Billabong (/ˈbɪləbɒŋ/BIL-ə-bong) is an Australian term for an oxbow lake, an isolated crescentic pond left behind after a river loop is cut off when the river channel changes course.[1] Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes due to bank erosion, leaving the former channel deprived of further inflow and becoming a dead-end gully holding only residual water that has not yet drained or evaporated. As a result of the arid climate of many parts of Australia, these "dead rivers" often fill with water seasonally but can be dry for a greater part of the year.[2]
Billabongs are significant because they do not have outflow and can hold water longer than sections of rivers especially during drier season, thus serving important ecological functions as waterholes and habitats for semiaquatic animals such as frogs. In the older days, these were important landmarks for people to identify and many billabongs were namesaked by the local areas.[3][4][5]
The etymology of the word billabong is disputed. The word is most likely derived from the Wiradjuri term bilabaŋ, which means "a watercourse that runs only after rain". It is derived from bila, meaning "river",[6] It may have been combined with bong or bung, meaning "dead".[7][8] One source, however, claims that the term is of Scottish Gaelic origin.[9]
References in Australian cultureedit
In literatureedit
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong, Under the shade of a coolibah tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled, Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me
Mary Grant Bruce wrote a series of books, known as The Billabong Series, depicting the adventures of the Linton family, who live at Billabong station from around 1911[10] until the late 1920s.[11][12]
In artedit
Both Aboriginal Australians and European artists use billabongs as subject matter in painting. For example, Aboriginal painter Tjyllyungoo (Lance Chad) has a watercolour entitled Trees at a billabong.[13]
American avant-garde filmmaker Will Hindle produced a short film titled Billabong in 1969.
In commerceedit
Billabong is the name of an Australian brand of sportswear for surf, skateboard, and snowboard.
^. Burarra Gathering. Wurdeja, Ji-malawa and Yilan Aboriginal Communities. 21 June 2006. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
^USGS [Annotated Definitions of Selected Geomorphic Terms and Related Terms of Hydrology, Sedimentology, Soil Science, and Ecology], USGS Open File Report 2008-1217.
^Clarke, R. "Australianisms in 'Waltzing Matilda'", Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 10 December 2003. Last accessed 23 February 2018.
^Ludowyk, F. . Australian National University. Archived from the original on Jun 23, 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
^"billabong", Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online. Accessed 23 February 2018.
^"billabong." The Macquarie Dictionary. South Yarra: The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd., 2005. Credo Reference. Web. 19 January 2012.
^A. P. Elkin (June 1967). "Review of Australian English: An Historical Study of the Vocabulary, 1788-1898 by W. S. Ramson". Oceania. Oceania Publications, University of Sydney. 37 (4): 318–319. doi:10.1002/j.1834-4461.1967.tb00924.x. JSTOR 40329620.
^"billabong". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
^Skilton, St J. (June 2004). (PDF). p. 300. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-23. Retrieved 23 February 2018. 'Bill' = 'bile' = 'lip or mouth' and 'abong' is from 'abhainn' = 'river' with a parasitic 'G' added. A billabong probably has a mouth shape of sorts being at a bend in a river.
^Pierce, Peter (2009). The Cambridge history of Australian literature. Cambridge, England; New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-88165-4.
^"Trees at a billabong". National Museum Australia. 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
External linksedit
Look up billabong in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Media related to Billabongs of Australia at Wikimedia Commons
January 09, 2024
billabong, other, uses, disambiguation, bong, australian, term, oxbow, lake, isolated, crescentic, pond, left, behind, after, river, loop, when, river, channel, changes, course, usually, formed, when, path, creek, river, changes, bank, erosion, leaving, former. For other uses see Billabong disambiguation Billabong ˈ b ɪ l e b ɒ ŋ BIL e bong is an Australian term for an oxbow lake an isolated crescentic pond left behind after a river loop is cut off when the river channel changes course 1 Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes due to bank erosion leaving the former channel deprived of further inflow and becoming a dead end gully holding only residual water that has not yet drained or evaporated As a result of the arid climate of many parts of Australia these dead rivers often fill with water seasonally but can be dry for a greater part of the year 2 A billabong along Scrubby Creek at Berrinba Wetlands in Berrinba Logan City 2014Billabong Northern TerritoryBillabongs are significant because they do not have outflow and can hold water longer than sections of rivers especially during drier season thus serving important ecological functions as waterholes and habitats for semiaquatic animals such as frogs In the older days these were important landmarks for people to identify and many billabongs were namesaked by the local areas 3 4 5 Contents 1 Etymology 2 References in Australian culture 2 1 In literature 2 2 In art 2 3 In commerce 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksEtymology editThe etymology of the word billabong is disputed The word is most likely derived from the Wiradjuri term bilabaŋ which means a watercourse that runs only after rain It is derived from bila meaning river 6 It may have been combined with bong or bung meaning dead 7 8 One source however claims that the term is of Scottish Gaelic origin 9 References in Australian culture editIn literature edit Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong Under the shade of a coolibah tree And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled Who ll come a waltzing Matilda with me Banjo Paterson Waltzing Matilda Banjo Paterson s popular song Waltzing Matilda is set beside a billabong Mary Grant Bruce wrote a series of books known as The Billabong Series depicting the adventures of the Linton family who live at Billabong station from around 1911 10 until the late 1920s 11 12 In art edit Both Aboriginal Australians and European artists use billabongs as subject matter in painting For example Aboriginal painter Tjyllyungoo Lance Chad has a watercolour entitled Trees at a billabong 13 American avant garde filmmaker Will Hindle produced a short film titled Billabong in 1969 In commerce edit Billabong is the name of an Australian brand of sportswear for surf skateboard and snowboard See also edit nbsp Australia portal nbsp Lakes portalGuelta Limnology MeanderReferences edit Rivers Continuing in Time Burarra Gathering Wurdeja Ji malawa and Yilan Aboriginal Communities 21 June 2006 Archived from the original on 10 May 2013 Retrieved 10 April 2013 USGS Annotated Definitions of Selected Geomorphic Terms and Related Terms of Hydrology Sedimentology Soil Science and Ecology USGS Open File Report 2008 1217 Clarke R Australianisms in Waltzing Matilda Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd 10 December 2003 Last accessed 23 February 2018 Ludowyk F Of Billy Bong Bung amp Billybong Australian National University Archived from the original on Jun 23 2016 Retrieved 23 February 2018 billabong Merriam Webster Dictionary Online Accessed 23 February 2018 billabong The Macquarie Dictionary South Yarra The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd 2005 Credo Reference Web 19 January 2012 A P Elkin June 1967 Review of Australian English An Historical Study of the Vocabulary 1788 1898 by W S Ramson Oceania Oceania Publications University of Sydney 37 4 318 319 doi 10 1002 j 1834 4461 1967 tb00924 x JSTOR 40329620 billabong Dictionary com Retrieved 23 February 2018 Skilton St J June 2004 The Survey of Scottish Gaelic in Australia and New Zealand PDF p 300 Archived from the original PDF on 2012 04 23 Retrieved 23 February 2018 Bill bile lip or mouth and abong is from abhainn river with a parasitic G added A billabong probably has a mouth shape of sorts being at a bend in a river Bruce Mary Grant A Little Bushmaid Bruce Mary Grant Billabong Adventurers Pierce Peter 2009 The Cambridge history of Australian literature Cambridge England New York Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 88165 4 Trees at a billabong National Museum Australia 2013 Retrieved 10 April 2013 External links edit nbsp Look up billabong in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Media related to Billabongs of Australia at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Billabong amp oldid 1191344348, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
