Gympie creek officially named after First Nations horseman

The crack horseman and groom who lived and worked in the Glastonbury region near Gympie in the late 1800s was frequently known to camp beside the creek that has been named after him. Read the full story:

A new creek name will recognise Uncle Jimmy, a Gympie regional First Nations horseman from the gold rush days.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart and Gympie Regional Council Mayor Glen Hartwig announced the naming of the creek, which flows into Glastonbury Creek this week.

Uncle Jimmy was a crack horseman and groom in the 1800s, who worked for several families in the Glastonbury area near Gympie and often camped on the creek that has now been named after him.

“The community expressed their strong support for the name of Uncle Jimmys Creek, acknowledging First Nations people and history,” Mr Stewart said on Thursday.

“The Palaszczuk Government continues to work with First Nations communities to formally name sites that carry spiritual and cultural significance.

Uncle Jimmy Creek has been named after a First Nations crack horseman and groom who worked for several pioneering families near Glastonbury, Gympie, in the 1800s.

“I applaud the Gympie Regional Council for putting forward the suggestion for the naming of the creek.”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Craig Crawford said recognising the history of First Nations people was important.

“The newly named Uncle Jimmys Creek is a great example of our work on the Path to Treaty,” Mr Crawford said.

“It demonstrates our Government’s commitment to truth-telling and reconciliation.”

Mr Hartwig said he was happy to support the naming of an unnamed and unsigned creek that flows into Glastonbury Creek as Uncle Jimmys Creek, as it recognised the rich history of our First Nations people.

“Like many parts of Australia, the Gympie region has a long and storied history with the traditional custodians who deserve to be recognised for their contributions to our community,” he said.

“I am pleased to endorse the naming proposal of the unnamed creek at Glastonbury as Uncle Jimmys Creek.“

Jimmy has been described as a First Nations horseman, employed by Thomas Betts, the first European settler of the Glastonbury region in 1869. Jimmy also worked at the Glastonbury Inn, which was held under licence by Thomas Betts at the time.

Jimmy was known to camp beside the creek that ran through the property of Thomas Betts.

The inclusion of “Uncle” was proposed by the Gympie Regional Council in a sign of respect and to indicate that Jimmy was a First Nations man.

The creek is just southeast of the township of Glastonbury in the Gympie Regional Council local government area.

It begins in the Glastonbury State Forest area, before continuing 4.2km in a northeast direction across multiple properties.

The name will now be entered in the Placenames database, which can be searched at www.resources.qld.gov.au/qld/environment/land/place-names/search