'MOUNTAIN'
pronounced 'koo-narn-yee'
7 AUGUST 2013
'kunanyi' has been officially gazetted and is now recognised as the indigenous name for Mount Wellington.
Throughout history, the mountain has had many names. Some of the first recorded traditional names included Unghbanyahletta and Poorawetter, whilst during early European exploration the mountain was referred to in Dutch as Skiddaw, French as Montagne du Plateau and English as Table Hill.
After the landing of David Collins in 1804 it was known for a several decades as Table Mountain, after its ‘twin’ overlooking Cape Town, South Africa. After the defeat of Napolean in 1832 it was officially named in honour of the Duke of Wellington.
kunanyi (pronounced koo-narn-yee) means ‘mountain’ in palawa kani, the beautifully revived language of Tasmanian Aborigines.
MWCC has welcomed the dual-naming policy for Tasmanian's most popular natural visitor attraction as a step towards broader recognition of the First Tasmanians. We hope one day this could possibly go further in the same way that 'Uluru' has completely replaced what was once known as Ayers Rock.
Consistent with our proposed sustainable transport and conservation practices, we look forward to enabling indigenous tours from and through our proposed Pinnacle Centre. We hope all visitors to the mountain can be taken on a journey of discovery through its fascinating and largely untold geological formation, aboriginal heritage and colonial adaption.
We have begun collaborative work with various indigenous elders and stakeholder groups to ensure this unique heritage is properly interpreted. Not just for broader appreciation but also deeper respect for the mountain's long significance to all humans.
