Following the excellent presentation by John Lamont at our monthly meeting last night there was some discussion on the origins of the name Kooringal which is shared by the Wagga suburb and the Lamont family owned Kooringal Stud at Harefield, near Wagga. Some quick research today suggests that Kooringal is thought to mean “Side of a Hill” in the Wiradjuri language.
In the reference “The Street Names of Wagga Wagga” compiled by Bill Ellis it says the suburb name is the…”Name taken from the KOORINGAL property and Homestead which was at one time, the centre of a large pastoral holding; used in the 1960’s for diarying and grazing. The property was originally taken up in about1860. It came into ownership of Mr D.C.F. Brown in 1946. On 21 June 1968, the then owner, Mr D.C.F. Brown advised that he understood the name to mean “Side of a Hill” in Aboriginal language. It has been said that it could also be an Aboriginal word meaning “Home near the Water” but the latter cannot be reliably traced.”
You’ll also find a short interesting history of the Lamont family and reference to the name Kooringal on their website at http://www.kooringalstud.com.au/pages/kooringal_profile.htm
