Vessels bound for Melbourne often anchored off Point Henry close to the expanding town of Geelong, rather than make the longer journey across Port Phillip Bay to the Hobson's Bay wharves. In late 1848 the barque Nelson anchored off Point Henry and the passengers including the Strong family, Leonard Savidge and Edward Maltby waited on board for boats to row them ashore with their belongings.

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Once ashore, Samuel Strong and Edward Maltby took their families into Melbourne to find work and lodgings At that time, Melbourne and Geelong were the southern-most towns in the Colony of New South Wales.