UPPER MITTA MITTA RIVER
Excerpts from The Boundaries of “Jaithmathang Country — An Exploration of Ethnohistorical Sources” – Prepared by: Jacqui Durrant Ph.D
Description of the boundaries of Jaithmathang Country
To the immediate north of the Omeo Plains, Yaitmathang country includes the Gibbo River to where it enters the Mitta Mitta River, also including the Upper Mitta Mitta River. However, the Mitta Mitta River is not exclusively Yaitmathang along its entire length. The lower Mitta Mitta River was occupied by the Tinne-mittong local group (‘clan’) (a.k.a. Dyinning-middha, who spoke Dhudhuroa)
George Augustus Robinson, 1844
On 22 June, 1844, while at McFarlane’s ‘Omeo B’ station, which included present-day Hinnomunjie on the upper Mitta Mitta River,11 Robinson took a census of the Yaitmathang people there, from whom he most likely gleaned the following information:
‘The blacks of Omeo are called the Yaymittong. The blacks on the Mitte Mitte [ie: Mitta Mitta] are called Tin.ne.mitong. The Menero blacks are called Wararerer mittong’.12 Here Robinson records a a direct correspondence between the ‘Omeo’ people and the ‘Yatemittongs’, who in the geographical context of the information provided, are located within country that includes the Omeo
The full statement by Jacqui Durrant Ph.D can be read at www.jaithmathang.com.au
