It also contains revelations that a tall, attractive German girl, Ernestina Diebert, then of Morebringer outside Howlong, was his sweetheart and even perhaps his wife.

Ernestina was later known as McCandless and Byron, as well as Deibert, and moved to the Lockhart and Narrandera areas with her children and partners, John William McCandless and a man known as Byron. Both these men disappeared and cannot be tracked through historical records.

Ernestina was the daughter of Johann and Julienne Diebert and one of her brothers supposedly helped make parts of Ned’s armour.

I sense the Dieberts played a big role in Ned Kelly’s life but as with many sympathiser families, the secrets were often taken to the grave.

Should anyone, or any historical society be able to help me, and if one of the McCandless’ descendents keen to unearth their heritage, could they please contact me on 07 4055 6146 or 0457 429 961.

What does it say about the world we live in when so-called “social media” sites can become the forum for spineless bullies and trolls (The Border Mail, October 28).

I really feel for children growing up in an era where there is no escape from this kind of behaviour. Once was the time the playground was one of few places that bullies could target their victims. Now, you are not even safe in the comfort and so-called protection of your own home. You can’t close the door on these bullies and trolls.

It is easy for people to say walk away from the online world, in fact far easier said than actually done. The reality is that is simply not the environment our children are growing up in today.  And would we have blamed the victim for “allowing” themselves to be bullied if the arena was a playground and not a virtual one? I think not.

The suggestion victims should just “walk away” and “stay offline” is just another example of the victim blaming that goes on these days. When are we going to stop blaming the victims and target the perpetrators? Because until we start doing that, which is a harder thing to do, we can’t expect change. And worse than that, we make victims feel all the more worthless, as if it is their fault.

It was pleasing to see the Murray-Darling Basin Authority spruiking the results of its 2015-16 fish survey, although it is important to put the survey results into perspective.

Firstly, the MDBA developed the Basin Plan on which it measures such results smack bang in the middle of the Millennium Drought. Conditions have improved naturally across the basin since that time so we would expect a subsequent natural increase in native fish numbers.

Initiatives such as bag limits and restocking programs, as well as reducing commercial fishing, would now too be having an impact.

The MDBA would have us believe its ‘just add water’ philosophy is working brilliantly, but a closer look would suggest there are additional factors at play. I would prefer a more balanced approach which recognises the benefits of some environmental watering but acknowledges the shortcomings.

Large environmental flows can cause adverse impacts, such as prime breeding grounds for European carp and helping create black water events which kill native fish. The MDBA chooses to ignore these negative aspects.

People who live along the Murray River and its tributaries are passionate about its health and generally have a much deeper understanding of the system than any Canberra-based bureaucrat.