Robert Mathews is appointed District Surveyor

Robert Mathews is appointed District Surveyor for the Counties of Durham and Northumberland. Singleton, on the Hunter River, becomes his residence for around ten years. He makes contact with Darkinung people on the south side of the Hunter River along Wollombi Brook, which flows north from the Hawkesbury-Hunter ranges into the Hunter river. Mathews becomes involved with local Aboriginal people and interested in their cultural heritage. He develops relationships with the Clark and Goobra families at Broke and the Dillon family at Wollombi. (Ford p209).