Welcome to my website
I live in the Kiewa Valley of NE Victoria and this is the view from my house. The tabs above give you access to my family history as well as my other interests in outdoor activities, aviation and travel.
Robert Hillard (1804-60) and Ann Somerville (1803-85) arrived in Melbourne on 7 July 1850 after 122 days aboard the “Bussorah Merchant”. After departing from Plymouth it encountered gales in the Channel and had to return to port and set out a second time. They were accompanied by four of their children: Rebecca, Robert, MaryAnn and Elizabeth whose ages were declared as ranging from 15 to 9 years.
The entire family had understated their ages by about 5 years as otherwise the parents would not have been eligible for assisted passages.
Family History
Hillard & related families
Emigrants to Victoria Australia
from Ireland, Scotland and England between 1846 and 1863
Mooney
1995 Mooney M20J MSE
Mt Lidgbird with Mt Gower in the background.
Outdoors
Outdoor Activities
Travel
My wife Rosemary and I have...
My wife Rosemary and I have been fortunate to have travelled a lot throughout our lives and particularly when we lived in the UK in the 1980s and in the Middle East between 1995 and 2005. There are some places that we think are particularly special and we have included here pictures from trips to those places.