First Nations Language Collection

Origin of place names. By FJWatson

Wolvi. (i as in wine)

A mountain range and a farming centre.

From the Kabi word wolvai, or wolbai, a young kangaroo at the stage of growth when it can gent out and in its mother's pouch.

This name is, no doubt, the origin of wallaby the white man's name for the lesser kangaroos.

Kin Kin. A dairying and Banana growing centre about 10 miles north east of Cooran railway station.

The origin of this place name has been the subject of much discussion. It is probably derived from the native words ka-uin kauin (ka-ooin ka-ooin), a variant or abbreviation of kutchin kutchin, meaning red, Kin Kin is in redsoil country which is drained by Kin Kin, otherwise Kutchin, Creek.

Mount Kanagin, otherwise the Black Gin Mountain, situated near Theebine Railway Station. The name is derived from kanigan, meaning a young aboriginal woman, literally it meanins a daughter, feminine of the Kabi word kani, a son.

Kanyan. A railway station, named from the mountain nearby, Mount Kanaghan.

Kanighan. A farming centre near to and East of Mount Kanaghan, from which the same is derived.

Gootchie. A Railway Station on the N.C.Railway. Named from the grazing holding nearby, Gutchy, which was named from the Kabi word gutchi, the ground iguana.

Bauple. (sometimes spelled Bopple). A mountain near Tiaro. The name is derived from the Kabi word bopval (as near as a white man can pronounce it). Bopval is the native name of the frilled lizard. A legend of this mountain is that it was once inhabited by a spirit in the form of a frightful old woman who prevented anyone one from going to the top of the mountain.

(If her appearance was anything like the Frilled lizard with open mouth, frill expanded and on its hind legs she must indeed have been frightful. Perhaps that is how the mount got its name).