Archives (probably of no use to you though, I'm afraid) . Robert Hughes' Fatal Shore is available in paperback at a normal paperback price.

Here's a concise background to the convict system and Tasmania

and The National Archives of Ireland has a good general description of transportation on its site. Well worth reading if you want a good overview.

You might find these convict narratives online interesting:
http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/convict/davis.html

NARRATIVE OF THE ADVENTURES AND SUFFERINGS OF CAPTAIN DANIEL D. HEUSTIS AND HIS COMPANIONS,IN CANADA AND VAN DIEMANS LAND ( full transcript)

SEVEN YEARS OF MY LIFE OR NARRATIVE OF A PATRIOT EXILE WHO TOGETHER WITH EIGHTY-TWO AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE ILLEGALLY TRIED FOR REBELLION IN UPPER CANADA IN 1838, AND TRANSPORTED TO VAN DIEMANS LAND.

EXILES RETURN OR NARRATIVE OF SAMUEL SNOW WHO WAS BANISHED TO VAN DIEMANS LAND, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PATRIOT WAR IN UPPER CANADA IN 1838

If you want source material on the subject of transportation, this has some good stuff. If you want any more, email me as I have some good books on transportation and can give you the details.