First Nations Language Collection

Grosvenor Street, Toowong, May 8th, 1940.

Mr. Sydney May, Hon. Secretary, Place Names Committee, University of Queensland.

Dear Sir,

I have received a letter from you addressed to Mr T.Welsby under cover addressed to myself. In case that the letter was meant for me I have to advise you that I can give little or no information about the place names of Moreton Bay. It is very likely that those in the Southern portion of the Bay have names derived from the Goenpul, or Stradbroke Island, native language which seems to be entirely lost. Of the origin of the English names I know nothing, but I may remark on three others for what it may be worth.

Re. Kaboora Lake, the spelling Kaiaboora, or Gaiaboora more nearly gives the proper pronunciation of the name.

It is generally known as the Blue Lake on account of the colour of its water. I could not get its meaning.

Re. Miora. This name has, I believe, been adapted from some southern native language. According to Stradbroke Island natives, the natives' name for the place is Mun'galba. I could not get its meaning.

Re. Southport. According to a Yugumbir (local) aborigine, the locality of Southport was called by his tribe, Mundheraba, meaning Place of Mosquitoes." I note that the same name, slightly twisted to Munderewa, is also applied to some part of the south of Stradbroke Island.

Re. Coonangai Bank. This name coincides with a S.E. Queensland word meaning a clear plain or flat, but I do not know if it applies in this case.

Yours faithfully. FJWatson (F.J.Watson).

Nyleta, Grosvenor Street, Toowong S.W.1. April 9th, 1940.

Mr. Sidney May_, Hon. Secretary, Place Names Committee, University of Queensland.

Dear Sir,

My delay in answering your letter (undated) re. the meaning of the name of the island Bungumba is owing to the fact that, having no personal thereof I have been making inquiries, but, I regret, without effect. I might, however, suggest a way for further inquiry. In the Brisbane River language bungum is the name of a basket or bag. At Dunwich, on Stradbroke Island, I have seen some interesting aboriginal work of this kind, woven from a shrub or reed of the swamps near by; and, as work of this kind was usually named after the material used, it might be of some interest to find the name of the material and whether it was plentiful on the island in question. Perhaps the superintendent of the Aboriginal Station at Miora, near Dunwich, could obtain the name from some of the descendants of the origin natives,--Goenpul-- of Stradbroke Island.

Yours faithfully, FJWatson P.S. Re. Your letter of 8th instant and list of names there with which, I note, are extracts from the vocabularies of Constance Petrie and John Allen, I will revise these as early as possible. Some of these I have already revised for you. Yours faithfully. FJW