Hi Kathy, A follow-up to my reply direct to you. As I told you, being a grand-daughter of a pioneer who started off in Ballarat and then followed the gold to Crocodile Creek (now Bouldercombe - SW of Rockhampton), Cape River diggings, he married in 1869 in Townsville to follow the rush to Gilberton and finally after the Palmer settled in Cooktown, I am fascinated with all NQ history of that era hence my vast collection of books. As Peter Flecker said the Hodgkinson is well covered in Glenville Pike's 'Queensland Frontier' and also in Frank Dempsey's 'Old Mining Towns of North Qld.' After a bit of 'fossicking' I've struck 'gold' - in "Angor to Zillmanton" by Colin Hooper on page 113 there is a great map of the field with Beaconsfield clearly marked - direct east of Thornborough on the upper reaches of the Hodgkinson R. and on page 123 it has as follows:- 'BEACONSFIELD : Named after the British P.M. Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield. In 1878 there were four hotels; Jacob Weitzel's Monarch, Norman James' Whitehorse, A.C. Taylor's St. George and the Beaconsfield first owned by J.W Reid then Lewis Grosskoff then D.N Rice, a store and baker, Jacob Weitzel, a store and butcher, D.N. Rice. A Post Office operated in 1877-78 which was reduced to a receiving office until 1891. W. Bul ran the 10 head Monarch & Co. Quartz Crushing Machine here in 1878 which was still working in 1891. In 1878 an arastra existed here. In 1910 the mill was removed to Kidston.' Beaconsfield is also mentioned in the overall story of the Hodgkinson - but too much to copy. I do hope your gggrandfather was one of the publicans mentioned. Don't hesistate to write again if you think I can be of help. My grandfather was Patrick McNamara CORBETT and his brother was John CORBETT whose grave is on Robin Hood Station at Cobbold Gorge a lovely spot now opened to tourism, south of Forsayth. I will be grateful for any info. on either. Cheers to all on list. Margaret (Corbett) Simson Brisbane.