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THROSBY THEMES
Aboriginal Homeland

The Hunter River or Coquun estuary as the aboriginal people

originally named it transformed from tidal mudflats and

beaches to creeks, swamps, floodplains, forests, and fields offering a

diverse food supply of fish, shellfish, flora, and fauna.

Aboriginal people resided on the shores of the Coquun for

thousands of years. Evidence of their camp sites and shell middens

along the river bank, from Yohaaba at the mouth of the Coquun to

Onebygamba, purports the existence once of many clan groups.

The Aboriginal population on the Coquun declined rapidly after

the establishment of a white settlement at Newcastle in 1804.

The first official muster of Aboriginal people at Muloobinba in

1827 registered only 140 Aboriginal persons in receipt of

Government Slops and Blankets. This clan was identified as

the Coal River Tribe consisting of 50 men, 40 women, and
50 children.

Behind Meerkarlba a campsite, ceremonial and burial grounds

once existed. A high ridge and paddock provided sheltered and

flat camp sites away from the tidal influences of the Coquun.

Aboriginal place names for locations around Newcastle Harbour

Muloobinba (place of the Mulubin sea fern)- Newcastle

Coquun - Hunter River •
Meekarlba - Place of sweet honey-Honeysuckle

Derrigarba - Wickham

Onebygamba (place of large mound)- Carrington

Yohaaba - Port Hunter

Whibaygamba - Nobbys Island

Tahlbihn - South Headland

Burrabihngarn - North Headland

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