Yalukit

The Yalukit or Yalukit-willam people were a clan[1] or horde of the larger Bunurong, the indigenous inhabitants of the region around Williams Town Melbourne. These people were native to the land for thousands of years and had been until King William IV when he "rightfully" proclaimed the area as Williams Town. It has gone from a small town to a maritime village, with people thriving from shops to restaurants and parks.

Country

Yalukit territory extended eastwards from the Werribee River, through to Williamstown, Sandridge and St Kilda.[2]

Place names in Melbourne from the Yalukit dialect

• Williamstown was called Kertbooruc/ Koort-boork-boork (a clump of she-oak trees at that site).[3]
• Kororoit Creek. Kororoit male kangaroo, said to be from kure (kangaroo).[3][lower-alpha 1]

Notes

1. Alternatively, Koroit may refer to geothermal activity, smoking or hot ground (Clark 2011)

Citations

1. Presland 1994, p. 41.
2. Clark & Heydon 2004, p. 9.
3. Clark 2011.

Sources

• Clark, Ian D. (2011) [First published 2001]. THE YALUKIT-WILLAM: The First People of Hobsons Bay (PDF). Hobsons Bay City Council. ISBN 0-646-41669-3.
• Clark, Ian D.; Heydon, Toby (2004). A Bend in the Yarra: A History of the Merri Creek Protectorate Station and Merri Creek Aboriginal School 1841-1851. Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 978-0-855-75469-3.
• Eidelson, Meyer (2014). Yalukit William: The River People of Port Phillip. City of Port Phillip. ISBN 978-0-646-92065-8.
• Presland, Gary (1994) [First published 1985]. Aboriginal Melbourne. The lost land of the Kulin people. McPhee Gribble. ISBN 978-0-869-14346-9.