WHAT’S IN A NAME AND PLACE – PIALBA

Hervey Bay Regional Gallery has always sat within the bounds of the Hervey Bay suburb of Pialba. There are a few different ideas around the origin of the name “Pialba”, however it has been recognised that this is a corrupted Badtjala word for borrillba (sea mullet) (Foley & Wondunna Aboriginal Corporation, 2019, p. 160). According to Queensland State Government ‘Queensland place names search’, Pialba has additional following possible meanings:

1.

From Kabi language, place of fighting, from bai/ya fight and ba - place. Refer F.J. Watson. Vocabularies of four representative tribes of South Eastern Queensland. Brisbane, 1944, p.111. From Kabi language, bagillba from bagill indicating mullet and ba - place. Refer J.G. Steele. Aboriginal pathways. Brisbane, 1983, p.204.

(Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, 2019)

2. MY FAVOURITE HERVEY BAY REGIONAL GALLERY MEMORY: “WHEN OLAFUR ELIASSON’S ‘THE CUBIC STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION PROJECT’ AND RON MUECK’S ‘IN BED’ SPENT TIME IN HERVEY BAY – WHAT A COUP! SO COOL.”

— Liza Young, HOD Creative Futures, Urangan State High School

Prior to this naming of Pialba, the larger area known as Point Vernon; named in 1861 after Captain Charles Vernon by R.B. Sheridan, the Harbour Master of Maryborough. Captain Vernon was the commander of HMS Cordelia, which conveyed the first Governor to Queensland in 1859 – Governor Bowen. A report written by R.B. Sheridan dated 27 July 1861 in the Courier Mail 8 August 1861 published these details. (Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, 2019) Point Vernon was also recognised as “Polson”, which later became the first name of the general location of Pialba after being surveyed for a new township. “Polson” was named after the cemetery land donor, later buried in the Polson Cemetery in 1887. (Centre for the Government of Queensland, 2018) The area was part of the Burrum local government division (1880), which was reduced in size and named “Pialba Shire” in 1905. The Pialba Shire amalgamated in 1917 to create a new Burrum Shire with four others, entirely surrounding Maryborough. In 1931, Polson was formally renamed “Pialba”. The early settling of the township was driven by timber-getters, sugar cane growers and holiday homes for Maryborough residents. Later, mixed farming, fishing and recreational anglers assisted with the growth and popularity of the township. (Centre for the Government of Queensland, 2018) Hervey Bay entered a high growth period in the 1970s, and in 1976 local businessmen and shire councillors successfully advocated for the State Government to gazette Hervey Bay Shire Council. In 1984, additional population growth ensured that Hervey Bay Shire Council became the Hervey Bay City Council. (Hervey Bay History, 2015-2016)