Alexander (Snr)Fraser arrived in Australia from Scotland on the 15th November 1838 on board the ship "St George". He was employed by a Mr I.S. Moore at Cabramatta as a labourer for a yearly wage of 25 pound, plus rations. Around 1840 he and his family moved to the Binda area where he was employed by a Mr Jamieson as a labourer. After some years Alexander purchased a block of land and he started a carrying business. For almost forty years he and his wife Margaret lived in the area and raised their family. Their son and four daughters married and had children of their own.

Then in September 1877, Alexander (Snr), his wife Margaret, his son Alexander (Jnr) and family, his daughter Elizabeth Marks (nee Fraser) and her family, and his granddaughter Margaret Brownlow, all set out for Queensland by bullock wagon. They had been motivated by the belief that they could buy better land in Queensland for 2/6 per acre, and can get plenty of it. In New south Wales they cannot get ground, and what they do obtain is too dear and requires too much improvement. Their journey was slow as they stopped over at several towns and worked to pay for the next leg of their journey. When they reached Queensland, they stayed for some time in Dalby before they eventually settled in Charleville. We know that by July 1878 the family had arrived in Charleville. Alexander Fraser was employed at Burenda station and he also worked with his son Alexander (Jnr) who set up a carrying business between Roma and Augathella.

In July 1878, shortly after reaching Charleville, Alexander (Jnr)’s daughter Martha Frazer was born, she died within 2 weeks. Alexander (Snr) Fraser and his son only lived in Queensland for five years before their deaths in 1883. They died within a fortnight of each other. Alexander (Jnr)’s wife Martha (nee Marks) died only three years later her husband. The three are buried in Charleville cemetery. After Martha Fraser (nee Marks) died their children were then raised by their aunt, Elizabeth Marks (nee Fraser). This next generation  of Frazers all grew up in the Charleville area. 

After the death of Alexander (Snr), his wife Margaret returned to Binda, New South Wales. She lived there with her daughter Isabella until her death on 2nd January 1894.

The exact route that the Fraser and Marks families took on their long journey from the Markdale /Binda area to Queensland is unknown. The Exploration of Australia map (which was a supplement to Issue 40, October-December 1995 Australian Geographic) is a wonderful map highlighting the history of land exploration in Australia. It shows the dates that different regions of Australia were explored. 

Left: Detail from The Exploration of Australia map. See full map: http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/travel/maps/2015/09/the-exporation-of-australia-map

We know that many of the country towns that they passed through would have been formed on droving and coach routes, on river crossings and on railway lines.  By 1870, Cobb & Co. coach routes crisscrossed Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Right: Illustration by Daphne Howie in Australia's development, 1860-1890 by Warren Mellor, showing the railways and Cobb & Coach routes c1900

The  1888 Map of New South Wales showing stock routes, tanks, wells, and trucking stations by D. MacDonald (Below), gives us some idea of how they may have begun their journey. (The red lines indicate the travelling stock reserves). See full map: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-232204514/view