Hi Everyone My name is John Dwyer, I was born and raised in suburban Melbourne but now live near Bathurst NSW. I've had an interest in genealogy for most of my life, but was really bitten 6 months ago. My fathers forebears settled in Geelong & districts - Gnarwarre, Mt Moriac etc. Surnames I am researching from the area are Dwyer; Curtain/Curtin; Gurrie/Gurry; Fanning; Wood; Keogh; Ryan. Bizarrely I live in an area rich in Dwyer's - just not mine! My grandfather Edward John Dwyer was born Mt Moriac in 1883 and married Ellen Veronica Wood at St Mary's in 1907. They had 5 children - Eric 1908 (my father); Gladys; Leila, John (Jack) & William (Bill). The family settled in Carlton/Richmond areas of Melbourne. My great-grandfather was Thomas Michael Dwyer, born Gnarwarre in 1852, a farmer and policeman who married Elizabeth Gurrie in 1878 at Mt Moriac. Offspring were William (1880), Mary Jane (1882), Edward (1883), Anastasia (1884), John (1885) & Thomas (1890). Thomas Michael Dwyer died in police service, Little Myers St Geelong in 1894 and is interred at Eatern cem'. Elizabeth then remarried a Nicholls and had James (c1899). Thomas was a son of William Dwyer (about 1817 in TIPP) & Mary Curtain (variously Curtin/Carti/Cotten on certificates) who were wed at St Francis Melbourne on 4/2/1844 by Fr Patrick Bonaventure Geoghegan. I believe at the time William was a farmer at Heidelberg. Mary was also from Heidelberg. Witnesses were Patrick King & Ellen (?)Geary (?). William died aged 36, Mt Moriac, in 1853 and is interred at Eastern Cem' also. Snippets of research suggest Williams parents were Matthew Dwyer & Fanny Condon but I have not confirmed this as yet. Elizabeth Gurrie's parents were Edward (died Mt Mo 1907) and Anne Connelly from Co. Meath. So this is a quick look at the swiss cheese of my knowledge - boy, there are a lot of holes! If anyone recognises anything here, or can help in any way at all, your contact would be really appreciated. Thanks and Regards Johnno