Central Victorian Jim Crow Creek renamed to Larni Barramal Yaluk

A creek name that has racial connotations in central Victoria has been changed to respect local Indigenous culture. But not everyone is happy.

Jim Crow Creek has been renamed Larni Barramal Yaluk. Picture: Contributed.

The state government has officially registered a new, Indigenous name for a creek in central Victoria to replace one with racial connotations.

Geographic Names Victoria gazetted the change of Hepburn Shire’s 26km ‘Jim Crow Creek’ to ‘Larni Barramal Yaluk’ in the Victoria Government Gazette on Thursday.

The name means ‘home or habitat of the Emu Creek’ or ‘the resting place of the Emu’.

DJAARA chief executive Rodney Carter said the new name was an act of giving, not taking away.

“What we’re actually doing is affording the creek, that has an identity, its (Indigenous) name, and we’re respecting it,” he said.

“The important thing is, I’ve got a name, you’ve got a name, for our name to now be heard gives the creek a voice, which inadvertently it never had because somebody imposed another name on it.

“This is around the whole notion of connecting humans to Country. You speak to Country. How do you do that? You just speak in my language about places.”

DJAARA CEO Rodney Carter. Photo: Djaara

Hepburn Shire Mayor Brian Hood said the new name “reconnects the landscape with Dja Dja Wurrung culture and language”.

The shire has campaigned in favour of the alteration for several years and resolved to formally request a new name in April 2022, as did Mount Alexander Shire Council.

The mayor of that shire, Rosie Annear, said the title ‘Larni Barramal Yaluk’ “recognises and honours the traditional owners of our region, is inclusive, and connects us to our Aboriginal heritage”.

“The decision was made following consultation with the community and stakeholders, which include DJAARA and local Indigenous elders,” she said.

“In making our decision to change the name, councillors also considered the impact the name has on First Nations People.”

Sixth generation Shepherds Flat resident Ian Tinetti said he was against the change.

He said there were bigger problems on which the council should focus and that he and his friends, including Indigenous ones, would probably agree that the replacement name was unnecessary.

“It’s a massive thing to want to change it,” Mr Tinetti said.

“For me, no way would I want to change that name because of the history, the stories, and what’s involved with it.

“I don’t agree with it at all … I’d say all of us close to the creek will stick with the Jim Crow.”

The path of Larni Barramal Yaluk in central Victoria. Photo: Hepburn Shire

History of the term

The term ‘Jim Crow’ is typically associated with Southern US laws enforcing the segregation of black and white Americans.

However, a 1967 book by Edgar Morrison called Frontier Life in the Loddon Protectorate speculated as to the name’s origin in central Victoria.

Mr Morrison said the expression was used to denote the whole Loddon district as well as individual people.

For example — according to Federation University’s Professor Barry Golding — mid-1800s names for Lalgambook’s (Mt Franklin’s) peak, the nearby Aboriginal Protectorate, Indigenous persons, and gold diggings all included the phrase.

Both Mr Morrison and Professor Golding referred to a circa 1830 American minstrel show that contained a chorus which spread the ‘Jim Crow’ epithet.

Mr Morrison suggested that John Hepburn, “perhaps with the maddening refrain churning in his mind”, thus named the area in his own terms.

Professor Golding said Mr Hepburn’s knowledge of the local Indigenous presence would have given him additional justification for using the expression.

In any case, a historic reference to the name Jim Crow Creek will be included in the VICNAMES register.