As a young man Richard went across to Melbourne, the reason why is no tknown. He worked in Melbourne before moving south to the new township of Wunghnu where he set up business as a saddler and bootmaker.
Richard decided in 1894 to move across the border to Finlay, New South Wales, where he established one of the first businesses in the small township. Later he built his own shop, together with the town’s first cafe and his own home. He became quite active in the affairs of the town, his three sons, were born there.
However, in 1911/12 he returned to Hobart, no one these days knows why. This season's were bad, perhaps business was not flourishing, maybe he wanted to return to his family in Tasmania.