Have you ever dipped your toes into the cool waters of Pobblebonk Creek, off Honeysuckle Drive?
No? That’s because it has only recently acquired this charming name in tribute to the threatened pobblebonk frog that has been spotted there by locals.
Thanks to a three-year project headed by Gillian Pechey of the Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group (LBCCG),
10 unnamed creeks in the Lake Baroon Catchment have now been officially named under The Place Names Act, 1994. Other unofficial names have also acquired official status.
LBCCG initiated the Name That Stream project in 2006 hoping to raise awareness of the many creeks in the catchment, and also because it was difficult to talk about catchment geography while the creeks remained nameless.
Gillian, (right), who volunteered her time to the project, received about 40 responses, which were used to help decide the final names. We now have two creeks with indigenous names: Obi Obi and Whardjin (pictured). Of all the creeks in the Catchment Whardjin is arguably the closest to its pristine state, so it is appropriate that it takes this Djala elder’s name.
The names of early settlers are Skene, Lawley, Alcorn, Graves, Daley, Clark, Fryar and Walker. Elston and Arley are names chosen by pioneering families. Some of them were found on maps dating back to the 1880s. These pioneers lived such hard lives compared to ours today that it is appropriate to acknowledge them in this way.
The greatest number of proposals came in for the creek which flows through Mary Cairncross Park. “We wanted to name it after the freshwater crayfish that is unique to that tiny part of the planet. However it was pointed out that it was not a good idea to draw attention to the creature; and after consulting with people who live in that area, we found they referred to it as a tributary of Fryar Creek.” William Fryar was a surveyor.
“I enjoyed the talks around tables, cups of tea, old memorabilia, and drives across paddocks to look at creeks and falls,” says Gillian.
There are many beautiful waterfalls and pools in the catchment. They were favoured places of children who are now in their 70s, 80s and 90s.
Gillian wishes to thank all who assisted with the project, saying those creeks as yet unnamed will be named in the future.
The project will be on display at the Maleny Library in November.
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