DEAR News Of The Area,

CAN we have a conversation about a disturbing subject?

Can we talk about the naming of the Boolumbahtee river?

Many people know it as the Manning River.

When Robert Dawson named the river after William Manning he was one of the main backers of the Australian Agricultural Company originally set up locally.

Dawson may not have known that Manning campaigned in the English Parliament to keep slavery going.

He only relented when they agreed to compensate the slave owners.

Do we really want our great double-delta river system, flowing 261 kilometres from Barrington Tops to the sea, named after a man who supported slavery?

Regards,
Tracy DE GEER.