Lake Macquarie History

Forgotten place names of Lake Macquarie J-Q

Place Names A-I Place Names J-Q Place Names R-Z

Place Name Suburb Origin and Meaning
Jonestown Cardiff An early mining village in the Cardiff area. It was part of John Jones' 1862 land grant. The village was adjacent to the village of Coalbrook along Fifth Street, and stretched to Elizabeth Street, Boronia Street and Benjamin Street.
Kahibah Point Marks Point Originally the point and the location were called Kahibah Point. This is part of the Parish of Kahibah. Henry Marks received a land grant here in 1876 which was later purchased by his brother Charles. As there was already a town called Kahibah the location eventually became known as Marks Point.
Kinnard Estate Kotara South An early name for Kotara South. On 17/1/1925 the Scottish Australian Mining Co. auctioned some of its land, and in 1926 the area around Inglis, Roscoe, Kenneth and Boundary Streets, was subdivided by the Waratah Coal Co. as the "Kinnard Estate".
Kirkdale Arcadia Vale Early name for Arcadia Vale, Kirkdale was named after early settler, Joseph Kirk.
Kooroora Bay Fennell Bay This is the name given to the bay on the lake side of the Fennell Bay bridge which is bordered by the suburbs of Blackalls Park, Fennell Bay and Bolton Point. Kooroora is an Aboriginal word meaning 'camp'.
Kurrawilla Guest House Nords Wharf Appears to have been built as a guest house for holidaying visitors to the Lake. Was used as an Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre from 1977, and was demolished in 2003. It is marked with a plaque commemorating its history and was replaced with the Kurrawilla residential development. Kurrawilla is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘birds and water’.
L T Creek Fassifern Named after Lancelot Threlkeld
Ladysmith West Wallsend Was a small settlement which was established at the commencement of West Wallsend Colliery in 1888. It was situated to the Northwest of Ladysmith Road where it crosses the creek. The settlement was named after the Boer War battle of the same name. Source: Holmesville : one man's vision by Lillian Price, 1998.
Liberty, Liberty Green Swansea A name for the area which is now occupied by Swansea Gardens Caravan park. It was named by the owners of the land there - Samuel and Albert McDonald - to commemorate their American heritage. Source: What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd].
Little Flaggy Creek Kahibah Little Flaggy Creek was named by the public in a Lake Macquarie Council program. A previously unnamed tributary of Flaggy Creek, it rises about 3 km west of Glenrock Lagoon in Charlestown. It was declared on 27 December 2002.
Little Lake Morisset Park Little Lake is now called Lake Petite.
Little Wangi Wangi Wangi Point Wolstoncroft was also known as Little Wangi. Early settlers and fishermen used the word Wangi to name the peninsula and Point Wolstoncroft was called Little Wangi.
Lochend Speers Point An early name for the Speers Point/Boolaroo area. William Brooks selected 1280 acres here in 1828. The grant was on the eastern bank of Cockle Creek and he called it Lochend. Loch is the Scottish word for lake and the property was at the end of the lake.
Lorne Fennell Bay and Fassifern Part of Fennell Bay and Fassifern used to be known as Lorne. This came from a subdivision called “Village of Lorne” developed in 1881 by JC Bonarius. The name lingered on. There used to be a Lorne Bowling Club in Brougham Avenue in the 1930’s. After the bowling club closed the club house was used for quite a few years for functions, receptions and dances.
Lower Farm Speers Point This was a small property at Speers Point owned by William Clark in the 1830s. Clark sublet the property from William Brooks and the name may be a reference to it's position on Brooks estate of Lochend.
Lucys Groyne, or Lucys Wall Swansea Lucys Groyne is a small manmade rock jetty on the southern breakwater near the entrance to Swansea Channel. It has had the desired effect of helping to stabilise the area and prevent soil erosion. It was named after Lucy Kealy, the last resident to live there. The story of Lucy Kealy can be read in the book What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd]. Groyne is a civil engineering term for a wall or jetty built out from a riverbank or seashore to control erosion. Also called: spur or breakwater
Lymington Warners Bay Early name for Warners Bay. In August 1840 Warner subdivided part of his grant at Warners Bay, advertising it as the Township of Lymington, which was his hometown in England.
Mafeking West Wallsend This very small hamlet of 8 or 9 houses was situated to the south of O'Donnelltown Road near it's intersection with Ladysmith Road. The settlement was named after the Boer War battle of the same name. Source: Holmesville : one man's vision by Lillian Price, 1998.
Manering, Manmring Dora Creek An early name for Dora Creek
Margarets Bay Swansea A bay on Lake Macquarie near Parbury Park on the western side of Swansea. It was gazetted in 1999. Margaret was the wife of 'Black Ned' who was thought to be the last aboriginal of the Awabakal tribe. Source: What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd].
Marjorys Bay Summerland Point Another name for Chain Valley Bay, named after Captain E. S. Deed’s daughter.
Mats Point Swansea A name for the point of land half way between the entrances to Black Neds Bay and Salts Bay. Possibly named after early Lake Macquarie shipbuilder Matthew Kenah. Source: What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd].
Melaleuca Creek Morisset and Dora Creek This creek runs from the top of Morisset township northwards in to the swampy area next to the Salvation Army’s land and then into Dora Creek at the end of Baker Street, Dora Creek. This name was suggested by the Dora Creek Catchment Group. Apparently the locals call this creek Melaleuca Creek after the predominant tree species that line its banks. This creek name was selected in 2005.
Melodys Hill Morisset Melodys Hill was part of the Morisset Farms Estate, “NMH” 23 May 1969. This has been identified as lots 16-20 near the banks of Dora Creek. Morisset Farms Estate subdivision was developed in 1919.
Middle Bay Fennell Bay Named on Capt. Deed’s map of Lake Macquarie 1907/8. Middle Bay was later renamed Kooroora Bay.
Middle Camp Catherine Hill Bay In December 1910 a plan was approved to develop a settlement of just over 3 acres halfway between Mine Camp and the original town. This was called "Middle Camp" and was part of Wallarah Coal Co's portion 18 of 190 acres.
Mill Creek Belmont North Early settler Maurice Marks operated a sawmill here.
Millers Wharf Edgeworth Millers Wharf appears to have been a mooring for boats in the northern reaches of Cockle Creek,
Milloba Speers Point This was one of the names given to the Speers Point area by the Awabakal Aborigines and means 'place of fun' a variation in spelling of this name is Millabah
Mine Camp Catherine Hill Bay In the early 1890's a settlement developed about 4 kilometres north of the original township and close to where the mines were then situated. This became known as "Mine Camp".
Mirraview Mirrabooka A village on top of the hill near the shop on Fishery Point Road at Mirrabooka between 1934 and 1970. There was a Post Office, school, branch library and a tar-sealed road. The suburb failed to thrive, and the name fell into disuse when the post office, school and library closed.
Monkey Town Caves Beach Allegedly the name of the site on which both Swansea High and Caves Beach primary are now located. The Amos brothers won the contract to build the breakwall at Swansea in the 1880s and used this area to provide housing for the workers at their nearby quarry. It is believed that this name originates because the workers were nicknamed 'powder monkeys' for the explosives they used in quarrying operations. Source: What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd].
Monkey Town Teralba The area around Victoria Street at Teralba was known as Monkey Town until the 1940s. The name may have eventuated because of the workers at the nearby quarry who were nicknamed 'powder monkeys' for the explosives they used in quarrying operations.
Moon Island Nature Reserve Swansea Moon Island is thought to have played a part in Captain William Reid’s mistake, which lead to the European discovery of Lake Macquarie. Reid mistook Moon Island for Nobbys (at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour) in July 1800 (Clouten, 1967). It was also named Green Island or Nirritiba. It is 2.25 ha and was formerly Crown Land and declared Fauna Reserve no. 13 in 1960.
Morans Creek Mandalong Morans Creek is a tributary of Stockton Creek flowing into Dora Creek. Believed to be named after Peter Moran and family mentioned living in Cooranbong in 1863 and in Mandalong through the 1870s.
Moseys Beach or South Beach Nords Wharf. Moseys Beach on the southern end of Nords Wharf was named after the Mosey family. Reece Mosey is recorded living in Nords Wharf around 1917. In later years it became known as South Beach.
Mount Mulberry Toronto The name given to Threlkeld's second mission house at Toronto. It was also known as Ebenezer. Tradition has it that the mission house was located on the site of the present day Toronto Hotel.
Mount Pleasant Belmont The site of the original Belmont Public School, bounded by Pacific Highway, Victoria Street and Walter Street. The school opened in 1882.
Mount Waring Toronto A name describing the elevated area along Mount Waring Road between Excelsior Parade and Wangi Road at Toronto. In earlier times Henry Waring owned 40 acres of land here. The name would have come from him.
Muirs Lookout Watagans Named after a former Commissioner for Forests, WD Muir who retired in 1970. (Source: “Lake Macquarie Post” 29 June 1972).
Mullards Creek Morisset Named after Herbert Bradley Mullard (1863 - 1939). Mullard contributed to the timber and farming industries in the Morisset and Mandalong communities. Mullards Creek was declared on 27 December 2002 (Source: NSW Geographical Names Board).
Munibung Creek Cardiff A watercourse about 1.5 km long rises approximately 1 km east by north of Munibung Hill and flows generally north east into Winding Creek. This name was assigned 23 December 1977. It was previously known as a branch of Winding Creek (Source: GNB). Munibung is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘fruit’ (Source: Koompahtoo Land Council).
Munibung Hill Speers Point, Boolaroo Munibung Hill is the name given to the large elevated area to the north east of Boolaroo, Speers Point and Argenton, and stretching towards Cardiff. Munibung is an Aboriginal word believed to mean ‘fruit’. There used to be a Trig Station on the hill.
Myall Ranges Watagans An early name for Watagan Mountains. (Source: Reid's mistake: The story of Lake Macquarie from its discovery until 1890 by K Clouten).
Naru Point Marks Point Naru Point is located at the entrance to Swan Bay adjoining the main Swansea Channel. Naru is an Aboriginal word meaning black, and was perhaps inspired by the large number of black swans which inhabited the area.
Nekinda Dora Creek An early name for Dora Creek
Nellinda Dora Creek An early name for Dora Creek
Newport Eraring, Dora Creek Early name for Dora Creek, after the Newport Estate land development of the 1840s. It was called Newport until 1887 when the railway was opened and the station was named Dora Creek.
Nirritiba Swansea The Awabakal word ‘Nirritiba’ was the name of the island off the entrance to Lake Macquarie meaning ‘the home of the mutton bird’. It is also called Moon or Green Island.
North Head Blacksmiths The head at the entrance to Lake Macquarie at Blacksmiths is called North Head.
O'Donnelltown West Wallsend An area at the foot of Mt Sugarloaf at West Wallsend. Acess is via O'Donnelltown Road. Named for early settlers Richard and Bridget O'Donnell who had sixty acres of land there.
Palmers Awaba A settlement described as being two miles west of Awaba, on the road from Cooranbong to Wallsend. Named after Thomas Palmer who owned the Travellers Rest Hotel (Palmers Pub) in earlier times. Most of the residents were timber-getters who cut railway sleepers, and when the railway line was finished, the community gradually disintegrated.
Palmers Creek Awaba Flows into Stony Creek, Toronto. Named after Thomas Palmer who owned the Traveller's Rest Hotel (Palmer's Pub) in earlier times.
Pantaloon Bay Myuna Bay This was another name for Myuna Bay on early maps. Myuna is an aboriginal word meaning "clear water".
Passionfruit Gully, Plains Gully, The Gully Caves Beach This was the name given to the area which is now occupied by Palmtree Crescent, Callistemon Close and Forest Oak Place Caves Beach. This was once a coastal rainforest containing lush vegetation which was covered by a large number of passionfruit vines. In the 1920s and 1930s this was a popular spot for hunting wallabies, possums and birds, and collecting the fruit from the vines. Source: What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd].
Pearl Beach Wangi Wangi One of the small, clean, and coarse sandy beaches in Wangi, it is said to be named after Pearl, the daughter of landowners David and Rachel Israel.
Pelican Island Swansea The name given to one of the small islands in Lake Macquarie close to the entrance at Swansea. Presumably named for the pelicans which frequent the area in large numbers.
The Plains Swansea The name given to an extensive area of the eastern coastline of Swansea extending as far down as Pinny Beach. Different parts of this area were known colloqually as 'Ham's Plains' (for William Ham who lived there); 'Bellview Plains' (for the name of William Ham's house); and 'Pincushion Plain' (for the abundant low spikey shrubs which grew there). Caves Beach was once known as 'The Plains Beach', and was a very populat picnic destination.The present day location of Pinny beach is derived from 'Pincushion plain'. Source: What's in a name: a brief history of some of the names past and present in and around the northern end of the Wallarah Peninsular /? [researched and written by George &? Noelene Boyd].
Point Morisset Cams Wharf Point Morisset was named in honour of Major Thomas Morisset who is reputed to have visited the lake by sea prior to 1820 (source: Reid's mistake: The story of Lake Macquarie from its discovery until 1890 by K Clouten 1967)
Point Wolstoncroft Wangi This was an early name for Wangi. (Newcastle Morning Herald 2/7/66 ).
Pondee Point Toronto Pondee is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘overlooking view’ and was their name for Toronto itself. (Source: ‘Aborigines of the Hunter region’ by the Department of Education Hunter Region). Pondee Point in Toronto is at the Fennell Bay Bridge. (see also Punte ans Puntei)
Post Mistress Creek Sunshine Named after Mrs Emily Hampson the postmistress and shopkeeper at Mirrabooka for 27 years. She was awarded the Imperial Services Medal in 1972. It was declared on 27 December 2002. Postmistress Creek flows into Hampsons Bay.
Price Creek Hillsborough Price Creek is a tributary of Winding Creek, named after three brothers named Price, the first settlers in Hillsborough.
Princes Bay Toronto The name given to a bay in Toronto which runs along Brighton Avenue. In 1920 the Prince of Wales stayed at 'Craig Royston', which is on the waterfront here.
Punte Toronto The Aboroginal name given to the Toronto-Coal Point Peninsula. Punte means means ‘a narrow place, any narrow point of land’. Also called Dereh-bambah.
Puntei Creek Coal Point Coal Point Progress Association suggested the name for this creek. Puntei is an Aboriginal name meaning ‘narrow place or any narrow neck of land’. It was also the early recorded name for Reverend Lancelot Edward Threlkelds land grant in the Coal Point area. The name is also referred to in George Whiting’s deed, dated 1882. This creek name was selected in 2005.

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