It’s likely that Thomas had also been involved in Hodgetts Bros Stores and that afterwards, he took the Maldon-built waggons. After having some trouble over the provenance of a horse in Melbourne in 1855, he ran Noah’s Ark Livery Stables in Bendigo from 1857 to 1860. He had accommodation for 100 horses and ran a two-day service to Melbourne as well as coaches to other goldfields. He was active in local politics and made regular appearances in the magistrate’s court in disputes about unpaid cartage, always representing himself.

By 1859, he had the bulk of the Bendigo carriage trade. That year, he organised a gentleman’s “sporting extraordinaire” to the Murray for a few days. He remained in Bendigo until around 1864 before relocating to Swan Hill where he was Honorary Secretary of the hospital when he received word of his inheritance in 1870.

He sailed for England on the Baroda two years later, catching a two-headed snake shortly beforehand. Thomas retired to Weymouth with his mother. He survived her by only two years, dying three weeks before his brother William on the other side of the world.