Hi Janet, Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but none of the census for Australia were kept. A source of great frustration to we Aussie researchers! There is only an 1828 and an 1841 census which are available. However, you may find the father listed in the 1872 Greville's Directory here: http://addison.homedns.org/transcriptions/grevilles/grevilles.html I had a look and there are these 2 Roberts listed WATERS R W Sen Sergeant Police --- Bathurst WATERS Robert warder Isabella St. Parramatta NSW BDMs are online and free so you may find them here: http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/Index/IndexingOrder.cgi/search?event=births Also, State records may have something relevant, this site includes some shipping lists: http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/keyname_search_2187.asp Some listers have access to other sources so if you send another message with more details and what info you're looking for, someone may be able to help. Also, they may have gone to another state. Happy hunting! Katrina >Hi Listers, > >Could someone please do a lookup in the 1871 census for me for the following: > >Robert Short WATERS, probably age 50 an engineer, living in Sydney > >His wife: Elizabeth Mary Grey Hobbs Waters, about age 39 > >Maybe a son: Horace Albert Short, born about 1871. > >Would it be possible to check the 1881 census as well? Of course, they'd be ten years older. > >Thank you, > >Janet Hobbs Johnson