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"Nyleta",
Union Street,
Toowong,
July 14th, 1941.

Mr. Sydney May,
Hon. Secretary,
Q'land Place Names Committee,
University of Queensland.

Dear Sir,

In reply to your attached to a copy of Mr. D. Bull's
letter asking for comment thereon, I think that with the
exception of the name Worri the only names for comment are the
names of the Lakes near Tewentin.

The name Worri is evidently meant for "warui (war-oo-ee)",
the name of the laced monitor or tree iguana

The names of the four lakes in question are, as recorded by
the Lands Dept., Cooloola, which is the native name of the
cypress pine tree; Como, a fresh water lake flowing into Lake
Cootharaba, ? which is connected with Lake Cooroibah,

The last named three are connected by the Noosa River.

I do not know the meaning of Como, but it is probably a
native word that is mis-spelled. (It is of no use putting the
suggested word into print, for it could only be recognised by
sound). Cootharaba, as spelled, certainly means "Place of
clubs or nullas", coothar being a kind of club used by the
local natives.

The meaning of Cooribah is not known, but may possibly
be derived from kurui-ba (Kor-oo-ee-ba) meaning place of
forest opossums.

In all probability these names do not refer to the lakes
theselves but to localities in their vicinities.

The names suggeed by Mr. Bull are translated correctly,
namely Koong Ubbung, of which the more correct spelling would
Koong Ngabang, meaning "Mother water; and Koong Winwah (Koong
wingwur) meaning "Big water", but he gives no actual evidence
that the latter is the name of Lake Cootharaba.

Regarding Lake Cootharaba the evidence regarding name and
meaning is conflicting. One night, t Cooroy, I was, with
and acquaintance, discussing this name, when an elderly man
standing by, asserted that the name was Kunduraba, but he gave
it no meaning, but, continuing, gave the names of a number of
local places with a true aboriginal accent, and he was the only
white man that I ever heard to pronounce the native name of the
town of Tiaro. Unfortunately, He was very drunk and
could keep up no connected discussion. I hoped that I might
meet him when sober, but next morning he was gone and all that
I could hear of him was that he was a local bush-worker.

At another time, a Frazers' Island native, of about 60 to
70 years of age, and whose language is the same as that spoken
at Cootharaba, insisted that the name is Kutchi-a-ba, (or
Cootchee-a-ba), meaning "the place of kutchi, the ground iguana.

There are, thus, three names, either of which may be correct. -

Cootharaba, meaning "Place of clubs or nullas".

Kunduraba, which if spelled kundu-a-ba, means "place of boats
or canoes"; and

Kutchi-a-ba, "Place of ground iguanas".

The evidence is so confliciting that for me to make any
decision regarding it would be too presumptious.

I am inclined to think, however, that the names which are
now given to the lakes do not refer to them but only too
localities in their vicinities. [written in pencil] and Mestonian.

Yours faithfully
[signature]
(F.J. Watson).

P.S.
I think that the name given for the spear wood (Dissilliaria
Baloghiodes should be kauar, not hauer, for the aspirate was never u[s]ed by the blacks.

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