Sunday 16th September. Said Mass in Geelong, after which I gave Confirmation to about 200 persons, male and female, adults and children. In the evening I delivered a short discourse on the Gospel of the day, after which I gave solemn Benediction.

Monday 17th September. I left for Meredith en route for Ballaarat - as we were about to leave the muddy water holes of the township of Leithbridge, where we rested ourselves and horses for a short time, the weather, which had hitherto been fine, gave signs of change. It finally broke soon after we resumed our journey, and heavy drenching showers fell repeatedly until we reached Meredith. This place is thirty miles from Geelong, and twenty-seven from Ballaarat.

Tuesday 18th September. At 3 we arrived in Ballaarat.

Wednesday 19th September. I visited the schools which are well attended. The boys are fifty and upwards; the girls appeared to be more numerous. The teachers are good and attentive. I took a short walk through the diggings.

Thursday 20th September. I examined and instructed their catechism the children preparing for Confirmation. At 2 I visited the township, and saw the site granted for the church. We visited the burial ground. I wish it were enclosed.

Friday 21st September. We could not move out of doors to-day on account of continuous rain.

Sunday 23rd September. The congregation nearly filled the chapel, which is 80 x 25 feet. About seventy persons were confirmed. More than 100 received Holy Communion.

Tuesday 25th September. After Mass, I confirmed a few persons; a good many approached Holy Communion. The weather has changed again to rain which continued with little interruption the whole day. A great many persons presented themselves for Confession; about twenty were prepared for Confirmation, which I promised to administer on to-morrow. I gave the pledge to many.

Wednesday 26th September. At 9, I offered up the Holy Mysteries, a large congregation, mostly men, being present. I gave the Holy Communion to about 100 persons; some had to be put off until to-morrow owing to a want of particles; between twenty and thirty were confirmed.

Thursday 27th September. Said Mass at 8; about twenty persons received Holy Communion; I confirmed 6 adults. We left for Ballan en route to Mount Blackwood. When about two or three miles from Ballaarat, the horse which the servant rode threw him and got off. It took us more than an hour to catch him. This delay made it late when we arrived at Ballan. The road was very bad; we were obliged to walk the horses the entire way. It was 9 p.m. when we got dinner.

Friday 28th September. In Ballan I visited the site granted by the Government for a church; the Catholics living in the town are very few. We started for Mount Blackwood at 12. For nine miles the country appeared to be very good, but within seven miles of the diggings the road passes over barren ranges. This part of the road is very much cut up owing to the great traffic on it. We arrived early at the chapel, which is situated between the two townships and in the midst of a large Catholic population. The chapel is a large tent capable of accommodating about 500 persons; near it is a wooden house of two rooms in an unfurnished state; this is intended for the clergyman. I was surprised to find a large school of boys and girls here. These diggings are very picturesque, being composed of hills and gullies of every shape and winding. The hills are barren, but covered with a thick forest of lofty gum trees. I took up my quarters in a storekeeper's tent which stands in the immediate neighbourhood of the chapel.

Saturday 29th September. During the day I walked over a good part of the diggings; the diggers are doing but little at present owing to an oversupply of water; they expect a large yield when the dry weather sets in. The population amounts to 20,000. A thunderstorm with heavy rain prevailed during the night.

Sunday 30th September. I heard a good many confessions previous to the celebration of Mass. The communicants were about 100. At 10 I offered up the Holy Sacrifice. The tent was crowded to excess. I am sure there could not have been less than seven or eight hundred persons present. It was 12 when all was concluded. At 1 under heavy rain I set out for Bacchus Marsh, where I arrived after a tedious and laborious journey over six miles of the worst road I have ever been on. A most barren country. After the first six miles the country and road improved. The Penton Hills over which it passes present a magnificent appearance; the land is rich and undulating without timber; a great many farms have been purchased and are being enclosed. It was after 8 when dinner was ready.

Tuesday 23rd October. I celebrated Mass at 8 in Warrnambool. At 11 I visited a Catholic family living on the banks of the River Hopkins. This was the first time I was on this river. It is a fine specimen of our colonial rivers. There are many farmers living on its banks, the majority of whom are Catholics, owners of the soil they occupy. The house I visited, and in which I dined, was the first erected in this part of the colony; it was put up a little before 1837. It is a slab building with a thatch roof, the worse of age and weather. I returned to Warrnambool a little after 5.

Wednesday 24th October. I said Mass at 7; a good many persons received Holy Communion. I visited the few Catholic families living in town to-day. I also returned such visits as were paid me by the Protestant residents. The Customs' revenue of this little place is very large, exceeding the neighbouring port of Belfast, and nearly equal to that of Portland. There is a great jealousy between those places.

Thursday 6th December. We returned by a different road from that we came. The country we passed through was picturesque, and in many places, particularly on the Loddon and before we came to Muclesford, fit for the plough. At present every place seems well supplied with water. Owing to the late rains and the mild winter, grass abounds everywhere. the diggings of Tarangower are occupied but by a few. The crushing machines by steam and other means are worked here very profitably. I directed the clergyman to apply for a site here for Church purposes. As we approached the diggings, an Italian from Ticino met us. He inquired when he could go to his duty. He told us that a great many of his countrymen resided at the Jim Crow diggings, and some few at Tarangower. I arrived in Castlemaine a little after 1.

Friday 7th December. I visited Golden Point, a diggings five miles from Castlemaine. There is a school here; number of scholars, about twenty-five boys and girls. The Irish were formerly very numerous here; there are but few at present.

Saturday 8th December. A large number received Holy Communion. I visited the hospital and prison to-day; in the latter there were fifteen Catholics and fifty Protestants.

Sunday 9th December. About seventy persons were confirmed.

Monday 10th December. I started for Bendigo, twenty-two miles from Castlemaine. We arrived at the clergyman's tent, Sandhurst, about 11. The heat was very great; I took up my quarters in the tent. The presbytery is in course of erection; it is of free stone. The work is very poor; they are using no lime in the mortar. The lime is brought here from Melbourne at great cost. I have been given to understand that good lime may be had in the Black Forest, twenty miles from Kyneton. The pipe clay which is to be had at nearly all the diggings, is said to contain lime in large quantities. The place where Mass is celebrated here at present is a miserable slab affair badly covered with canvas. It does not accommodate many. There are two very good bells here; their tone is sweet and full; they were cast in England. The number of children attending the school on the average is about fifty; the girls are more numerous than the boys. In the evening I took a walk through part of the diggings; they are very extensive. The buildings in the township are very fair. The bank is of free stone. Very good building stone is to be had on the spot. An allotment belonging to the clergyman has a very good quarry of this stone on it. The Protestants are building a small church; the Wesleyans and Presbyterians have also small conventicles of stone. the stores are well supplied with all comforts and necessaries of life. There is no lack of inn accommodation.

Tuesday 11th December. I rode into the country about seven miles. At that distance from town on the road to Mount Ivor the land improves. There are several farms here; some very good ones are in the hands of Catholics. Good water is abundant.

Wednesday 12th December. In the course of the day I rode into the country in the neighbourhood of the diggings where there is a new rush.

Thursday 13th December. I drove into the country to see the glebe, which is about eleven miles from Sandhurst. The land is very good and well watered. It contains about 160 acres. There is a good quarry on it; I think it is blue stone. There appears to be a good slate quarry in this neighbourhood.

Friday 14th December. We had heavy rain this morning. During the celebration of Mass the assisting clergyman had to hold an umbrella over me, the canvas roof admitting the rain in great abundance.

Saturday 15th December. We were engaged most of the day and the greater part of the evening hearing confessions.

Sunday 16th December. At 11 I commenced Mass. About 70 were confirmed, 10 converts among the number. In the evening I presided after prayers at a meeting of the Catholics called for the purpose of initiating proceedings with regard to the erection of a church. A subscription was opened. The amount to the credit of the Church Fund is about £2000. The church to be built will be of a light coloured free stone, which can be had in great abundance on the spot. The dimensions are to be 120 feet by 40. Heavy thunder clouds darkened the heavens in the course of the evening, and before night set in vivid flashes of lightning followed by loud reports of thunder.

Monday 17th December. I started for Mount Ivor accompanied by the clergyman of Bendigo. The priest visiting these diggings met us half way. In the course of the journey to the half-way house we got off the main road and were for some time - I would say two hours - lost in the forest. The country into which we rambled is on the River Campazpe. It consists of extensive grassy plains, the soil apparently most productive. A good deal of the land between Bendigo and Mount Ivor diggings is most available for agricultural purposes. It seems to be well watered. A few minutes after our arrival at the inn a very heavy thunderstorm broke over the country and deluged it with rain. The country refreshed by these showers looked beautiful. Here we parted with the clergyman of Bendigo. Accompanied by the priest attached to the mission of Kilmore and Mount Ivor, I resumed my journey to the latter place, where we arrived a little after 6. Heavy rain with thunder and lightning fell at intervals during the night.

Tuesday 18th December. I walked over these very interesting and picturesque diggings, and selected a site for a new church, which I will apply for on my return to Melbourne. I think this will be an important mission in a few years. The land for miles in its neighbourhood is most suitable for farming purposes. The flat on which the diggings are, and which is mapped out for a township, has a deep creek running through it. The water in it is good, and I believe abundant in all seasons. The only permanent buildings here at present are a large barrack built at a great expense in the extravagant days of a foolish Government, and which is now perfectly useless; a surveyor's house, a handsome stone building, and a few inns. The stores and shops are canvas. There are but few diggers here. Mass is celebrated in a small tent. There is no school here at present. Towards evening we had heavy rain, which continued during the night.

Wednesday 19th December. A good many Catholics assembled in the tent for Mass; about twelve received Holy Communion. At 2 we started for Kilmore passing through a splendid country.