George W Johnson snr (1810 - 1901) arrived in Adelaide in 1839 aboard the "Lady Lilford". As a free settler George snr commenced business as a timber merchant, having been given a land grant in return for paying the expenses for two families to emigrate.
In 1852 the Johnson family and 17 others overlanded to the Forest Creek diggings Victoria. 

Later the family relocated to Kyneton, Victoria, where George snr began contracting for road construction. He built most of the road between Castlemaine and Woodend.
The Coliban Downs Estate " run" was established on the Coliban river, south of Shepherds creek, Kyneton, in the late 1850's. George Johnson snr settled on the site, which had been part of Mollison's Coliban run. 

In 1856 George snr  was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Victoria.
George snr then took over 'Ellison' on the Coliban and established a homestead under a pre-emptive right. George's  run ran west to Tylden adjoining the Clowes Woodside run. In 1860 he purchased a 12,000 acre lease for the Woodside property from Clowes, but forfeited in 1864 when the rent payments were allowed to lapse.
George W Johnson snr became a Lauriston Councillor, the first President of the Kyneton Agricultural Society, a member of the Prince of Wales Light Horse at Castlemaine and the districts first mason in the Kyneton Zetland lodge.
In later years the Johnson's moved to a brick two story house on the Campaspe which had been built for a Captain Armstrong. The Coliban Downs pre-emptive block now lies mostly under the Upper Coliban Reservoir. The family photo is in the Kyneton museum.