September, 2003

Cornish Placenames in Victoria he county of Cornwall is located in the south-west corner Tof Britain, occupying the area from the River Tamar in the east, to Lands End and the Scilly Isles in the west. Cornwall was able to withstand the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain until the ninth and tenth centuries. This resistance enabled the Cornish to preserve much of their Celtic heritage, including the Cornish language and placenames. However, with the Anglo-Saxons came the English language and placenames. Cornwall now has a mix of placenames derived mostly from Cornish and English, including some names with elements drawn from both languages.

During the age of British exploration and settlement of Australia, those in the vanguard were able to label their St. Just Point, a locality in the city of Bendigo. discoveries in ways relevant to their perception of the land; Photo: Chris Richards this was obviously influenced by their past experiences in Britain. Where people had a Cornish heritage or experiences the numerous reminders of the substantial impact that the of this county, references to Cornwall began to appear in the Cornish had on the early development of South Australia, are namescape. For example, Captain James Cook named Rame the placenames of that State, which include Helston, Redruth Head in East Gippsland after Rame Head in Cornwall (near and Truro (named after places in Cornwall). the entrance to Plymouth Sound), from whence the Endeav- our left England to explore the South Seas (refer Placenames With the discovery of gold in and Victoria in Australia, June 2002). 1851, large numbers of people in the South Australian mining communities, including the Cornish, left to pursue what they A combination of depressed economic conditions in Cornwall thought were better opportunities panning for gold. While and opportunities overseas, particularly in mining, led many many of the Cornish continued to move in response to Cornish people to emigrate in the nineteenth century. During subsequent mineral discoveries in other States, a significant the 1840s many Cousin Jacks and Jennies came to South number stayed in the Victorian mining towns, or settled in Australia in response to the discovery of minerals; firstly Melbourne with the growth of that metropolis. Emigration silver-lead in the Adelaide Hills, and then copper at Kapunda direct from Cornwall to Australia continued during that period. and Burra. Major copper finds were subsequently made in the ‘Copper Triangle’ of Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta. Amongst CONTINUED PAGE 4 Welcome to New Subscribers

Once again it has been wonderful to hear from a variety of organisations and individuals around Australian that are interested in the study of placenames and the ANPS. Thanks for your interest and support! A very warm welcome to the following organisations: Bothwell Historical Society Hervey Bay Library Phillip Island District Historical Society Braidwood Historical Society Historical Society of Cockburn Prahran Mechanics’ Institute Victoria Bundaberg & District Historical Society Historical Society of Mooroopna Queanbeyan City Council Burnie Historical Society Holdfast Bay History Centre Richmond River Historical Society Cairns Historical Society Hurstville City Library Ryde Library Services Capricorn Coast Historical Society Johnstone Shire Library Shoalhaven Historical Society Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation Kingston Community School Library Singleton Historical Society & Museum Castlemaine Historical Society Knox Historical Society Toowoomba City Library City of Greater Dandenong Libraries Koo-wee-rup Swamp Historical Society Traralgon & District Historical Society Clarence Regional Library Lakes Entrance Historical Society Trentham & District Historical Society Coburg Historical Society Learmonth Historical Society Tweed River Historical Society Cooktown Library Leichhardt Local History Group Victor Harbor Public Library Cummins Area School Logan City Council Libraries Victoria Park Library Donald History-Natural History Group Maclean District Historical Society Waverley Historical Society Eacham Historical Society Merriwa Historical Society West Torrens District Historical Society East Gippsland Shire Library Moranbah Town Library Whitton Historical Society East Torrens Historical Society Mosman Library Woollahra Library Frankston Library Service Mt Crosby Historical Society Wollongong City Library Gawler Public Library Newstead & District Historical Society Woodend & District Heritage Society Gosford City Library Parramatta Heritage Centre Woy Woy Local History Research Group Hastings Library Service Penrith City Library Wynnum Manly Historical Society

In this issue News in Brief Farewell to Keith Bell On the Web: APIT Cornish Placenames in Victoria ...... 1-4 Keith Bell, former Registrar of Geo- http://www.apit.mq.edu.com.au Welcome to New Subscribers...... 2 graphic Names in Victoria, resigned on 7 July 2003. The ANPS would like to As many of you know the ANPS project News in Brief...... 2 thank Keith for his support of our work has found a home within the Asia-Pacific CGNA Spot: Placenaming in ACT...... 3 and we wish him well for his future Institute for Toponymy’s (APIT) division ANPS Research Friend...... 5 endeavours. John Tulloch, Acting for Historical and Cultural Toponymy. Horses: Clifton’s Morass...... 5 Surveyor General Victoria and Registrar The APIT finally has its own website, so of Geographic Names, will maintain the update your favourites! Brown Coal Mine to Yallourn...... 6-7 link with the ANPS through the support I Quote...... 7 provided by his office to the Victorian The APIT site is linked to the ANPS site Shoalhaven Historical Society...... 8 State Committee of the ANPS. but also includes additional material on New Publications...... 9 the specific mission and goals of the Aboriginal Names Committee Institute as well as on the APIT divisions New to Nowra?...... 9 The NSW/ACT Aboriginal Names Sub- of Technical Toponymy and Education Placenames in the News...... 10 Committee has met three times since the and Training, including preliminary Gregory’s Hamersley Range...... 11 inauguration of the ANPS NSW/ACT information on the International Train- State Committee. This very active Erratum...... 12 ing Course in Toponymy to be hosted by working party is currently focusing its APIT in 2004. The Placenames Puzzle No. 7...... 12 energies on the Aboriginal Naming Mailing List & Volunteer Research.....12 Strategy and dual naming, in particular Do you have a favourite placenames the proposal to dual name a number of website you’d like to recommend to features on Harbour. The next fellow readers? Send the URL address issue of Placenames Australia will contain to Clair Hill at [email protected] for inclusion in a future issue. further reports on this work. CGNA Spot: Placenaming in the Nation’s Capital Canberra ACT - Ngun(n)awal Country t is well known that Canberra is a fauna or things of Iplanned city, but what may not be so relevance and well known is that the scheme for the importance to the naming of public places in Canberra was history of Australia. also planned from its very beginning. The historical research undertaken The National Memorials Committee by the Place Names presented a report to the Parliament of Officer makes an the Commonwealth of Australia on 14 important contribu- December 1927. This report outlined tion to the com- the unique scheme by which Canberra’s memoration of public places and thoroughfares were to Australian history be named. and the process of ‘...Every name that has been used commemo- place naming in rates a name famous in the annals of Canberra allows this Australian exploration, navigation, pioneering, history to be woven colonisation, administration, politics, science into the fabric of the and letters. Every name on the plan approved ACT. This research by the Committee is believed to be thoroughly is ongoing and varied characteristic of Australia and the Austra- and presently lians. All have been considered from a national includes: Australian Canberra - showing Parliament House, Lake Burley Griffin and viewpoint rather than a parochial one. Every journalists, inventors, Black Mountain. The roads radiating from Parliament House are state has been taken into account in the industrialists, mayors, named after Australian capital cities and the Commonwealth. selection of names, and Australian national Gungahlin pioneers, sentiments have been carefully studied.’ Aboriginal words, judges and the As the ACT Place Names Officer I have Heidelberg school. gratefully accepted membership on the This dictum (outlined further below) has NSW/ACT ANPS Working Group. been followed to this day resulting in a In 1992 the ACT Government adopted This group is presently investigating the naming system that quietly displays all the Committee for Geographical Names dual naming of places within Sydney aspects of Australia’s history, including of Australasia’s (CGNA) Guidelines for Harbour. This will provide ACT with an its Indigenous heritage and aspects of the Recording and Use of Aboriginal insight to a method of examining Australian life past and present. and Torres Strait Islander Place Names. proposed dual names and carrying out In 2001 Chief Minister, Mr Jon effective consultation with the Indig- The Public Place Names Act 1989 is the Stanhope MLA, announced his govern- enous communities. It will also provide governing legislation which allows the ment would acknowledge the traditional an excellent opportunity to draw on the Minister for Planning to name public owners of the ACT by dual signing sites knowledge and expertise of this Group. places and roads in the ACT, the of significance to the Ngun(n)awal Minister delegates this role to the Chief community with their original names If you are interested in finding out more Planning Executive of the ACT Planning alongside their European names. about Canberra’s placenames you can and Land Authority. The ACT Place visit the ACT Place Names Website at: Names Committee Chaired by Professor This has led to the need for a policy and http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/actlic/ Ken Taylor AM is appointed by the guideline to be developed to provide a index.htm. This site provides general Minister to advise him on new suburb method by which to introduce ‘dual information on placenaming. There is names, geographical naming and contro- naming’. The methodology of each state also a suburb and street name search versial placename issues. has been examined. For practical reasons where you can find out the origin and the ACT Policy and Guidelines on Dual meaning of these places in the ACT. Most of Canberra’s suburbs are named Naming have been drafted in accord after famous Australians who have with those of the NSW Government. Lorraine Bayliss contributed to the existence of Australia The ACT is an island within NSW, the For more information about Canberra’s as a nation. Each suburb has a ‘theme’ Indigenous communities overlap, as do placenaming activities please phone by which its streets are named. The the geographical features. Lorraine on (02) 62050057 or email her theme may include people, places, flora, at [email protected]. Cornish Placenames in Victoria

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Some examples of the Cornish 4. Cornish Saints Many moved from mining into other placenames located to date in Victoria A number of towns and villages in occupations. The descendants of these are outlined below, under the categories Cornwall bear the names of the saints people form the nucleus of very active identified above: who helped convert the Cornish to Cornish associations that exist today in Christianity, for example, St. Erth, St. Melbourne and in regional centres, such 1. Named after Cornwall & the Cornish Ives, St. Neot. In naming places in as, Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong. With the discovery of gold, people from Australia after these towns and villages, many lands rushed to the gold bearing the names of the Saints were transferred Like South Australia, evidence of the regions. Many of these people congre- to locations far removed from the areas Cornish presence can be found by a gated with those from the same back- in which they carried out their mission- study of Victorian placenames and ground, giving rise to various Caledonian ary work. St. Just Point in Bendigo, maps. In addition to places with names Diggings, Canadian Gullies and where many Cornish goldminers congre- derived from similarly named places in Tipperary Points. A number of gated, is named after the famous mining Cornwall, there are also places bearing ‘Cornishtowns’ appeared on the gold- area, St. Just in Penwith, Cornwall. the names of people with a Cornish fields, until use of this name faded (with heritage. Furthermore, there are places the itinerant Cornish miners). However, 5. Cornish Mining Terminology bearing the names of Cornish Saints and one locality so named has survived to In Cornwall many of the mine names names directly linked with Cornish the present time near Chiltern in the are prefixed with the word ‘wheal’, which mining terminology. north-east. The words ‘cornwall’ and is said to be a derived from the word ‘cornish’ also commonly featured in the ‘hwel’, meaning a mine. With so many With the establishment of the Victorian names of gold mines and gold mining Cornish emigrating to the mines of State Committee of the ANPS in 2002, companies, such as, the Cornish Com- South Australia, it is not surprising to each committee member undertook to pany that worked the Cornish Hill in find that this practice continued in that carry out a pilot project, to identify the Daylesford. State, where over fifty mines were given origin of placenames in a particular this prefix, for example, Wheal Gawler, geographic area, or names based on a 2. Named after a place in Cornwall Wheal Prosper, Wheal Rose. However, particular theme. The choice of the The town of Newlyn in the Central the practice did not follow into Victoria undersigned was Cornish names. An Highlands between Ballarat and to the same extent. The only ‘wheal’ approach was made to the Cornish Daylesford is considered by the descen- mine names located to date in Victoria, Association of Victoria, which readily dants of several former goldmining are the former Great Wheal Clunes agreed to establish a Cornish families to be named after the village of Company (Clunes), Wheal Dory Placenames Special Interest Group. This St. Newlyn East in Cornwall. The names (Daylesford), Wheal Fortune well attended Group now meets on a of Cornish towns and villages can also (Sebastopol), Wheal Kitty (Smythesdale), monthly basis to help identify names be found in the names that the Cornish Wheal Margery (Castlemaine), Wheal that can be linked to Cornwall. As with gave to their houses. In Ruth Hopkins Owl (Bendigo) and Wheal Terrill most things, the more you look the book Cousin Jack, Man for the Times – A (Fryerstown). more you find. By the end of this year, History of the Cornish People in Victoria the names identified to date will be (1994), she identifies a number of these The process of collecting Cornish names posted on the Cornish Association’s web names, including Camborne House, is a very rewarding experience, and an page, with an invitation for comment Penryn and St. Austell. example of the way that name origins and suggested additions and deletions. can be studied, based on patterns of 3. Named after a Cornish person exploration, migration, settlement and Once the web page is completed to the The famous English harbour engineer economic development, rather than satisfaction of the Cornish Association, Sir John Coode, who was born in geographical area. The undersigned the Victorian State Committee of the Bodmin, Cornwall, visited Victoria in would be pleased to communicate with ANPS plans to seek assistance from the 1878 to investigate and report upon people already undertaking or contem- relevant state government department, Melbourne’s port facilities. He recom- plating similar projects. in an approach to other community mended that a new channel for the river groups in this State, with a suggestion be cut through Fishermens Bend, this Chris Richards that they might like to follow the channel becoming known as the Coode example/model process of the Cornish Canal. The land between the old river For more information please contact Association in promoting this aspect of course (since reclaimed) and the ‘new Chris Richards at Unit 5, 65-67 George immigration history. cut’ was called Coode Island. St, Doncaster East, 3109. ANPS Research Friend: Val Attenbrow

In each issue of Placenames Australia, we try and keep up to date with the work of a current Research Friend. This issue it is Val Attenbrow.

Like most Australians I grew up – the raw materials used for making learning that the names of many tools and weapons, and the plants and ‘places in Australia were, or were animals used as food sources. Aboriginal based on, Aboriginal names. How- placenames are another way that ever, it was only relatively recently relationships to country can be revealed. that I realised the complexities Early on I began to build a database for involved – how names have been the placenames which enabled me, not changed to suit non-Aboriginal voices only to compile the list of names and and ears, how names have been what places were recorded, but also to borrowed from one part of the see who recorded them, when they were country to another, how many names recorded, how the spellings of names for no longer used are being replaced by the same place varied over time, and a European one, and how many where they were published. Although names must have been lost. relatively few names were recorded in the earliest years of the colony, it is My interest in Aboriginal placenames fortunate that the recording of Aborigi- around Port Jackson (Sydney nal placenames around Sydney continued Val Attenbrow Harbour) was first aroused during particularly by surveyors but also by 1982 when I was undertaking a pioneer anthropologists/linguists and nal Past and for the Museum’s consulting project on the pre-colonial philanthropically motivated people current Living Harbour website, and a Aboriginal heritage of Hunters Hill – during the 19th century. It is also fortu- recent exhibition Catching the Harbour. a harbourside municipality in Sydney. nate that such information was published The dual naming policy which the It was only later in 1989 when I in magazines and scientific journals of NSW Geographic Names Board is began my research project into the the time, and also by the Australian proposing to implement around Aboriginal occupation of Port Museum in small booklets in the early Sydney Harbour will also bring fuller Jackson that I began tracking down 18th Century. recognition to the names used by Aboriginal people. , references to Aboriginal placenames around and between Port Jackson The enquiries I receive as part of my and Botany Bay. work at the Australian Museum indicate Dr Val Attenbrow that people today are still interested in As an archaeologist, my projects the names that Aboriginal people gave to naturally focus on archaeological places around Sydney. Where I can, I If you are interested in becoming an ANPS sites, but my specific interest in include Aboriginal placenames in my Research Friend, we can send you an investigating these sites is to discover work to portray a fuller view of Aborigi- information package. Just fill in the form on the way people related to country and nal life and culture and their relationship the back page of this issue and send it in. to the resources available in the past to the land - in my book Sydney’s Aborigi- Horses: Clifton’s Morass In the days before motor vehicles, important role that horses played in on 18th January 1840, ‘we followed this explorers and pioneers rode on horse- making these trips possible. When Burke river up (the Mitchell River) until we back or used shank’s pony. Many places and Wills were struggling through to the came to a large morass, to which I gave during this era of European exploration Gulf of Carpentaria, they made the the name of Clifton’s Morass, from the were named in honour of friends and effort to name Billy’s Creek after circumstances of my having nearly lost politicians, the travellers obviously Burke’s favourite horse Billy. Like Burke in it, from its boggy nature, my having an eye to the benefits that this and Wills, Billy perished in the outback. favourite horse Clifton’. It was hazard- would provide on returning to When Angus McMillan explored the ous being an explorer’s horse but at least civilisation. But some also took the Gippsland Lakes region early in 1840, he a few gained a little recognition. opportunity to name places after their came upon a large swamp. In a letter trusty steeds. This recognised the written in 1853, McMillan recorded that Chris Richards From Brown Coal Mine to Yallourn North ictoria has vast reserves of brown pany boldly began mining brown coal on shortage. As people came to pitch their Vcoal but very limited deposits of the northern side of the Latrobe River tents around the mine, the settlement black coal. Traditionally, the state had in Gippsland. However, because of its was called Old Brown Coal Mine, or been reliant on black coal imported higher moisture content, the coal was Brown Coal Mine, often shortened to from New South Wales for fuel and difficult to sell and the company failed BCM. energy supplies, but this was often to make a profit, going into liquidation interrupted by strikes in the transport ten years later. The mine lay abandoned Plans were materialising for a giant new industry and on the coalfields. In 1889, until 1916, when the Mines Department undertaking on the other side of the the Great Morwell Coal Mining Com- re-opened it at a time of critical fuel river. The State Electricity Commission had been formed to use the brown coal reserves to generate electricity for the state. This SEC enterprise was originally referred to as the Morwell scheme after the original mining works and nearby township but the Electricity Commis- sioners decided that a distinctive name should be given to the town and railway station about to be developed. Latrobe, the name of the river on which the works were situated, would have been an obvious choice if there hadn’t already been a town bearing that name in Tasmania. The Water Commission engineer, A.S. Kenyon, suggested a suitable name might be derived from a combination of Indigenous terms, such as, yalleen ‘brown’, lourn ‘fuel’, and yallanger ‘flame’ (source language un- known). So the new undertaking was called Yallourn, described by the SEC as Huts at Brown Coal Mine c. 1926 (Centre for Gippsland Studies, Monash University) meaning ‘brown fire’ and in 1921, a model company town was designed to house the SEC employees coming to work at the new industrial enterprise.

With a new open cut developing south of the river and the town of Yallourn taking shape, the SEC expected that both the town and mining at Brown Coal Mine would be phased out. This was not the case. Although SEC employees were supposed to live in Yallourn, many moved to BCM because they couldn’t afford the high house rents in the model town. Others wanted to escape SEC paternalism. Unlike the meticulously planned town below, Brown Coal Mine became an ad hoc settlement as the newcomers built huts out of bark, flattened kerosene tins and packing cases. SEC officials watched in conster-

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Mine with township in distance c. 1926 (Centre for Gippsland Studies, Monash University) nation as BCM’s population grew. They I Quote began demolishing some of the huts but had to give this up when the Depression As a Kaurna person, I have grown up I believe that the placing of Kaurna began to bite. The identity that devel- with oral traditions and understandings names to places today creates identity of oped at BCM contrasted with that of about places and their significance that a superficial nature unless they are Yallourn. The people gained a reputation do not necessarily appear in the histori- relating to some source of relationship as battlers. They were independent. cal record. As a child, I was in the to the land and through this to the spirit presence of old people and my grandfa- of the land. The language of the Having survived the SEC’s attempts to ther who shared the stories of the spirit Kaurna, and all other Aboriginal lan- demolish the makeshift homes, Brown beings. As a younger woman I travelled guage names, should stay true to the Coal Mine was destined for a makeover over the country with my dad to places original nature of the land and spirit after the Second World War. The SEC on the Adelaide Plains and surrounding relationship or we are contributing to needed new house sites as it was greatly hills. He explained these things to me as even further dispossession by putting expanding its operations throughout the he remembered stories which had been anything anywhere because some people Latrobe Valley. It finally sanctioned passed on to him. might think this is a ‘nice’ gesture of BCM by deciding to build new houses remembrance to a now extinct people to there. For some residents, though, the The placenames that have survived in meet a fashionable and acceptable fetish name Brown Coal Mine sat incongru- an Anglicised form are part of the story, of the day. ously in the new postwar Latrobe Valley, law and lore of the land formations and pulsating with energy. A name change places in which they are situated. These When we name a building, we draw on competition was held in 1947, with the placenames are the ‘skeletal remains’ of what the building might be used for. The winning entry Yallourn North. The town the historical surviving reality of Kaurna same would apply to an organisation — was destined to change. First Nation peoples, once a peaceful the name would have meaning and relate and intact body of lore/law of the land. to the purpose, function or place. For But the most dramatic and symbolic end example, Yaitya Makkitura ‘Indigenous to BCM was a disaster in 1950 known as The word Yankalilla, derived from mirror’ for the new Indigenous film, the ‘Big Slip’, when 250,000 tons of dirt, yernkandi ‘to hang down, on; to join; screenwriters and multimedia incorpo- including part of the main street, fell impart; infect, as with a disease; to rated body in South Australia, founded into the old open cut. Shops were left depend’ (T&S 1840: 61) + -lya + -illa by David Wilson, a Kaurna descendant/ swaying precariously on the edge. ‘place’ (i.e. ‘place of the fallen bits’ survivor. This has been how we have Remnants of battler BCM disappeared Manning 1986: 237; see Amery, this approached the way to best use the with the Big Slip and the redeveloped volume, for further details), is part of Kaurna language for the purposes of Yallourn North turned its back on the the law ceremony mortuary ritual and is being a part of our life and identity in mine. It was now entrenched with a of immense importance in reclaiming, the contemporary Nunga world today. planning scheme, new shopping centre, through language recovery, the under- housing estates and, importantly, a new standing of Kaurna Aboriginal people’s By using our language reclamation in this name. rightful place and function in the way, we identify with the purposes framework of ones identity with the law served by the language in the recon- Meredith Fletcher of the land, and the spiritual and struction of identity from the roots custodial responsibilities in everyday life. remaining. Naming activity that is not Director Tjirbruki, carrying the remains of his rooted in the land and in the people of Centre for Gippsland Studies dead nephew’s deteriorating and flaking the land runs the risk of being a shallow Monash University body falls to the ground at Yankalilla. and meaningless activity that misappro- Gippsland Campus. priates our language and culture. The word Onkaparinga derives from Sources: ngangkiparringga (lit. ‘woman river place’ W. R. Armstrong, History of State or ‘women’s river’) which leads into Yambo Williams, Georgina. 2002. ‘Conclu- Electricity Commission of Victoria, Unpub- deeper insider understandings that we sion’. Rob Amery and Georgina Yambo lished typescript, 1948. won’t go into here. Ngurlongga or Williams ‘Reclaiming through Renaming: The Horseshoe Bend on the Onkaparinga Reinstatement of Kaurna Toponyms in Meredith Fletcher, Digging People Up for River is probably derived from nurlo Adelaide and the Adelaide Plains’ in The Coal: a History of Yallourn, Melbourne ‘curvature, corner’ + -ngga ‘place’. From Land is a Map: Placenames of Indigenous University Press, 2002. these pieces and fragments of the Origin in Australia, edited by Luise Hercus, remains of a hunter-gatherer society can Flavia Hodges and Jane Simpson. Canberra: Kath Ringin, Old Brown Coal Mine, Moe be seen the horrific effects of the Pandanus Books. p 267. Historical Society, 1986. dispossession process. Shoalhaven Historical Society hoalhaven (NSW) is a somewhat the wide range of local source material unusual City Council area in that it the society had collected over the years. CAMBEWARRA – Formerly known as S GOOD DOG or BULLAMIAH....The extends from around Berry in the north, The other societies in the district Aboriginal word ‘Cambe’ means fire, and across to Kangaroo Valley in the west assisted, and contact was made with ‘Warra’, a high place or mountain, hence the and beyond Ulladulla in the south. In the many who had specialist knowledge, translation ‘Mountain of fire’. Explanation Shoalhaven region, there is said to be including developers and long-term is that both coachwood and the Illawarra Flame trees are common to the mountain, forty-nine towns and villages, four residents. All available publications on and when in bloom, they give a reddish historical societies and several family Aboriginal placenames were also scanned appearance. history groups. Shoalhaven Historical for relevant names. Society is based at Nowra, but tries to BOMADERRY – Township was laid out by Berry in 1859. From the Aboriginal word keep in close contact with the other The Shoalhaven Tourism Board first BUNBADERRA which means ‘fighting societies in the district. published the manuscript in 1990, and ground’. An alternative meaning is given as the latest (third) edition was extended to ‘running water’. The township’s Post Office for the period 1874-85 had a datestamp The Shoalhaven Historical Society’s key fifty-two pages and published in 2000. spelt BOMADARY. (This was said to be an aims are to promote and encourage the The first edition of 500 Names and Places error, but as the stamp had been engraved, it study of local history, support the of Shoalhaven was followed by a ‘compan- went into use.) After 8 years closed, the Post compilation of historical records, ion publication’, Villages of Shoalhaven Office re-opened on 16 August 1893 with spelling of BOMADERRY. acquire and preserve relics and artifacts, which includes a page of historical printed and photographic records. information on thirty-one towns and KANGAROO VALLEY – The aboriginal Indeed it has been a Shoalhaven society districts. This project again mostly relied name for the area was PARRONRAH. It policy over at least the last twenty five on the expertise and knowledge of was referred to as KANGAROO GROUND by surveyor James Meehan in November years to collect all available publications people from the four Shoalhaven 1819, because of the great number of and documentation relating to the region’s historical societies. Kangaroos there. However in 1840, rev region, whether they are scholarly, William Clarke wrote that these animals had disappeared from the valley. Through the indexed books or simple pieces written Villages of Shoalhaven is now in its fourth 1840s the name gradually changed to by a volunteer with one of the myriad edition, and both these booklets are KANGAROO VALLEY, although for a time of community organisations. consistent sellers at the tourist informa- there was a move to name the township tion centers, museums and local OSBORNE after the best known early settler. Individual society members have been bookshops. Following on from these two, involved in research in varying degrees a third publication Street Name Origins of NOWRA – It was generally accepted that and make the results of their research Shoalhaven was released in 2001, again by NOWRA comes from an ABORIGINAL public in an attempt to foster the the Shoalhaven Tourism Board word meaning either ‘camping place’ or ‘black cockatoo’. Charles Thorsby probably exchange of information among wrote the word for the first time, when he members of the society and community. Throughout these projects, assistance travelled through the area in 1821, and his and encouragement has been forthcom- spelling was NOO-WOO-RO. In those early days it was also spelt NOORA. During the late 1980s I co-ordinated a ing from several people from the project which became known as 500 Shoalhaven City Council, especially the JERVIS BAY – Named in 1791 by Lt. Names and Places of Shoalhaven [see some planning department that is responsible Richard Bowen of the transport ‘Atlantic’ entries from this publication in box]. for some of these names. Where an after the British Admiral, Sir John JERVIS (1735 –1823) who later was in command of This project sought to make a list of Aboriginal meaning has been established the British Fleet at the Battle of St. Vincent places in the area covered by for a placename, the council has incor- in 1797. After the battle he was created an Shoalhaven City Council, together with porated it in signposts in the region, for earl, thus becoming Earl St. Vincent. origins and meanings where known. example, ‘Nowra, meaning black JERRY BAILEY – This was the name for Physical features, parks and some cockatoo’. In some cases these have until 1955, when properties have been added, with other become talking points, with residents Shoalhaven Shire Council agreed to the interesting facts. It includes most current disputing the meaning – but such debate change amidst some opposition. JERRY BAILEY was in use as early as 1830, and a names and many obsolete names. certainly enhances awareness. decade later Alexander Berry wrote to the Surveyor Generals Department, and marked During this period a visit was made to Alan Clark it on an accompanying map (writing it the Geographical Names Board, but its JERRYBAYLY). Was thought to be the name of one of Berrys convicts, but no filing system only occasionally had more For more infomrtaion on the Shoalhaven record of such a man has been found by information than that found in the Historical Society: researchers. societies’ library of Shoalhaven’s history PO Box 301, Nowra NSW 2541 books. So this project relied mostly on http://www.geocities.com/shoalhis/ New Publications: Shem Pete’s Alaska hem Pete’s Alaska makes a major approximately 13,500 sq. miles is one of Scontribution to Native American the largest ever documented in this ethnogeography, Alaskan history, and degree of detail anywhere in the world. onomastics and is the central reference on the Dena’ina people of Upper Cook This expanded edition of the 1987 book Inlet. A gold mine for scholars of presents 973 named places in sixteen ethnogeography and Native American drainage system based chapters. The studies, this beautifully produced edition names form a reconstructed placename is also a treasure for Alaskans and for network from the vantage points of the anyone interested in the ‘personal life experiences of Shem Pete and other connectedness to a beautiful land’ Dena’ina and Ahtna speakers. The voiced by Dena’ina elders. placenames are annotated with com- ments and stories by Shem Pete and Shem Pete (1896-1989), the principal more than fifty other contributors, and contributor in Shem Pete’s Alaska, was a also by historic references, vignettes, colorful and brilliant raconteur from numerous photographs, a selection of Susitna Station, Alaska who left a rich historic maps, and shaded-relief legacy of knowledge about the Upper placename maps. In the introduction the University of Alaska Press, PO Box Cook Inlet Dena’ina world. Shem was authors provide perspective on Dena’ina 756240-UAF Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240 one of the most versatile storytellers language and culture, and a summary of Phone: (0011 1) 907 474 5831 and historians in twentieth century Dena’ina geographic knowledge and Fax: (0011 1) 907 474 5502 Alaska. His lifetime travel map of placename research methodology. http://www.uaf.edu/uapress/

Shem Pete’s experience and wisdom as an elder of the Dena’ina Athabascan Indians shine through this work like the sun — as do the skill and devotion of James Kari, James Fall, and the other Dena’ina, Ahtna, Alaska Native and Anglo-American people who contributed to making the book a reality... We have a volume that offers a vivid picture of Native Alaskan culture, history, geography and language, with added glimpses of oral literature and music. It puts us there... All Native American peoples — indeed, all traditional communities in the world — would be fortunate and proud to have this kind of record of their life and culture. — from the Foreword by William Bright, Editor, Native American Place Names of the United States, University of Colorado, Boulder, November, 2001. New to Nowra? inding Places? There are a few Cambewarra Road is in Bomaderry and the Shoalhaven near (pronounced Fthings that you will need to know ends at the Princes Highway if you keep Terera) becomes a creek then a river. when you move to Nowra in the travelling up Cambewarra Rd towards The locals call Jervis Bay ‘Jervis Bay’. Shoalhaven region (NSW). Cambewarra you are actually on Moss Snotty nosed, stuck up (read ‘ABC Vale Rd (that road will take you to Mt listening’) Sydney people call it ‘Jarvis Cambewarra is north-west of North Cambewarra and Kangaroo Valley before Bay’. Real Estate Agents who have Nowra but West Cambewarra is at the you get to Moss Vale). On a good map greater things on their mind, refer to it end of West Cambewarra Rd and is you can see that it is possible to turn left as ‘J.B.’ so as not to offend anyone (or actually to the south-east of into West Cambewarra Rd but this road can the sale). Property listed with a Berry Cambewarra Village. It is called is just a track. Real Estate Agent will be $50-$100k Tapitallee on topographic maps, more expensive presumably because Bangalee in the street directory and lists There are two Bells Lanes’ they are less their office is near the station - trains run residents as Cambewarra in the tele- than 600m apart and one is off Moss two hourly if you are lucky. phone book. Locals call it Outer North Vale Rd (Cambewarra Rd) and the other Nowra. is off Princess Hwy (called Abernethys And of course, Comerong Island is not Lane on some maps). an island, it is connected to the mainland Tapitallee Creek is nowhere near at Shoalhaven Heads. It is a nice walk or Tapitallee Mountain. They are at Shoalhaven Heads do not exist. The even a bicycle ride. Though, you can opposite ends of the Cambewarra Shoalhaven River flows through Berry’s cross a ferry to get there. Range. Browns Mountain is north of Canal into the Crookhaven River then the Shoalhaven, Browns Creek is south. out to sea. The Crookhaven canal leaves Chris Lake Placenames in the News ‘Kanakas’ derogatory The Sydney Morning Herald (Saturday, May The (Sydney) Magazine (Wednesday, June The Australian (Tuesday, April 8, 2003) 17, 2003) published a query in 18, 2003) featured a column recounting reported that South Sea Islander Spectrum’s ‘Big Questions’ from a an historical anecdote about a name and Australians have urged people to stop reader musing about why so many a search for a herd of cows. Captain describing them as ‘Kanakas’, saying the placenames, especially country names, Arthur Phillip and his second, John word is derogatory. This Polynesian term start and end with the letter ‘a.’ A Hunter sailed into Sydney with a nine- for man was originally used to describe response to this question was received strong herd of cattle in 1788 and only the Islanders who were used as slave from Jim Martyn of who five months after their arrival in Sydney labour in Queensland during the 1800s. blames the Romans, the Latin language the whole herd went missing. Seven This term is still sometimes used, many and the renaissance for this toponymic years later news came from a convict not realising that it is offensive. ‘All trend. He explains that the ancient that there were cattle wandering a those slang words like, for example, Abo, Roman’s in their conquest of the then- considerable distance downstream from dago, nigger, black gin, all those sort of known world, named many country and Parramatta. The now Governor John things, they’re derogatory’ said Burdekin settlements with either masculine names, Hunter and company set out to investi- South Sea Islander Organisation spokes- ending in ‘um’, such as Londinium and gate and on coming upon the remaining woman Joyce Henaway. ‘So Kanak is Belguim, or feminine names ending in herd of around forty cattle feeding in a too’ she explained. ‘a’, such as, Britannia, Tunisia, Libya, beautiful pasture in a valley. Governor Syria, Romania, Bulgaria. Martyn then Hunter named the site: ‘This place I call Some islanders also want authorities to goes on to draw a connection between Cow Pasture Plains. It lays from Sydney drop Kanaka as a placename. There are the emergence of European world in SW direction 50 to 55 miles and from two Kanaka Creeks and one Kanakas exploration, the growing glorification of Parramatta about SSW from 32 to 34 Release Creek in northern Queensland. the Roman and Greek civilisations and miles. This part is really a beautiful There’s also an Abo Creek in Tasmania the large numbers of new colonies and country’. and eight Nigger Creeks in Queensland cities that were given names with ‘a’ and nineteen Black Gin Creeks across endings, such as, America, Canada, The Sydney Morning Herald (Saturday, June Australia and several Blackfella Creeks Alaska, Argentina, Columbia, Venezuela, 21, 2003) reviewed the recently pub- (see below). Queensland Department of India, Malaya, and of course, Australia. lished The Default Country: A Lexical Natural Resources and Mines principal Cartography of 20th-Century Australia cartographer Ian Hutchings said people The Sydney Morning Herald (Saturday, June written by J. M. Arthur. This book takes could apply to have a name changed. ‘If 14, 2003) published an article titled as its basic premise that the language we it was considered derogatory by all ‘Brand Issues’ discussing the effects of use to define Australia is formulated people and everybody was agreeing that names on property values and the power against the notion of a default or it was, then we would go ahead and of a name to enhance a suburb’s image ‘proper’ country. Arthur makes ‘word change it,’ Mr Hutchings said. or to detract from it. For many years maps’ of Australia, and through her property developers have named process of ‘lexical cartography’ explores According to the Geoscience National Gazetteer subdivisions and developments in the the relations between language and (http://www.ga.gov.au/map/names/): hope of making them more enticing. For landscape. Readers are challenged to There are two Blackfella Creeks in QLD and a example, Sylvania Waters was chosen to adjust and refine the infinitely flexible Blackfella Creek, Spring and Rockhole in NT. conjure up images of an aquatic oasis language Australians have inherited into Sixteen Black Gin Creeks are recorded QLD and the streets in Pearl Beach were something that better expresses the including a Big Black Gin Creek and a Little named after gemstones. Then there are place. The review praises this work as an Black Gin Creek. There is alsoone Black Gin Creek, two Black Gin Gully’s and one Black names that are more likely to deter ‘original and provoking analysis’, going Gin Ridge in NSW and a Black Gin Rocks and buyers than attract, such as, Bogan on to say that the author has ranged Wells in WA. Place, Cockburn Crescent, Dick Street ‘knowledgeably over wide stretches of There is a Black Boy Creek in WA, and a Black and Watanobbi Knoll. Taking advantage linguistic terrain’. Boys Nob and Black Boy Opal Diggings in SA of a more exclusive and prestigious Have you seen an article about placenames and also a Black Boys Plains in TAS. neighbouring suburb name is common. in the media which you’d like to share with Several agents admit they are not Twenty-one placenames feature the word our subscribers? Send a photocopy of the Nigger. Ten of these are Nigger Creeks situated adverse to being creative about bound- article and/or email details of the in the NT and QLD - there is also a Mount aries between desirable and less desirable Nigger in QLD. Seven names feature publication, date and brief summary of suburbs. One real estate agent warns, Nigger(s)head, including Niggerhead Creek, the article to Clair Hill at Niggerhead Rocks, and Mount Niggerhead. ‘Never believe a real estate agent when [email protected] for inclusion in a There is also a Nigger’s Bounce in QLD, The he gives directions because you’ll end up Niggerheads in VIC, Nigger’s Flat in TAS. future edition of Placenames Australia. in the wrong suburb’. Gregory’s Naming of the Hamersley Range he Hamersley Range (WA) was Tnamed in 1861 by the explorer/ surveyor Frank Gregory. Gregory’s expedition to the north west was a highly acclaimed and significant event for the colony of Western Australia, and was the catalyst for the opening up of the region to the pastoral industry. One of the sponsors of the expedition was Mr Edward Hamersley, after whom Gregory named the range. Hamersley was a prominent Western Australian citizen, Cambridge University educated and a wealthy landowner, bank director and member of the Legislative Council.

Gregory was the first non-indigenous explorer to undertake a terrestrial expedition into the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Prior to his land exploration only features along the Pilbara coastline had been named and The Hamersley Range and surrounding region, Western Australia. recorded in the introduced toponymic system. Gregory made little contact with the Aboriginal inhabitants of the place in Oxfordshire in England Gregory’s discoveries in the north-west Hamersley Range during his expedition, where Edward Hamersley came led to the pastoral settlement of the and did not record any of the pre- from. district, the first settlers, and the existing Aboriginal names for features in Mount Brockman – most likely Withnell’s arriving in the Roebourne area the range. named in honour of William in 1864. Pastoralist’s searching for land, Locke Brockman, wealthy discovered and named the Cane and In his exploration Gregory named many pastoralist and stock breeder and Robe Rivers and a number of other of the main features of the Pilbara – prominent citizen of Swan River features. the rivers De Grey, Oakover, Shaw, 1830-72. Married to Frances Strelley, Maitland, Fortescue, Sherlock, Hamersley, aunt of Edward In 1876 the celebrated Australian Harding, Hardey and the Ashburton. He Hamersley after whom the range explorer Ernest Giles touched on the also named a number of the prominent was named. However, a son of south-eastern extremity of the mountains in the area. The names he Brockman’s either Edward or Hamersley Range during his exploration chose for these mountains and their Edmund, was with Gregory on his from the Geraldton area to the overland origins are as follows: expedition. telegraph. He named the Ophthalmia Mount Lionel – named in honour Range when he was temporarily blinded Mount Bruce – named in honour of Lionel Samson, businessman with ophthalmia there. He also named of Colonel John Bruce, Comman- and prominent citizen of the Mount Robinson and The Governor in dant in charge of the troops Colony from 1829 to 1878. honour of the Governor of Western supporting the expedition. Mount Samson – named in Australia (1875-77, 1880-83, 1890-95), Mount Vigors – named in honour honour of Lionel Samson. Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson. of Bartholomew Vigors, early Mount Turner – most likely settler and Perth Attorney and named in honour of James Other principle European explorers were barrister. He was a shareholder in Turner, a member of Gregory’s H. W. Venn and party in 1866 and E. T. the Hamersley and Phillips Cattle expedition. Also a shipbuilder and Hooley in the same year. However, none Co. at Irwin. He died in 1854, sailing master. of these explorers named any of the seven years before the expedition. Mount Wall – named in honour of mountains in the Hamersley Range. Mount Pyrton – named after the John Wall Hardey, prominent Hamersley family property on the citizen and landowner in colony Brain Goodchild Swan River. Also the name of the 1830-1885. Secretary, Geographic Names Committee Erratum syllable (brych). However, further The Placenames Column 2, paragraph 3 of Nigel checking revealed that in Scotland, near Sinnott’s ‘Place and Pitfalls: Researching Inverness, was a village of Torbreck, so Puzzle No. 7 the Alexandra and Eildon area of Gaelic made more sense for the etymol- Victoria’ published in June 2003 ogy of the whole word [tòrr + breac].’ Some Unusual Placenames Australia should have read: Placenames ‘Les Blake suggested that Mount Copies of Sinnott’s book Place-Names of Example: VIC Crack of dawn…Break O Torbreck (the highest place in the area I the Alexandra, Lake Eildon and Big River Day covered) might be derived from Welsh Area of Victoria are available from the twr and either French brèche or Italian Friends of the Library - Alexandra New South Wales breccia, which sounded rather complex. I District Inc. (c/o Alexandra Library, 1. Completely out of money discovered that, if the first syllable were Grant Street, Alexandra, Vic. 3714; tel. 2. A representative at a conference Welsh, so too could be the second 03 5772 1757) for $28.50. 3. A late evening farewell 4. Person employed to obtain tax, rents

Queensland Placenames Mailing List and 5. First letter in the Greek alphabet 6. Captain of HMS Bounty - twice ANPS Volunteer Research 7. Making cakes, bread etc.; thin block of wood used for chopping If you’d like to join the newsletter mailing list and/or re- ceive information about how to become a Research Friend South Australia of the ANPS, please complete the form below and send it 8. Simon, the leader of revolt in South by post or fax, or email the details to: America 9. Ceremonial gown 10. Chair once used for carrying a Clair Hill passenger ANPS 11. Pebble or small rock; beach/ Division of Humanities bushwalker’s small dwelling Macquarie University North Ryde Western Australia Sydney NSW 2109 12. Used to play billiards 13. Heroine of Beethoven’s Fidelio Fax: (02) 9850 8240 14. Author of Don Quixote email: [email protected] Northern Territory 15. Flap at rear of aeroplane’s wingtip Name and/or organisation:...... Victoria ...... 16. Roman goddess of agriculture Address: ...... 17. Form of ‘yes’ ...... 18. Prolonged plaintive cry 19. Author of The Thirty-Nine Steps ...... Phone: ...... Tasmania Fax:...... 20. Container holding earth for a plant email:...... to grow in

Please add me to the ANPS mailing list Flowerpot 20. Buchan 19. 15. Aileron 16. Ceres 17. Yea 18. Wail 18. Yea 17. Ceres 16. Aileron 15.

Please send me an information package about how to Cervantes 14. Leonora 13. Cue 12.

become an ANPS Research Friend Hut Stone 11. Sedan 10. Robe 9.

Please note my change of address (as above) Bolivar 8. Board Baking 7. Bli Bli 6.

Please remove me from the mailing list Alpha 5. Collector 4. Goodnight 3.

: 1. Broke 2. Delegate 2. Broke 1. : Answers