Hi Annette
Thank you for your query. Firstly when you say that you have had no success with records in Ireland, where have you searched? include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.
Have you checked the immigration records in Australia? Generally, more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. The University of Woolongong has produced, on microfiche, a complete index and transcript of all information concerning immigrants of Irish origin recorded on ships' passenger lists between 1848 and 1867. These are useful for finding out an exact place of origin as well as parents' names. The Public Record Office of Victoria has good online databases of settlers at www.prov.vic.gov.au Otherwise, other records may be found in the Colonial Office Papers of the UK National Archives, class reference CO 201. This class contains a wide variety of records, including petitions for assisted passages, emigrants' lists, records of emigrants on board ship, petitions from settlers for financial assistance and much more. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/
As there are no civil register records before 1864 and no census before 1901 the next place i would advise you to search is land valuation.You could try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64) http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/ or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) https://familysearch.org/
These lists constitute the only nationwide survey for the period, and are valuable because the heaviest burden of the tithes to the Established Church, the Church of Ireland, fell on the poorest, for whom few other records survive. The information in the Tithes is quite basic, typically consisting of townland name, landholder's name, area of land and tithes payable
Here are some other website that you may not have searched that may aid you further:
http://bruboru.ie/
http://tipperarynorth.rootsireland.ie/
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introductio…
http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/
http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/?gclid=CNHhjdCMwrUCFQqV4QodKh8A4A
Annette I hope that this information is of some help to you. Focus on trying to find the place name of your family in Tipperary for the moment and you will be on the right track.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support