Hi Paul,

Paul Whipp <paul.whipp@gmail.com> writes:

> If I use the package installer to upgrade org I get version 8.0.4 but
> it then fails to complete my initialisation with: "Symbol's function
> definition is void: org-defvaralias"

If you use the package installer, you need to install Org in a fresh
Emacs session, where no Org feature has been loaded.

Hope this helps,

--
 Bastien