What’s in a Name?

Street and place names within The Gap area can often be cause for discussion as to how the name came about, the pioneering family after whom it was named, how the developers arrived at some of the stranger sounding names or those with Aboriginal meaning which so aptly describe the location in which they are situated.

The road called Waterworks was originally a track which our fledgling city founders of Brisbane town named prior to 1864, when they sought a better water storage area and built the Enoggera Dam.

Of the early land holders in The Gap only the names of three honour their presence – namely Hilder Road, Paten Road and Payne Road. Descendents of the Hilder and Paten families still live here, while Henry Howard Payne spent a very short time here before moving on. He is remembered as a founding father of our Royal National Show and Fire Brigade.

Waterworks Road A direct route from the fledgling city of Brisbane direct to the Reservoir built in 1864-66

Payne Road After Henry Howard Payne, one of our original settlers. H.H. Payne farmed here till 1865 and moved to Wight’s Mountain, via Samford. On the death of his son, Henry Thomas, in a horse riding accident, he returned to Milton live. Responsible for founding our Royal National Association (Ekka) and Fire Brigade at Milton

Chaprowe Road – After the Chapman and Rowe families who lived side by side there in the 1920s.

Delmara Close – After Marshall Anderson and his wife Del, his parents Dave and Barbara once owning the land.

Dillon Road – After Jack and Ivy Dillon, who began large scale banana growing in the area in 1952.

Glenbrae Street – Name of the property of Herb and Ruby Levitt at the time of development.

Goldie Street – “Goldie” was the name of the Ridley family cow. After dying it was buried in a hole during the road’s construction. Kay Road After the Kay family, original settlers in the area.

Hilder Road – The Hilder family and early dairy farmer.

Kays Road – After the Kay family, who lived in the area for some time.

Kilbowie Street – Home town in Scotland of the Anderson family who settled in The Gap in July 1921.

Nigel Street – After Nigel Drury MHR for Ryan for his assistance in getting the sub-division approved.

Paten Road – After the Paten family, founding settlers and large land holder in our suburb.

Petmar Street – Peter and Marian Pohlmann, children of Olive (nee Berry) and Ray Pohlmann.

Quirk Street – Maiden name of Mrs. Mary Berry.

Romea Street – Ronald, Olive, Mavis, Eric and Alan, the five children of Joseph and Mary Berry who owned the farm at the time of development in 1956.

Settlement Road – Soldiers’ Settlement grants following WWI 1919. So named when the land was broken up for poultry farms following WWI in 1919. It is thought it was originally known as Myall Road (meaning black wattle) but does not appear on old maps.

Shallmar Street – Derivation of the Marshall family name who owned the property at the time of development.

Whitehead Road – Whitehead Road was named after Elizabeth Whitehead and her daughter Elaine Earle (nee Whitehead).

 

I recall that when ‘Grantlea’ Estates went on the market in Settlement Road, the estate was named by Jack Crawford, the developer, after his two sons, Grant and Lea. Desbet Street was named after his wife, Betty, and mother-in-law Desley.

The most interesting names are the names with Aboriginal origins. A book published by A.H. and A.W. Reed called “Aboriginal Words in Australia” points out that there are many tribal languages and dialects so that words differed from tribe to tribe.

Explorers and settlers recorded words as they heard them, spelling them in English according the their phonetic pronunciation. Consequently spellings vary. Then too European usage has altered spelling and changed pronunciation. When looking at the Aboriginal meaning of names within our district, one or two make one pause to think.

Pambula Street for example. Situated on the rise, just near Walton Reserve, it’s meaning is ‘two waters’. Did it refer to the meeting of Fish and Enoggera Creeks to the west? Or Enoggera and a small stream which ran in the gully on its town side?

Yooralla Street must have been a secret area. No doubt our locals of long ago knew the answer.

Tallawong Place – Bell magpie
Wittonga Park – a reedy place
Yarrabee Road – gum forest
Barrabooka Drive – hunting ground
Elgata Street – hill/mountain
Pindari Street – high ground
Uralla Street – big hill, running water
Yalamurra – peak of a hill
Billeroy Street – running creek
Allamic Street – quiet place
Cooinda Street – a happy place
Dandaloo Street – pretty, also ‘hail!’
Trawalla Street – much rain / wild waters
Warruga Street – good view
Weemala Street – distant view
Pambula Street – two waters
Woongarra Street – sleeping place
Yooralla Street – love
Moggill Road – place of lizards
Warana Street – sun up / place in the sun

Source: Reflections 2 & 3, Memories of The Gap, © Copyright 2000 & 2006 by Richard Speechley