Sunday 25 May 2014 Members gathered together in style in the Melbourne Room Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday 25 May to celebrate an important event in the life of the Fellowship - its 30th anniversary. Way back in early 1984, advertisements were placed local newspapers informing interested people within the community that a First Fleet association was going to be formed in Victoria, and were you interested? Following a good response, the first meeting was held on 25 May Continue Reading »
Sullivan Bay Sorrento
Port Phillip Settlement Planned Captain Collins in Charge The home government has approved the proposal for a new settlement to be set up in the Port Phillip District. Captain David Collins who served as Judge Advocate under Governor Phillip and departed the Colony for Home in 1796, has been appointed to lead an expedition from England to found the Port Phillip Settlement. His Excellency Governor King has urged settlement of Port Phillip since he received reports of Lieut. John Continue Reading »
Tony Robinson discovers Australia
Thanks to an invitation from WTFN Media Productions (Olwyn Jones) the First Fleet Fellowship was given an opportunity to participate in a Television production which involved Tony Robinson and his team visiting four states of Australia. Englishman Tony Robinson is a renowned producer of British documentaries – ‘The Time Team’, ‘Catastrophe’ and some years ago ‘Blackadder’. Our part of this production was to make available four descendants of the First Fleet. Helen Lucas, Cheryl Continue Reading »
Arthur Phillip Bell
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located 195 kilometres (121 miles) south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway. It brands itself as "Australia's first inland city”. Goulburn was named by surveyor James Meehan after Henry Goulburn, Under-Secretary for War and the Colonies, and the name was ratified by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The Continue Reading »
Family History Fairs/Expos
Family History Fairs or Expos are held yearly by local and country Family History Societies. They are a chance to bring together family history groups within their areas and others, like ourselves, that are themed based. Fellowship members have been attending History Fairs for many years; in the early days towing a converted plumbers’ trailer that held a three sided framed canvas demonstration tent, tables and display materials. Depending on the event members would set up stocks and a Continue Reading »
Australia Day
The First Fleet Captain Arthur Phillip 1786 portrait by Francis Wheatley (Wikipedia) Under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip the First Fleet set sail from England on 13 May1787. It comprised HMS Sirius, HMS Supply, six transports and three supply ships. Captain Phillip, in HMS Supply arrived first at the original destination, Botany Bay on 18 January 1788. The rest of the fleet arrived over the next two days. By the time the other vessels of the fleet arrived, Phillip had decided that Continue Reading »