Of the thousands who headed to the Ballarat Goldfields in the 1850s to find riches, not all would search for gold...

With fortunes to be made in trade and business in these booming populations, only those with the courage and fortitude to survive in a ruthless commercial environment would eventually succeed.

In his book “’Look for the Red Umbrella”, Ballarat author Geoff McArthur tells the true story of a woman who achieved this and much more, overcoming personal tragedies, family scandals and fierce opposition to make her mark as a business and community leader in a new city dominated by men.

With a husband whose hubris brought the family to its knees, this very real tale of deceit, tragedy and courage plays out in the shops and streets of Victorian-era Ballarat. It’s a story you'll barely believe happened!

As our April guest speaker Geoff will tell how he uncovered the story of Agnes Greig and his family connection to this story.