Hello Gwen, Many thanks for taking up my enquiry. You found some very interesting references. Could you tell me what the abbreviations mean i.e [AVR], [CGN] etc.? I gather [GG] means government gazette? I am most interested in the following references: John AMEY's letter published, claiming to have discovered gold at Stock-yard Creek 1856, with party comprising ENGDAHL, WILLIAMS and BLADIN [GG, 23 Nov 1860] [GG, 28 Dec 1860] Victor BLADEN submitted tender for clearing, logging, etc to Alberton District Road Board. [GG, 15 Oct 1858] [GG, 29 Oct 1858] [GG, 5 Nov 1858] Land of V BLADEN in parish of Yarram Yarram to be sold by Special Bailiff for P F THIEL [GG, 8 Feb 1861] In William Cuthill's History of Traralgon, Olaf was said to have left his wife and 7 children at this stage to go to the goldfields to make some money. I never knew that he actually got there. It was also mentioned that he headed to Forbes and Cudgegong ?NSW to the goldfields there. He apparently sold all the families belongings including their bed prior to leaving. He never returned and in 1861 his wife and children were evicted from their home and in 1862 the 4 youngest children were sent to industrial schools. It was around this time that he was wanted by the police for desertion and changed his name to George Gilbert and worked on the Melbourne Wharves. The police never found him and he returned home of his own choosing in c 1868 when he was arrested. The tender for clearing land may have been to build the Traralgon police station or it may have been for their own home. Can you tell me how I would gain access to these records. They would be very useful in putting the Olaf jigsaw together. Many thanks for your help Narelle in WA