We have lived for 22 years on a small island called Yurrwi, just off the coast of Arnhem Land, about 450 kilometres East of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia. You may see the island listed as Milingimbi or one of the Crocodile Islands Group. Milingimbi is an Aboriginal Community as are all those in the Arnhem Land area. Our supplies come in from Darwin by barge weekly or by plane, daily. The facilities are limited out here with a school, health clinic, council, Traditional Credit Union and ALPA (Arnhem Land Progress Association) Store and Homelands' Resource Centre.

Historically, Milingimbi has a number of important sites. The island was a base for the Army during WWII and there are several plane wrecks throughout the district, including the one on Rapuma in which W Gove was killed. Archaeologically it is also very important in Australia as there are shell mounds or middens, one of which has been dated back to at least the fifth century BC. These middens are being destroyed for use as landfill in driveways and other places around the community.

The school where I work has been a Bilingual school since the early 1970s but on the 1st December 1998 it was announced that Bilingual Education is to be withdrawn.

Before moving to Yurrwi in January 1990, we lived on a farm near Lalbert, which is a small country town in the Mallee district of Victoria, about 50 kilometres South of Swan Hill. The area is mainly dry farming with wheat, oats, barley, peas and sheep being grown. I taught at Quambatook Group School for many years and I believe they keep an eye on this site for any updates.
There have been many changes for us since coming to the Northern Territory. We have enjoyed the change in climate especially, as now we do not have to worry about those warm winter clothes. The fishing scene has also changed completely as we used to catch Redfin and Yellow Belly down south, but now our main fishing is for the prized Barramundi. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have a few Painted Crays for a meal. Mudcrabs are also a favourite on our menu.

Our house is always overflowing with family and visitors which we enjoy immensely.

Here are Scott, Catherine, Patrick, Dustin our grandson, Lachlan and Melissa.

Dustin and Shayla

Like many other people around the world, I am interested in Genealogy. My name was entered in a Genealogy HelpList and through this list I have been able to help many people from Australia and overseas with their family research. I have enjoyed receiving requests via email and hope that others will write to me if they feel I can help. Most of my research is within Australia, but I do have copies of some IGI microfiche for other countries. As I am not a professional researcher I do not have access to many records that libraries and Family History Societies may have, but I do have quite a collection of my own which I began purchasing over thirty years ago. Like others, I became hooked on family trees while researching my own ancestors (Gerard became hooked on fishing). Please drop in and visit our catches.

McGREGOR (Inverness in Scotland)

JOHNSTON (Killeshandra in Ireland)

BABBE (Fehmarn in Germany)

The family names on our list are updated as our research continues.

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