The Benalla Family Research Group is trying to track down a photo of two of the region’s early settlers Thomas Carey and Mary Shanahan.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
This is their story.
Thomas and Mary
Thomas and Mary had been married for eight years when they decided to leave Tipperary, Ireland to migrate to Australia.
They sailed from Liverpool on board the Ellen on May 26, 1856.
With them were two of their three children, eight-year-old Ellen and Cornelius a young infant.
They sadly agreed to leave behind their second child James, aged 2, to be cared for by family.
He would join them later.
After a long and hazardous voyage of 147 days, the family finally landed at Port Phillip, Victoria, on September 5, 1856.
Their second child James eventually arrived to join them in 1863 on the Queen of The South accompanied by his uncle, Laurence Carey.
For nine years Thomas worked at Summerhill in Craigieburn for Dr Wilson, where the family lived happily.
A further three children were born on the property, Joanna in 1858, Thomas in 1862 and Patrick in 1864.
Dr Wilson was so impressed with Thomas’s ability that he entrusted him with the overall management of the large property.
In 1865 Thomas decided it was time to branch out on his own and establish his family in a more permanent setting.
In 1865 he set off with his friend Thomas Roe, for the northern areas of the state in search of the ‘‘block of land’’ he had dreamed of since his arrival in Australia.
He met with other settlers in the district, such as the Ryans and Joyces. Thomas finally selected 190 acres at the junction of the Broken River and Four Mile Creek at Goomalibee.
He marked out the area by ring-barking trees on the perimeter, then attended to legal matters, before beginning the long trek home to Summerhill.
Thomas had saved carefully since his arrival in the colony.
He had acquired a small herd of cattle, a couple of horses and a wagonette, besides an assortment of useful tools and farm equipment.
In June 1865 the family clambered aboard the wagonette together and headed north.
Thomas was driving with Jim (James) on horseback driving the stock.
They travelled slowly, for there was no road to follow.
Nearing Benalla Thomas followed the Broken River as closely as possible.
Eventually they reached a small tributary, which Thomas recognised as the Four Mile Creek.
They found the trees Thomas had ringbarked and realised that their historical journey was at an end.
Thomas had selected a site on gently rising ground, between the river and the creek, where they set about establishing their home.
Two more family events are recorded in 1869, a fifth son, William Joseph was born, and Ellen, now 20, married into the Hanlon family, also early settlers.
By 1870 the pioneers were pleased to find other settlers taking up land in Goomalibee.
They were the Moodies, Ryans, Heaneys, Butlers, Kellehers, Waters, Guppys, Ballintines and others.
Many of them came from the ‘‘old country’’ and they developed strong ties of friendship.
As their sons grew to manhood, Thomas encouraged them to procure further blocks, thus by 1890 they had selected nearly 3000 acres, and Goomalibee became known as ‘‘Carey Country’’.
Eventually all their family married and had children of their own to carry on the family traditions.
There are many descendants of Thomas and Mary Carey still living in the district today.
Thomas and Mary died in 1908 within a fortnight of each other and are buried together in the Roman Catholic section of the Benalla Cemetery.
A substantial headstone marks their resting place.
●If you can track down a photo of Thomas or Mary Carey the Benalla Family Research Group would be grateful. They can be contacted via email at research@benallafamilyresearchgroup.org