How were our towns named
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Oct 5, 2004, 13:25
Cannonvale
Named after the town name which was given by Commander George S Nares RN (1831-1915), naval officer, HMS Salamander, 1866, gave the name Cannon Valley, after Richard Cannon ( - ), Assistant Surgeon HMS Salamander to the valley area west of the coastline (earlier noted by Lieutenant P.P. King, RN in HMS Mermaid in June 1819). Name Town of Cannonvale for the seaward end of the valley emerged in Council and Post Office records from 1907 and in Government Gazette May 1913. though Cannon Valley Beach remained popular locally. In 1930 the name Deauville was adopted officially by the Post Office for the township but replaced in 1947 by Cannonvale Beach. Cannonvale was approved as a place name 31 January 1987. Locality name and bounded by the Minister for Natural Resources 28 January 2000.
Airlie Beach
Formerly town Airlie after request from Lands Department to Proserpine Shire Council in December 1935 for a name for a new sub-division on the coast. Then Chairman Robert Shepherd suggested Airlie and had it confirmed by Council 9 January 1936. Shepherd was born in Montrose, Scotland and probably had some association with the nearby Parish of Airlie. At the time it was rumoured (wrongly in the event) that the Earl of Airlie was to be the next Governor General of Australia and this may have influenced Shepherd's choice. The name Airlie Beach was approved by Governor in Council 31 January 1987.
Shute Harbour
The name was in common local use for many years before being officially named by Governor in Council 25 October 1986. Comprises the body of water westward of a line extending from The Beak through White Rock to Stripe Point. Naming follows on from the 1881 naming of Shute Island at the entrance to the Harbour.
Mandalay
Name said to have been given by local identity and recluse George Sax who resided at the point for about ten years from 1937. Name officially recognised by Queensland Place Names Board 1 December1962.
Proserpine
Derived from Proserpine River. Area on which town developed known from 1882 as Glen Isla Estate, however the overall area around where the town now stands was known as Lower Proserpine (ie lower down the river that the original Proserpine Creek Run) throughout the 1890s and into the new century when Proserpine began to emerge. Date of official naming not known. Proserpine derives from Roman mythology wherein the maiden Proserpina is abducted by Pluto, God of the Underworld.
Conway Beach
Derived from Cape Conway which was named by Lieutenant James Cook RN (1728-1779) HM Bark Endeavour, 3 June 1770, after Henry Seymour Conway (1721-1795) soldier and politician, Secretary of State for the Southern Department 1765-66, Secretary of State for the Northern Department 1766-68. Refer J.C. Beaglehole. The voyage of the Endeavour 1768-1771. Cambridge (UK), 1968,p.336. Named by Queensland Place Names Board 3 January 1961.
Repulse Bay
Named by Lieutenant James Cook RN (1728-1779) navigator, HM Bark Endeavour, 3 June 1770, because of his mistaking the capacity and depth of the Bay. Refer J.C. Beaglehole. The voyage of the Endeavour 1768-1771. Cambridge (UK) 1968, p.336.
Hook Island
Admiralty charts drawn after the earliest surveys of the Whitsunday area showed only very crude representation of the various islands, one such being today's Hook Island. From the 1820's until 1866 its shape was that of a very distinct hook and the name Hook Island became common usage, made official on chart BA347 1863. The correct shape appeared following extensive surveys by Commander G.S. Nares, RN in HMS Salamander in 1865/6.
Whitsunday Island
Derived from the naming of Whitsunday Passage by Lieutenant James Cook RN (1728-1779) navigator, HM Bark Endeavour, 4 June 1770, celebrated as religious festival Whitsun. Refer J.C. Beaglehole. The voyage of the Endeavour 1768-1771. Cambridge (UK), 1968, p.337. Name first appeared on Admiralty chart BA347 1863.
Hayman Island
Named by Commander George Stanley Nares RN (1831-1915) hydrographer, HMS Salamander, in 1866, after Thomas H. Hayman ( - ) Master in HMS Salamander.
Hamilton Island
Together with today's Dent Island was shown on charts from 1820s to1860s as one island, crudely outlined, under the name Passage Island. Surveys by Commander G.S. Nares, RN in HMS Salamander in 1866 and Commander H.M. Bingham in HMS Virago in 1868 revealed the separation between the two and Nares named Dent Island. Bingham's chart shows the name Hamilton Island for the first time. There was a crew member named Hamilton on Salamander (Port Denison Times 30 March 1867) who possibly was also on Virago. May have been Sub Lieutenant A.R. Hamilton, RN who was on the Australia Station at the time.
Daydream Island
In 1932, Lee (Paddy) Murray and his wife Connie opened a small resort on the island which they dubbed Day Dream Island, after their yacht of that name. In about 1947 the name evolved to Daydream Island. Formally West Molle Island, this name derived from Port Molle and was given in May 1881 by Captain J.F.L.P. Maclear, RN in HMS Alert. Daydream Island name approved by Governor in Council 15 July 1989, as a name change from West Molle Island.
South Molle Island
Named Molle Island (Derived from Port Molle) in May 1881 by Captain J.F.L.P. Maclear, RN in HMS Alert. Re-named South Molle Island by Queensland Place Names Board 1 April 1966.
Repair Island
Named in 1932 by Commander C.G. Little, RAN in command of an RAN Boat Party which camped on South Molle Island while surveying sheltered waters in the area. Reason for name not known but possibly they had occasion to repair there one of the two five-ton launches they used in the survey.
Long Island
The name first appears on British Admiralty chart BA347 1863 edition, apparently given in the cartographic office rather than by any individual. The island is long and narrow.
Black Island / Bali Hai
Referred to in 1896 as Woody Island by American naturalist, Alexander Agassiz during a scientific study of coral reefs in the area, presumably a nick-name for his assistant, W.M. Woodworth. Named Black Island in 1926 by Captain J.A. Edgell, RN of HMAS Moresby, who also named Black Reef on the Barrier. Likely there was someone of that name in or associated with Moresby. In modern times the island has been called Bali Hai by the nearby Hayman Island establishment.
Pioneer Bay
Named in 1886 by Lieutenant G.E. Richards, RN in HMS Paluma. Name flowed on from 1862 naming of Pioneer Rocks, and were named after HMS Pioneer, Royal navy vessel on Australia Station 1862-63.
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