William Thomas’ map 1840 showing Nerre nerre minum or South Melbourne
The South Melbourne area is marked as Nerre nerre minum on William Thomas’ map of Melbourne and Westernport in February 1840. This location may have extended south to Fitzroy Street. It was rich in lagoons, such as Albert Park Lake, surrounding the strategic and drier height of Emerald Hill with a short distance west to today’s coastline of Albert and Middle Park and north to the fresh water and river crossing at the Yarra falls. Movements of Kulin clans around Melbourne in the 1830s and 1840s including in the City of Port Phillip are described by Ian Clark and Toby Heydon in their book A Bend in the Yarra 2004. The Boon Wurrung camped at Nerre nerre minum with their Watha Wurrung allies in July 1844. Both groups had just attended judicial proceedings north of Melbourne on 3 July involving over 320 clan members organised by a Grand Council of 106 men. Yalukit Willam country shared a common border with Watha Wurrung country at the Werribee River and the relationship between the groups was strengthened by marriage ties.
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