140 THE ABORIGINAL NAMES OF RIVERS 
_ The name Currockbilly or Kurwikbilly is given to a high moun- 
tain in the coast range near Braidwood. Two long valleys in this 
mountain are known as the great and little Kwrradus:, on account 
of the resort of this bird. he same name may be found fora 
place near Mittagong, which possibly this bird at one time fre- 
quented. I mention this case also to show that in naming places 
the aborigines were guided by circumstances, adapting the name 
to natural features, the growth of certain trees or flowers, the 
feeding place of animals, birds, etc. : 
_ “Billy-bong” literally means a blind creek, bong means dead, the 
water flowing over low level land, and occasionally vanishing 
amongst the grass; consequently, billy refers to the water. 
Repeating a word indicates extent, great, large, etc. Thus Bong 
Bong applies correctly to that part of the Wingeecarribbee River 
which flows past Throsby Park, the land being so level there as to 
make it a matter of difficulty to trace the course of the river. 
On the Bredalbane Plains we find the name of Mut-mut-billy 
and Mill-bang or bong. Mill meansto see; Mill-bong means blind 
or deadeye. I donot know what mzt-mut alludes to, but these 
give no interpretation of Wollon. 
J endeavoured to reconcile the termination gong with a word 
meaning a swamp. Mittagong proper is the range separating 
Wingeecarribbee Swamp from the Nepean River. The site of the: 
railway-station is quite out of position. It was across this range 
that the first settlers penetrated into what was for many years 
afterwards known as the new country, now better known a8 
wral, Bong Bong, Sutton Forest, etc., and was for a length of 
time called the Argyle Road. This large swamp lies at the base of 
this range ; Z'om Thumb Lagoon adjoins Woollongong ; then there 
is the Jerragong Swamp at Kiama, and the extensive Swamps at 
the head of the Cudgegong River. But this leaves Gulgong, 
errvegong, and many other places without a swamp, 80 that . 
arrangement becomes futile, and the same result occurs in many 
other similar cases. é 
At page 11 Mr. MacPherson assumes rather decidedly that the 
name Oakey as applied toa river or creek simply means walers 
country, and is used in a similar manner as sandy, stony, 
and other such things to denote a particular stream. (This — 
in no way allied to Quercus). ‘vel 
- It must be borne in mind that the author writes tentaty y 
only. As he states, he puts forth his suggestions by way of expe 
