IF not for displeasure over its sound, Bungambrawatha would probably be where Albury is on maps today.
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Colonial surveyor Thomas Townsend had Bungambrewatah as the native name of the site on his 1838 map.
But administrators felt it was not euphonious and Albury, through some mystery, emerged as the title winner.
"We already have a myriad of Indigenous names as markers in our community and this would not seek to achieve anything but create divisive commentary for others to undermine," he said.
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That anticipates the limp response of many who think 'history is history' and it's not worth considering change.
Yes Albury is ingrained and it is far-fetched to think the city's name will vanish, but there should be more focus on Bungambrawatha.
It gives its name to a stream, which was described as an "outsized gutter" by history writer Jean Macdonald and a "pretty ordinary looking creek" by former deputy mayor David Thurley.
Cr Thurley suggests there was "probably cultural prejudice" also at play in the colonists rejecting Bungambrawatha.
Macdonald was happy it was snubbed, labelling it a tongue-twister that "would probably have been contracted to Bung-o".
Yet Woomargama, Carraragarmungee and Tangambalanga have ended up in atlases and on Google maps.
Albury's twin has been largely known by its Indigenous name of Wodonga, meaning bulrushes, but was officially Belvoir for a period in the 19th century.
Interestingly Belvoir is marked more widely than Bungambrawatha with a school, park and motel all named after the former.
Sentiment and practicality mean Albury is here to stay as a city title, but why not adopt Bungambrawatha as the name of the NSW electorate of Albury.
It would not be overly expensive, give broad historical recognition to the traditional name applied by the Wiradjuri and not unprecedented given regular redrawing of electoral maps results in new names.
Bungambrawatha does warrants a higher profile and its meaning of 'homeland' is special to our Indigenous compatriots and represents what Albury has become for generations since 1838.
It may not have sounded right to the colonial government, but Bungambrawatha can be euphonious for reconciliation in our age.