Day 3 we arrived in Melbourne and it was a shore day. I went off to the onshore seminar. There was a slight change of plan as Thomas was ill and unable to do his talks so I gave my Document Analysis talk and Kirsty Gray gave her West country Ancestors talk which was nice for me as I had missed it the night before.

Melbourne was sunny and warm but the highlight of the seminar was meeting Elizabeth Piper a “Young and Savvy” Genealogist pictured here with another Young and Savvy Genealogist Alona Tester. Elizabeth has been researching since she was 14 and even managed to do her Year 12 work experience program at the Genealogical Society of Victoria. How cool is that!

There are a lot of younger researchers who do good research and it is important that we all encourage them as they are the ones who will continue things in the future and who can bring new ideas and abilities to our societies (if we create a friendly environment). I started researching when I was 22 and there were a number of people back then who told me I was in the wrong place when I went to research. Obviously I ignored them and kept going back <G>

It was good to meet up again with my cousin Melissa Hallyburton. Melissa is descended from one of those Plumridge brothers that went to Victoria in the 1850s while my line went to Brisbane in 1882.

Then back to the Voyager of the Seas where the evening session was a panel discussion chaired by Thomas MacEntee on the “Future of Genealogy” There have been many changes to what is accessible and how it is accessible and it is interesting and amazing to think of what is to come and what new uses can be made of computing ideas and accessories for genealogy.

Then a late cocktail before bed.

Kirsty Gray started the day with a talk on the Guild of One Name Studies. I am a member and regular readers know that  I research the name Quested anywhere, anytime and also am the Queensland Regional Rep for the Guild and there are 20 guild members in Queensland.

Then I gave my Using Timelines for Family History presentation.

Alan Phillips working hard!

Apart from the joys of chronological listings showing what you have found, showing the gaps in the research and further research opportunities you can use timelines to showcase your research in different ways. They say a “picture can save a 1000 words” and this is very true but a pictorial representation can also stop a family member from running screaming in the opposite direction when you start talking about the family history. It is much better if you can subliminally work to get your family member to ask further  questions about the family and their life rather than try to force them to listen to you.

Shauna Hicks then gave a presentation on “Mapping Ancestors in Australia” which I attended but it meant that I missed Pauleen Cass talking on “Becoming a fan of FANs: let your family’s friends, associates and neighbours reveal more of your family’s history” and also missed Thomas MacEntee talking on “Celebrating a Life: keeping life stories sharable and organised using Saving Memories”  Saving Memories won the Innovators Award at this year’s RootsTech conference that just finished in Salt Lake City.

Then I listened to Chris Paton talking on the “Godly Commonwealth: discover Scottish Church records” a clear explanation of a very confused joining, breakaways and basically a spaghetti mess of different church formations over the time period and very good reasons why you may not be able to find that Scottish baptism on ScotlandsPeople!

The Family Historian users have been attending workshop sessions throughout the conference presented by Jane Taubman, a person with intimate knowledge of the program and a top level user from the UK.

Mel Hulbert gave a presentation at this time on “Restoring Family Photographs” of which I have heard good reports.

It is a terrible shame I can’t clone myself as it would be lovely if you could split yourself in three and attend all the presentations (and later after the conference send one of the clones to work, one to do the housework and the other could do research 24/7!

Neil Smith gave a presentation on “Tracing Australia’s British Redcoat Garrisons” (a topic on which he has also recently published a book with Unlock the Past. One I have ordered as I am tracking a Quested gentleman who was in Queensland pre-separation (as I found him giving evidence in a trial of a convict who had stolen some grain) then he went off to fight in India).

Then I did a MyHeritage presentation then dd a Research help Zone on Queensland research and after that was dinner before coming back to listen to Shauna Hicks talking on “Newspapers Online” and Trove was only a part of this so if you don’t know of the others you are really missing out!

Remember to look at the other bloggers such as Pauleen Cass, Jill Ball,  Alona Tester,  to hear their thoughts as that way you will get to hear about pretty much all the presentations.  (There are other bloggers on board as well so worth doing a Google search of blogs  for 4th Unlock the Past cruise)

Looking down from the 11th Floor outside the Windjammer Cafe

Looking back from our balcony

Hoping that everybody had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and wishing everybody a fantastic, happy and healthy 2014 and now the time of festivities is over, it is time to start thinking about the cruise.

The 4th February is just around the corner so now is the time to think about the cruise. I wrote about getting genealogically ready for the cruise in October, post found here so I am guessing your preparations for that is well underway and you are accumulating questions and copies of your documentary evidence to ask the presenters in the Research Help Zones.

So what else to consider?


Have you put your surnames or any special interests you are researching on the Unlock the Past site? You just never know who might be researching your names. There have been a number of genealogy Happy Dances occurring on past cruises!

Now is the time to get some business cards printed with your name, contact details, blog address and names that you are researching. Vistaprint and other online sites have cheap cards that you will be able to distribute among the conference attendees.

Now is also the time to learn how to use the new camera you received for Christmas as you would not want to miss getting those pictures! Or iPad etc as when you need to use them is not the time to suddenly find out you can’t!

You will have received the email from Clean Cruising about putting in your details so the tickets can be sent. If you like soft drink it is also worth considering pre-purchasing  a soda package as a code will be printed on your ID tag and you can just show that to the stewards and a soft drink will appear. Soft drinks are not freely provided on board and there is a charge.

Thoughts about packing should also be starting to arise. Alona did a great post about the notebooks she has ordered as well as other things she is doing to get ready.

On my spare bed I have started putting some things among which are the US double adaptors. On board it is USA electrical outlets so you will need the adaptors. On the last cruise a number of power boards that people had brought were confiscated but I had no trouble with my USA double adaptors. I am going to have a look-see as recently I saw online some Belkin adaptors that also have USB ports and that could be very useful by the time you count a laptop, iPad, camera, phone etc all waiting to be charged.

Electronics, don’t forget chargers for each of your items. There were a few unhappy people last time who had left a cord behind.

Internet charges on board are not cheap so if you have a USB internet dongle I’d recommend taking it too and then when we are in port you will have cheap access to the Net. If you don’t have a dongle and were going to write blog posts during the cruise I’d strongly recommend writing it offline and then publishing and downloading emails and then answering them offline. That way you will keep your Internet costs down. I am a heavy Internet user and always budget to buy a package which works out the cheapest way if you are using the ship’s internet. (or you could always visit McDonald’s!)

Also waiting to be packed is a pair of binoculars and small torch as on this cruise we are going to be privileged to have Melissa Hulbert who is an astronomer at the Sydney Observatory who, if the weather is kind, will give us a “getting to know the Southern Sky” tour. 

I have my carry bag so I can bring my book/iPad, notebook, sunscreen, camera etc easily. It is a big ship and there will always be some things you want with you while you are either listening to the speakers, relaxing by the pool etc.

I also have a shower-proof jacket to allow for the  possibility of “four seasons in a day” weather that can be found in Melbourne, also a light cardigan/shawl to use in the conference room as the air-conditioning can be cool.

I have my good walking shoes as it is a big ship and you will walk a fair number of steps (so a pedometer might be an additional interesting thing to carry). 

There is also a nice walking track around the top of the ship which I plan to use again. You do get a nice view from there.  If you are very energetic there is also the rock climbing wall but that is not for me!

There is no passenger laundry on board so you may want to bring a little liquid detergent (although I find that shampoo works very well). I would not suggest washing jeans out but lighter clothes will dry OK. You can get clothes washed by the ship’s laundry for a price.

Talking of clothes, there are generally two formal dinner evenings where you can dress up to your heart’s content and there are photo opportunities available so you can remember your evening. The dining room is pretty special and does really suit formal dressing with those chandeliers!

I must admit I am not into formal dressing so tend to take those nights out as a casual dining option in one of the other dining venues. Generally otherwise, dress is quite casual and I would tend to think of layers just in case cooler weather hits in Melbourne and Hobart.

Sunglasses are a must if you plan to be outside much as is sunscreen as reflected sunlight off the sea can be very bright. A hat would also be useful although there are a lot of shady places on board where you can lounge and read.



Remember your medications. There is a medical centre on board and a limited shop but I would not depend on these for medications. As we are doing regular Australian stops you always have the options of  buying stuff on shore but why waste potential research or tourist time?

So time to start planning your packing as it is a month today and we will be cruising!

 

It has been one year since my dear Mother passed on away from the pain of pancreatic cancer. While I would never have wished a continuation of the pain I miss her every day.

Violet seven months

Violet in the laundry basket 1940

Aged 5

Aged 19 at James St with one of the cats

Violet aged 8 at Lone Pine

Violet on her wedding day March 1961

Violet first child 1962

Rocklea Sunnybank Chapter a joy in my Mother’s life

Achieving a dream: a trip to the Holy Land

Becoming a Salvation Army Soldier

Two loves in one Car racing (by a non-driver!) and jigsaws

I hope you have enjoyed meeting my Mother and some moments in her life. Sadly missed.