Hi, I remember, a long time ago, a discussion on this list (I think) about why it was that so many families living out on the goldfields failed to officially register births and deaths. I can't find it in the archives though and would like to revisit this as I am writing up my family history pages and would like to be able to explain why this was the case with my great great grandparents. They were at Sailors Gully near Ballarat in 1855, moved over to New Chum Gully by 1860 and then on to other diggings, all around Sebastopol & Mount Clear areas, over the next decade. Of the 6 or 7 children born during this time frame only two events were ever registered: (both at New Chum Gully) in 1860: the death of one infant son & the birth of a daughter, both registered at Buninyong. I seem to remember the discussion in the past covering the fact that occasionally someone went out to the diggings to record these events and wonder if this was the case with the two that made it to the official record books in 1860. Can anyone help me. Thanks, Lyn in NSW