A woman from Australia is looking for a Maltese man who moved Down Under more than 45 years ago and could be her father.

Michelle Stevens, who lives in Tasmania, has fragments of information and two photos of a man whose name was Tony – or a version of that name such as Anthony, Antony or Antonio.

She is looking for any information and hopes newspaper readers recognise the man, who would probably be in his 80s by now.

Ms Stevens told this newspaper that the man was in Melbourne, Victoria, in the early 1970s, probably at the Rob Roy Hotel.

He was also in Hobart, Tasmania, in the early 1970s and may have resided or worked at the Aberfeldy Hotel.

“My mother, Amy Smith, was friends with him at that time, both in Melbourne and in Hobart. I have no surname for him, but I was told that there might be some reference to my middle name, Rena,” said Ms Stevens, whose search for Tony has been difficult.

As far as she knows, Tony was a Maltese migrant who was deported back to Malta at the beginning of the 1970s. All she knows is that he was seeing her mother in Melbourne at the time of her conception.

“He spent a short time in Hobart, Tasmania, met some of my family and was deported back to Malta for what I assume was breaking the rules of his visa.”

Her mother kept photos of him, and her older sister thinks he is Ms Stevens’ father. Their mother died when Ms Stevens was 13, and she never told her Tony’s surname.

Ms Stevens has noticed a strong resemblance between her own sons and Tony, and would like to find out if he is her father.

Michelle Stevens (above) thinks this Maltese man called Tony, or some version thereof, who immigrated to Australia in the 1970s may be her father. Photos provided by Michelle Stevens

The 45-year-old remembers seeing photos of Tony when she was a child.

“His photos were in my mum’s personal photo album... There were no other photos of men I didn’t know in the album.

“Mum told me his name was Tony but never mentioned anything else, other than that my father would come and find me when I turn 21, which he never did.” When her mother passed away, she left her belongings to her daughter, and the photos were still in the album.

Ms Stevens can be contacted on rena120471@hotmail.com or at Michelle Stevens c/o Ridgley Post Office Tasmania 7321.