Shirley Eldridge

Edwin: Flamboyant Australian Pioneer Shirley Eldridge

From weathered sailor to fencer to businessman to mayor to magistrate, the inimitable Edwin Macaree, with a passion for phrenology, Shakespeare and the stage, stormed Rockhampton in its early days, often cutting corners in his quest for power, wealth and status.

Arriving in Rockhampton with a wife and just seven shillings and sixpence in his pocket in 1861, he initially struggled to survive. His great achievements were seriously threatened by the 1890's financial crisis, forcing tough decisions.

Family tragedies were not unknown to the Macarees whose lives were interwoven with the Fraser pioneering family. Though a tad younger, the Frasers were no less extraordinary.