Manning Valley Historical Society

 

How Was It Named?

 

Comboyne ........  a female aborigine - aboriginal

Coopernook .....  the elbow - aboriginal

Croki ................  probably from "Groki"  the toadfish - aboriginal

Dawson River ..... named after Robert Dawson, explorer of the Manning,
                             and manager of the Australian Agricultural Company

Dumaresq Island ... after Henry Dumaresque, treasurer of the Australian 
                                 Agricultural Company

Ghinni Ghinni ..... mud crabs (doubling the word meant there were lots of them)

Harrington ......... after the Earl of Harrington by John Oxley, 1818

Jones Island ...... possibly named after Richard Jones, a politician. 
                          Originally called Korogait Island.  

Killawarra .........  scrub - aboriginal

Kimbriki ...........  water reed - aboriginal

Manning River ... named after Sir William Manning, Deputy-Governor
                           of the Australian Agricultural Company, by Henry Dangar
                            (surveyor for that company) in 1826 - originally "Manning's
                            River", the apostrophe was soon dropped.

Mitchells Island ....after Major Thomas Mitchell, explorer and deputy
                            Surveyor-General

Moto ................ from "Mooto" meaning "black snake" - aboriginal

Nabiac ..............  wild fig tree - aboriginal

Oxley Island ........ after John Oxley, explored the entrance to the Manning,
                            1818 - later Surveyor -General of N.S.W.

Streets of Taree (sub-divided and named by Henry Flett)
     Victoria ..........after Queen Victoria
     Albert .............after Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria)
     Wynter .......... after William Wynter, first settler on the Manning
     Pulteney ......... a suburb of Wick in the county of Caithness, Scotland,
                             (near John O'Groats) where Henry Flett came from
     Manning ........  after Manning River
     Macquarie ...... after Governor Macquarie (Governor of N.S.W.)

Taree ................... from  "tarreebit"  meaning "wild fig fruit" - aboriginal

Tinonee ................ from "Tinobe" meaning "big shark" (the Biripi totem)

Wallamba ............... from "Wollumba" meaning "flying fox" - aboriginal

Wingham................ - named after a town in Kent, England, by John
                                  Gorman, the surveyor who laid out the town.
                                - there is also a Wingham in Canada
                                - "wingan" does mean "place where bats drink" in
                                   aboriginal but does not seem to be the origin of
                                   Wingham