‘You can’t change history’: Burdekin Shire Council fights to keep Yellow Gin Creek name

A North Queensland council says it will fight a request to rename Yellow Gin Creek, because the name has too much local significance, despite accusations the name is linked to rape. Have your say in our poll.

Yellow Gin Creek south of Ayr. Pic Mark Calleja

• List: Qld’s ‘offensive’ place names

Burdekin Shire councillors have hit back at a state government program to rename Yellow Gin Creek, saying the name has too much local significance.

The subject was raised after councillors received a letter from the Department of Resources requesting they give feedback on the possibility of rename the creek under new laws that make it easier to rename places that “may cause offence or harm”.

‘Gin’ place names are a particular focus of the state, with 16 ‘Black Gin Creeks’ across the state receiving letters to rename as well as 14 other creeks containing the word ‘gin’.

The term ‘gin’ has almost completely disappeared from the Australian lexicon, but up till the 50s and 60s it was a term used to describe an Aboriginal woman, particularly one white men sexually abused, and became a highly offensive slur in some parts of the country.

The word is a bastardisation of the Dharuk (Sydney) word diyin which means wife or woman.

Yellow Gin Creek in 1929.

‘Yellow gin’ is also recorded as a term used for half-caste Aboriginal women.

Burdekin mayor Pierina Dalle Cort said council had contacted a local historian to track down the origin of Yellow Gin Creek’s name, but no records could reveal the reason.

“It could be referencing the name of a drink, yellow gin, which was distilled by early pioneers as a form of inexpensive alcohol,” Ms Dalle Cort said.

“There is no historical documentation indicating the reason for the name.”

When questioned about the other definition of ‘gin’ as an offensive term for Aboriginal women, Ms Dalle Cort said “that’s their (Queensland Government’s) take on it”.

“We can’t change history,” Ms Dalle Cort said.

“I don’t think it’s offensive in any way, to me.”

Ongoing debate: In 2009 Burdekin Mayor Lyn McLaughlin said Yellow Gin Creek could be named after the alcoholic beverage gin which turns yellow when aged in oak. Photo: John Andersen

A former landowner in the Yellow Gin Creek area told theTownsville Bulletin the creek had been called Yellow Gin “as long as they could remember” and felt it shouldn’t be renamed.

When asked if they knew what Yellow Gin meant, they said they didn’t know, and it was “just a name”.

According to the North Queensland Land Council, oral history among the local Juru People records a group of ‘light-skinned’ women who worked at Inkerman Station living in the creek — potentially the ‘yellow gin’ mentioned in the name.

Yellow Gin Creek bridge was renamed to 'Youngoorah bridge' in 2016. Youngoorah is the Juru word for 'women'.

According to John Kerr’s book Black snow and liquid gold, Inkerman Station was established in 1864 but was plagued by cattle tick when the parasite found its way into Australia and the land was sold back to the state in 1910 for farm subdivision.

It’s likely during this period the creek picked up its name.

In 2016 the Department of Transport renamed Yellow Gin Creek Bridge to ‘Youngoorah bridge’ after the Juru word for ‘women’.

The new Burdekin mayor Pierina Dalle Cort

While the state government has the power to rename roads and bridges, renaming the actual creek lies entirely in the hands of Burdekin Shire Council.

Councillors voted 6-1 to reject the renaming request.

It was decided in the July meeting that council would “provide feedback” to the Department of Resources voicing objection to renaming Yellow Gin Creek due to the creek’s local historical significance.

The Place Names Act of 1994 was amended in April 2024 to remove red tape when it came to renaming places considered racist or offensive — but they still need local councils to play ball.

Originally published as ‘You can’t change history’: Burdekin Shire Council fights to keep Yellow Gin Creek name