Once all the greetings were complete at Bondi, nine EZY walkers set off for Tamarama. Particular welcomes for Lawrie, Ray, Rosemary and John D'C who were coming back after injury-time.
Pink may be the new colour for 2018. Rosemary and Ray seem to think so
Kurt delivers the second of two very well received talks about how the suburbs on our walk were named.
This time he spoke of Henry Kendalls' close connections to Coogee, and maybe why Kendall was not buried in Coogee.
- Yes the clue could be in the surburb's name.
Looking at the view ...... and the view they were looking at.
Lunch on the north headland of Coogee Beach. The Regulars arrived first, and Claude relaxed and talked. By the end of lunch, Kevin showed Claude what real relaxing is.
Downhill to coffee
For the record: Helen A and Kurt lead Lilian,Margaret B, Rosemary and Kevin, Ray, Lawrie, John D'C.
Words by Helen A and photos by Lilian (1, 2, 5, 7, 9), Ray (4, 6, 8) and Helen A (3).
At the request of the walkers, Kurt has supplied his notes on the origin of the names of suburbs we skirted.
"BONDI:
Aboriginal word meaning “sound of waves breaking on the beach/rocks”. First mentioned by surveyor James Meehan as Bundi Bay.
TAMARAMA:
Known in the 1860s as Dixon Bay after a landowner Dr. Dixon. 1885 it becomes Tamarama but no explanation why. Naval map from 1860 shows it as Gamma Gamma. It is probably an aboriginal word possibly meaning storm.
BRONTE:
Named after Bronte House built by Robert Lowe, a British barrister, at what was then known as Nelson Bay. Lowe, returned to England, was a member of the House of Commons, Chancellor of the Exchequer and ultimately Lord Sherbrook. He claims he did not name it Bronte. He bought the land from Mortimer Lewis who had already laid the foundations but was forced to sell because of the economic depression. It is said to have been named after Lord Nelson who was the Duke of Bronte, a place in Sicilly.
WAVERLEY:
Named after Waverly house built by Barnett Levey who founded the Theatre Royal. Named after the Waverly novels that became famous at that time by an author who wanted to remain anonymous? The first novel was Waverly, about the Jacobite rebellion. Subsequent novels always bore the phrase “by the author of Waverly” and hence were known as the Waverly novels. The included Robb Roy, Quentin Durward, The Talisman, Ivanhoe and Lucy of Lammemoor on which Donzetti based his opera. Today we know the author as Sir Walter Scott.
CLOVELLY:
Named after the coastal town Clovelly in Devon, England by the first land grantee William Charles Grenville.
COOGEE:
Henry Kendall, born near Ulladulla, he was a friend of Henry Parkes who made him Inspector of State Forests. He rode out in all weather, caught a chill, developed consumption and passed away and now lies up here at lofty Waverley rather down there at Coogee.
There may be a reason for it because Coogee is said to be an aboriginal word for “bad smell” or “stink”. The derivation is suspect but that is what legend tells us. But why? There may be a clue in Henry Kendall’s poem Coogee when he says:
“…to watch the breakers beat
Round the steadfast crags of Coogee dim with drifts of driving sleet,
Hear hollow mournful noises sweeping down a solemn shore
While the grim sea caves are tideless and the storm strives at their core.”
A lot of kelp, seaweed, is driven into these craggy caves where it decomposes with a rather unpleasant smell."
Thanks Kurt.