Shire of Noosa: History
=== Geological history ===
The Noosa Hinterland was formed during the Oligocene era around 25–30 million years ago when volcanic activity created the ranges. By the beginning of the Neolithic era, Noosa's coast experienced a change in sea level rises when its beaches and waterways began to take shape.
The Noosa area was originally home to several Aboriginal groups. They primarily include the Undumbi tribe to the south, the Dulingbara to the north, and the Kabi Kabi (or Gabbi Gabbi) to the west.
Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Gubbi Gubbi country. The Gubbi Gubbi language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Sunshine Coast Region and Gympie Region, particularly the towns of Caloundra, Noosa Heads, Gympie and extending north towards Maryborough and south to Caboolture.
In 2003, the Federal Court of Australia determined (title claim QC2013/003) that the native title holders for the Noosa area are the Kabi Kabi First Nation.
Although much of the culture and presence of the traditional owners of the Noosa district has been lost during the short period of white settlement, there still exist many subtle reminders. They include:
bora rings, used during rituals.
canoe trees, marks on trees where bark was removed for canoes.
border/navigation trees, marks on trees used to mark paths and/or tribal borders.
stone carvings
burial trees
middens, shell mound created by thousands of years of discarded shells.
stone axes
spoken legends, many local legends which were traditionally passed through the generations survive today.
place names, many local names are versions of the original Aboriginal names.
It is widely accepted that the name Noosa comes from the local Aboriginal word "Noothera" or "Gnuthuru", in the Kabi Kabi language, for shadow or shady place. However this is unlikely as a 1870 map of Noosa by Royal Navy captain and marine surveyor George Poynter Heath shows the Noosa River written as Nusa River and a notice to mariners published 1873 refers to Nusa Head and the Nusa River in Laguna Bay. Nusa is the Indonesian word for island. The Noosa River contains Makepeace Island, Sheep Island and Goat Island. Laguna Bay was previously known as Nusa Bay and Lagoona Bay.
A Keeping Place of indigenous cultural and sacred objects is maintained at the Noosa Shire Museum, Pomona. …