Box 4 Folder 5: New South Wales place names, 1899-1903 - Page 8

[Page 8]                                                                                        381

Note
M - Murray R. dialect
Mbge  - Murrumbidgee R dialect
U.M. - Upper Murray
        L.  - Lachlan

!. The old aboriginal name of Beechworth (Vic) was Baarmutha which
means " a number of small creeks".
2. Gundagai (orig.Gudnagai) a town in N.S.W. has for its root "gudna",
meaning Earth or excrement. This word is found in various forms throughout
Australia. Compare Tasmanian "gunta" (earth), West Australian "nguulla "[?]
and North Queensland "gunna" (excrement)
3. The native name of a bare-topped hill near Costamuntra is Jindalee, meaning
literally " no skin on your bones". The surrounding hills are Jimbered [?].
4. Merri-merrigal on the Lachlan derives its name from "Merri," a dog
and gal, bold. Hence "Merrimerrigal", plenty of bold dogs. Compare
Merrygang or Merryang.
5.Belabala Creek, a tributary of the Lachlan River, from "Boolta", two?. Probably
refers to the junction of two creeks.
6. The original name of Binalong (N.S.W.) is Bennelong, the name of native
chief.
7. Tumbarumba, ( a town in N.S.W) is our onomatopoeie  word. Now here there is a hill, evidently honeycombed underneath, which gives out a rumbling sound
if horses gallop over it or even if a huge stone is rolled. If the word is
pronounced "Tōōmboorōōba", one gets an approach to the sound.. The st[?]
of the hill above mentioned is known now as the "Sounding Ground".
8. The old aboriginal name of Albury  is  "Mungabberwa"  which means a
"deep hole [?] river"
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