Denis James Guerin with his wife, Margaret, and eight children, moved to Moreton Bay sometime between 1856 and 1857 to take up a job as a weigher with HM Customs. This was quite a change for the Guerins as before leaving Sydney, Denis was the licensee of the Corporation Arms Hotel in Old South Head Road Sydney. Agnes Guerin, the ninth child, was born in Brisbane in 1857, followed by John, also born in Brisbane in 1860—hence, the family’s migration north fits into the 1856-57 timeframe.

The family was living in Fortitude Valley, street unknown, and with another child on the way, when Denis fell ill and died unexpectedly on 3 February 1861.

Christine at Mary Wall's headstone, Warrnambool cemetery. Mary Wall nee Long is Christine's 2 x great-grandmother

Researching family history sends us down many rabbit holes. That’s often the part that’s most fun but then what do you do with all those records after you’ve written your story?

A reader’s feedback: A story from a reader friend who bought a copy of Miltrup’s memoir, When The Garamuts Beat.

Readers in Far North Queensland or Cairns interested in the book might like to pop into their store on Level 1, Cairns Central Shopping Centre.

Franz Miltrup's memoir is being well-received 'around the traps', in Australia, NZ, the UK, Germany, and now in south Bougainville, which was always a priority for me.

Mr Pentanu graciously donated a copy of When The Garamuts Beat to the incoming Bishop of the Diocese of Bougainville, Bishop Dariusz KAŁUŻA, M.S.F.

t is such a great feeling to have the book in my hands, I’m really happy with it and hope readers are too. I can’t wait to get some feedback!

From editing a memoir to going through the process of finding a publisher or deciding to self-publish and the reasons I chose self-publishing.