Blog

What is this blog about?

Welcome to my home, my family history and genealogy blog. Here, you’ll discover practical guidance for researching your family tree and connecting with both living relatives and historical ancestors.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or revisiting an existing family tree, this blog will help you:

  • Navigate the exciting journey of genealogical discovery
  • Build comprehensive family connections
  • Verify existing research and uncover new branches

Family history research is surprisingly straightforward once you begin. It often starts with a simple spark of curiosity—that lightbulb moment when you realise you want to understand your  family heritage and discover where you came from.

My own genealogical journey began with this same curiosity, and through sharing my experiences and research methods, I hope to inspire and guide you on your own path of discovery.

Every family has stories waiting to be uncovered. Your ancestors’ lives, struggles, and triumphs are part of your heritage, and this blog will show you how to piece together those fascinating family narratives.

Beyond simply collecting names and dates, I’ll guide you through the art of storytelling—bringing your ancestors to life by adding historical context to their stories. This approach transforms dry genealogical data into vivid family histories that truly honour your heritage.

Ready to begin? Let’s embark on this rewarding journey of family discovery together.

  • The Arrivals – 1889.

    Dacca. There was only a year to the next arrival, a maternal Scottish great-grandmother arrived. She was on board the “Dacca” which departed from London and arrived in Townsville. Background. Before we commence our journey, here is a little background information. My question about how did my great-grandmother get from Scotland to London to embark… Read more

  • The Arrivals – 1888 (2).

    Merkara. The second arrival in 1888 was my paternal great-great-grandmother. She was on board the “Merkara” which departed from London. Research. The information below has been gathered from a variety of newspaper articles via TROVE and the British Newspaper Archives websites. As well as the Queensland State Archives and the Queensland State Library for additional… Read more

  • The Arrivals 1888 (1).

    Taroba. Five more years pass before the next two ancestors arrived. The first arrival on my parental side was my second great-grandfather. He was on board the “Taroba“. Journey Begins. The ship “Taroba” was the latest addition to the fleet of the British India Steam Navigation Company. The vessel was under the command of Captain… Read more

  • The Arrivals – 1883 (2).

    Hampshire. The second arrival in 1883 was another maternal great-grandfather. He left Plymouth and arrived in Rockhampton. He was with an older brother on board the “Hampshire.” Research Mix-up. The research into this ship has been very different. I wrote about what I had found, but the dates of travel did not line up with… Read more

  • The Arrivals – 1883 (1).

    Oban Bay. In 1883, two of my ancestors arrived. The first was my maternal Scottish great-grandfather. He was onboard the “Oban Bay” which departed Glasgow. The second voyage in 1883 will be in the next instalment of “The Arrivals.” Golden Find. My lucky find – A diary of a fellow passenger named William Smart.  The… Read more

  • The Arrivals – 1877.

    Fritz Reuter. The earliest arrival of my ancestors was in 1877. The ship “Fritz Reuter” set sail from Hamburg, Germany. It arrived off-shore from Rockhampton before passengers disembarked and were taken up the Fitzroy River into the town. Of these passengers, was my second maternal great-grandmother who arrived with her husband and their son. The… Read more