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THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
GEORGE STREET
BRISBANE

2nd May, 1951

No. :ARW

Dear Sir,

Messrs. Cummins & Campbell have written me that you could
perhaps help. I have come to the conclusion that word ending with
ulla, illa, ella, alla all refer to a large permanent stretch of
water in a river bed that the blacks could rely on to hold out in
a drought. For instance - Cunnamulla - there is a 15 mile reach in
the Warrego R. very deep and never dry, Canna is some characteristic
of the water or locality, others are -

Ulandilla - Ooline a species of Eucalyptus common only to
that locality.

Womalilla - Womal a species of acacia not yet fully determined,
growing there.

Sister M. Grace grew up in the locality and she said the acorns were
cut and used to play checkers.

Chinchilla - there is a large deep lagoon about a mile from the
town.

Dulbydilla - Dulby refers to the dark colour of the water due
to staining by leaves.

I do not know Mulgallaa, Cunnamulla, Angellala, Muckadilla.

Then the following terminals - Boor inba, Duaringa,
Bungainga, Cullin-a-ringa. "ringa" I think means "Waterhole" but
is this correct? Lethbridge told me the meaning of Bungarin[torn]
is not for polite company. Then there is Bindango, Martango [torn]
Maranoa and Balonne.

Da, Ba, Gabba all mean "belonging to" or the place [torn]
e.g. Woolloongabba - the place of the whiptail wallaby. Babin[torn]
the place of lots of rain, Bundamba the place of stones (for ax[torn]
and so on.

I would appreciate any information that you could give
me on these words.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,
Sydney May