Frank paid Sylvester his five shillings. The men tipped their hats, took hold of the handles of a wheelbarrow, loaded high with a multitude of tools and belongings, and headed for the bridge. Children ran along beside the procession chanting:

‘Off to the diggings! Off to the diggings!’

‘I certainly hope we aren’t pushing wheelbarrows to the diggings, Frank?’ Maree sat on a trunk, one hand holding the tent flap open as she examined the space within. ‘How on earth did six men and all that stuff fit in here? There’s hardly room for the four of us.’

Frank rubbed a hand over his face, a sure sign of the stress he was feeling, but he drew himself together with a great deal of willpower and smiled.

‘Let’s get our things inside, Maree. We’ll worry about how we are going to get to the diggings later. We have somewhere to stay. We’ll settle in and learn a bit more about this place. We’ve just spent seven months on a ship. How about we enjoy some dry land for a while?’

Late in the afternoon the Hocking family walked across the bridge and into Melbourne. The streets weren’t as well formed as Annie had first thought. There were no boardwalks on most, and hoof-churned mud reached the edge of the buildings, but she wasn’t to be deterred. Taking her sister’s arm, they hurried along ahead of their parents, marvelling at each new sight and sound. When a clamorous screeching filled the air, Betty pointed at a flock of birds winging high over the buildings.

‘Look, Annie! Sulphur-crested cockatoos. I recognise them from my book.’

‘Yes, wonderful,’ Annie said, but her eyes had found something far more interesting in a window across the street. She dragged her sister by the arm, guiding them both, for Betty was still watching the noisy birds as they settled into the trees by the river.

‘Look, Betty! A dressmaker’s. And they have dresses on display.’ She hauled Betty up to the window and they both stood admiring the creations of crinoline, silk and lace adorning dressmaker’s dummies until their parents caught up.

‘Would you look at these, Mama. Aren’t they simply beautiful?’

Maree had one arm looped through Frank’s. She stopped in front of the window and a smile crossed her face. ‘They are certainly things of beauty, my girl. I think the one on the right would be more suited to your figure though, Annie.’

‘Do you think so, Mama?’ Annie gave a small twirl in the street, flaring her skirts wide.

‘What about me, Mama?’ Betty tugged at her mother’s sleeve. ‘Which one would be best for me?’

Maree placed a hand on her daughter’s head. ‘For you, my girl, I think the green one in the middle. It has the colour to bring out the highlights in your hair.’

Betty blushed. ‘Really, Mama? What do you think, Papa?’

Frank detached his wife’s hand from his elbow and stepped away. ‘I think I’ll leave you girls to admire the dresses.’