ENPages
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Sept 11th 1940,
Dear Mr. May,
I am returning, to you the print of the Glass House Mountain and the sketch of a flying opossum, of both of which I now have copies.
Perhaps you would care to retain them in connection with my correspondence in re. the meanings of the aboriginals' names of the said mountain.
Yours faithfully FJWatson
62
Sketch of flying squirrel in a biting attitude.
Chiber-kaiyathan.
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(Image of Glasshouse Mountain with car in foreground) GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAIN
On the left hand top & side of the mountain may be seen the form of a flying squirrel bestriding the crest with its tail tapering off to the extreme left.
FJW
64
(newspaper clipping of Glasshouse Mountain with a train engine and car in the foreground) Tibrogargan, which rears its bulk to the sky, stands like some giant sentinel in close proximity to the railway and road.
The engine smoke hides part of the tail of the squirrel.
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"Nyleta", Union Street, Toowong, October 1st, 1940.
Mr. Sydney May, Hon. Secretary, Qld Place Names Committee, University of Queensland,
Dear Sir,
Relative to the meanings of the place names Kuranda and Millaa Millaa and of the spelling of the name of the ti-tree, or tea-tree, referred to at the last meeting of the above Committee, I beg to present the following information.
Re. Kuranda -- On the authority of E.Cowley, Kuranda, vide F.M.Bailey's "Queensland Flora, 1899" ,kuranda is the name of an indigenous, acorus leafed plant, Helmholtzia acorifolia, whose habitat is Kuranda as well as other northern places. From the description of this plant with its long, sword-like leaves and its pyramidal, long panicled flower head, it must be a conspicuous feature of bush still life which would suggest its name as a place name.
Re. -- Millaa Millaa-- This name is, no doubt, a corruption of millai millai, the native name of an indigenous species of oleaster, a shrub or tree, Elaeagnus latifolia, whose habitat, vide Bailey's "Queensland Flora" is the Atherton Table-land.
Re. Titree or teatree, which name has been commonly applied to various species of melaleuca or paper-bark trees-- it has been recorded (I regret that I cannot recall the authority) that the members of an early Australian exploring party suffered from scurvy and that, for the relief thereof, a decoction or "tea" ,made from the leaves of the tree ,was experimented with.
Also, vide Bailey's "Queensland Flora" , according to --Palmer, the young leaves of the white-flowered tea-tree were crushed in water and the water was drunk for the cure of head-ache, colds etc.
I am therefore of opinion that the vernacular name should be tea-tree.
(I may mention)--