Maleeyeeto Derrinallum ba Buninyong pooleetya marr
Derrinallum-ngat moorreetyeerr-an
Buninyong ngaki-n Derrinallum-ngat moorreetyeerr ba wana-n teen
Buninyong wana-n yalkoornpan Derrinallum Ngootyoong marree wanyoo moorreetyeerr
noongala laka-n korr ba yalkoornpan-n Baribial
kalo Buninyong wana-n ngootyoong marree-nyoong weelkyka
Derrinallum Ngatook parng
Buninyong yampeen Derrinallum teen karratpeeteen ween patpakal
noongala wayapawanh Baribial
Derrinallum katyat Buninyong ngeenan pa teen pakweeyt ngatook ngakee makatepa
Derrinallum Buninyong maneen poorta peem moorreetyeerr
Derrinallum leengkeel meeng peem ngootook ngakee makatepa
Marr-arra matay tanu weelkyka meerreeng-u ba wata-u-ngal kalpeerran
Marr-arra kalpeerran-anyeen meerreeng-i pa koong-ngal wata karrang-ngal

Translated by Joel Wright 2011
This story was told using Keerray woorroong sounds and spellings

English Translation

Mount Elephant and Mount Buninyong were once men.
Elephant was in possession of a stone axe.
Buninyong saw his axe and wanted it.
Buninyong offered him some gold for it.
Having agreed, they met at what is now Pitfield Diggings for the exchange.
Some time later Buninyong reconsidered, and desired his gold back.
Elephant refused.
Buninyong sent him a fighting message and the challenge was accepted.
They met at Pitfield Diggings.
Elephant buried his spear in Buninyong’s side and the hole can be seen to this day.
Elephant received a deadly blow on the head from Buninyong’s stone axe.
The gaping hole in elephant’s head can also be seen.
The two men, mortally wounded, retired in opposite directions.
Their bodies turned into mountains at the spot where they died.

Further Information

Sounds of Keerray woorroong

a as in father
e as in bed
o as in pot
u as in put
oo as in foot
ee as in feet
b/p as in big or pig
d as in deer
g/k as in goat or kick
l as in like
m as in milk
n as in nine
ng as in sing
r as in red
rr as in road
t as in try
ty as in chin yt at end of words

Placename Meanings

Mount Buninyong–Buninyong–Man lying on his back with raised knees.
Mount Elephant–Derrinallum–home of sea swallows or terns frequenting neighbouring marshes.