Nicholson and the Nicholson River

Named by Angus McMillan in 1840 after Sir Charles Nicholson, "Statesman, Landowner, Businessman, Connoisseur, Scholar and Physician".

Strzelecki had named the river Riley after the youthful bushman, who was a member of his expedition party.

Sir Charles was elected to the Legislative Council of New South Wales in 1843.

The Aboriginal identity 'Bundawaal' of the Brabiralung clan, known also as Bobby Brown or King Bobby, often camped on the banks of the Nicholson, and is supposed to have died as a result of the injuries he sustained when he rolled into his campfire about the turn of the century. 'Bundawaal' was a veteran of "the white woman hunts" and must have been about eighty years old.

The aboriginal name for the Nicholson was 'Geremoot'.

Some of the early selectors of land were Broome, Johnson . Bates, McFarlane, Arbuckle, Finneran , McLaughlan , Bosse , Stephenson & Irvine .

Nebo Nebo

This was the site chosen by the Aboriginal Protector William Thomas in 1860 for the Mission Station that was eventually established at Lake Tyers (Bung Yarnda).

The site was located on the western side of the entrance of the Nicholson River into Lake King. The meaning of the word is not known.

Salt Creek/Slaughterhouse Creek

Formerly called Saltwater Creek, the Kurnai word for this place was 'Moar'.

Tambo River/Tambo Upper/Tambo Bay/Tambo Bluff

There is some dispute over the origins and meanings of this Aboriginal name.

It is most probably a Jaitmathang word, the meaning of which has been lost in time.

It certainly does not mean cliffs (as found along the lower reaches of the river), and just possibly means fish.

According to the missionary Reverend F .A. Hagenauer, the Gunnai word for the Tambo was 'Berrawan'.

This river was originally named the Thomson by the Strzelecki party, but a river known by that name is to be found in central north Gippsland.

The Tambo Upper district was first established near the boundary between Kilmorie and Swan Reach Stations, and was first settled by McNight and Wilson.

Kilmorie Hill and Kilmorie Swamp can be found South East of Bruthen.

Tambo Bay is a tiny hamlet of houses located at the mouth of the river into Lake King. Tambo Bluff is located south of Tambo Bay, and just west of the village of Metung.

Lake King

Named by Strzelecki after Captain Phillip Parker King (1791-1856) of the Royal Navy.

According to local Metung author Gaye Halstead who wrote "The History Of Metung", the Aboriginal name for the lake was 'Ngarran'. However this is just another way of spelling the Gunnai word for moon, which was ,more specifically located at Eagle Point.

Metung

According to L. Blake, author of "Place Names Of Victoria", this was an aboriginal name meaning either tea-tree, river bend or mainland. These meanings are mutually exclusive and none appear appropriate.

The original spelling given by Pettit & Dawson was Mietung. This name only came into common usage about 1880 and was formerly known as Rosherville.

Johnsonville

Named after John Johnson of Mewburn Park, an MP and a wealthy Gippsland squatter of Scandinavian origins, who took over the Swan Reach Station in 1857.

The settlement was originally down the hill by the river, and a punt was used as a river crossing, hence the name Punt Road, which is found on both sides of the river, both in the Johnsonville and Tambo Bay/ Metung areas.

Bumberrah

Named after the Aboriginal 'Bumbirah', who was also known as Jimmy Bumbirah or King Jimmy. Described by the Lake Tyers missionary, the Reverend Bulmer as "conceited and intent on following the ways of the old people". 'Bumbirah' was ''as good a specimen of Aboriginal as I have ever seen in Gippsland".

Bulmer failed to convert Bumbirah to Christianity and when he once asked him what would happen if he were to die unexpectedly, he replied "then I will look to Christ quick".

Swan Reach

This was the name of the station taken up by Octavius Sparkes in 1844.

The Aboriginal name for this place was either 'Wang' meaning bread basket or 'Boo Yun' meaning unknown.

The surveyors Pettit & Dawson collected the aboriginal names in this area and the following give some idea of how intimately they were associated with the countryside. Some of the twenty-five names for in and around Swan Reach include: 'Nurkinemg' (on the Tambo) 'Bill-Walk' (little morass) 'Boologgan' (waterhole near Swan Reach) and Coong-Na-Duc (low flat bank opposite Swan Reach)

In 1859 the Aboriginal 'Tonkaleen', or Big Joe, attempted to tomahawk Sarah Harding. He escaped from custody and was apprehended in a butchers shop in Bairnsdale while attempting to steal some food. The butcher secured him by skewering his hand to the butchers block with a knife. Tonkaleen spent a number of years in prison for the crime and remained unrepentant.

Some of the selectors of land around the Swan Reach area included the Howlett's, Swan's, Schneider's, Baade's and Whelan's.