Maribyrnong River
London has the Thames, Paris the Seine, New York the Hudson and Melburnians living in the north west have the other river the Maribyrnong River one of Melbourne's major urban waterways. The name is derived from mirring-gnay-bir-nong, said to mean "I can hear a ringtail possum' in the local Woiwurrung language. The Maribyrnong winds through Keilor, Sunshine, Essendon and Footscray, then flows into the Yarra near Port Melbourne. For many years it has been a source of industry, recreation, vegetation and Aboriginal archaeological sites. In 1940, an Aboriginal Skull was found during excavation on dry creek near the Maribyrnong in Keilor; it has been dated to about 15,000 years old. Further investigations have unearthed evidence of campsites as old as 40,000 years. Prior to this discovery the explorers James Fleming, Charles Grimes were on a survey of Bass Strait and Port Phillip in February, 1803 when they launched a small rowing boat from their ship and made their way up the...