in 1851 fred’s sister, agnes theresa, married to mounted police corporal george ezekiel mason, stationed at wellington, south australia, on the river murray. mason was also sub-protector of aborigines. in view of his stepmother’s grim financial situation, fred joined them there, working as a labourer in the district. when the victorian gold rush came, 21-year-old fred was quick to head for the diggings to make his own way in life. along with one of the mason family, he sailed to melbourne in january 1853 on the "dreadnought". the pair then led a knockabout life as gold-miners, without tangible success, until fred returned to wellington about 1858. again unemployed, he had thoughts of obtaining his own grazing property there.