For over four decades, my passion for family history has been both a personal journey and a professional calling. It began with an inherited treasure trove of family photographs and documents collected by my mother, sparking a relentless pursuit of my own family’s history. My quest for ancestral knowledge first led me to the FamilySearch Centre in Croydon, and later in Rome, where I resided for a time. Each overseas journey has been deliberately woven with visits to ancestral homelands and archives, enriching my understanding of my family's global footprint. My academic endeavours were rekindled at the university where I pursued photography, artfully merging it with genealogy in my Honours project. This project, retracing the paths of my forebears, took me across Scotland, England and Poland culminating in a photographic and documentary exhibition. This creative synthesis propelled me into a Master’s in History where my research illuminated the lives of the women aboard Sydney Herbert's Needlewomen's voyage to Australia—a journey shared by three of my ancestors. My genealogical expertise is rooted in diverse geographies, tracing familial ties from Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, and Poland to the early Australian settlers of the 1830s through the 1860s, and even to the United States, where three of my direct great great great grandparents emigrated in the 1840s. My research skills have been honed further through investigative work in France and Italy, benefiting both personal and client projects. DNA analysis has grown into both a specialty and a passion. Fortunate to have tested my parents and various relatives I have used Ancestry, FamilytreeDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and Living DNA. This scientific facet of genealogy has been instrumental in unraveling family enigmas and aiding others in their quests to uncover the identities of birth relatives across generations. My lifelong affinity for photography has yielded an extensive personal archive. It ranges from traditional mediums like prints, negatives, and slides to digital imagery and video including invaluable ancestral photographs. The curated images on my website range from cherished family portraits to significant locations worldwide that are intrinsically linked to my heritage. I proudly serve as the archivist for Clan McGillivray Australia, tracing my lineage to the McGillivrays of the Isle of Skye. Additionally, I contribute to the Genealogical Society of Victoria, facilitating the London & Surrounds and Early English groups and extending my expertise as a volunteer. Education: - BA in Photography, RMIT - Honours in Creative Media, RMIT - MA in History, Monash University - Certificate in Genealogical Research, Society of Australian Genealogists - Ongoing professional development through multiple DNA and family history webinars and conferences Memberships: - Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) - Genealogical Society of Victoria (GSV) - Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) - Society of Genealogists UK (SOG) - National Genealogical Society - Guild of One-Name Studies - study on the surname Scoular & - Clan McGillivray of Australia - Regional family history societies in Buckinghamshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Tay Valley, Devon, Norfolk, Lancashire, and Suffolk