Talk:Billabong

Etymology
I am curious as to why the article references "out house" for billabong. As far as I know, the term "out house" refers to a place of defecation... and I don't think that applies to billabongs? I'm confused. Who wrote this article? ~Andolirien —Preceding unsigned comment added by 150.243.55.40 (talk) 03:18, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

I'd like to know what the source is for billabong being a Scottish word. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists the source of the word as Wiradhuri bilabaŋ from 1861, and if Wiradhuri has borrowed the word from Scottish English I would dearly love to know how on earth that came about. I'm changing this in the article until someone provides a reference for the Scottish origin. Thefamouseccles 00:02, 15 March 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.239.64.116 (talk)

I highly doubt that most people who search billabong are looking for the lake... if it were up to me, I would change it to the brand. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.186.199.244 (talk) 03:34, 10 October 2011 (UTC)


 * Never heard of the brand. Obviously 67.186.199.244 did not grow up in a Crown Colony. --Bejnar (talk) 13:32, 22 April 2012 (UTC)

Etherpad with further ideas to improve this article
http://etherpad.wikimedia.org/Billabong Wittylama 01:13, 20 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Beat me to it by a whole day! &mdash; Joseph Fox 03:47, 21 January 2012 (UTC)

Etherpad result - to be merged into the article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billabong

Billabong is an Australian English word for a small body of water that is cut off from the main branch to form an oxbow lake, which is created when the path of a river changes and creates a section of still water adjacent to a river.[1] The former branch is left with a dead end. In the arid Australian climate, billabongs are one type of "dead river" that fill with water seasonally and are dry for a greater part of the year.[2]

Etymology (2)
The word is thought to be derived from the indigenous Wiradjuri term bilabaŋ. As the lake kept water longer than parts of the river, it was important to the people to name these areas.[1][3][4] One source claims a Scottish Gaelic origin of the term.[5]

In literature Billabongs are famously mentioned in the first line of Waltzing Matilda".

"Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabong, Under the shade of a Coolibah tree, And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling, Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me"

- Banjo Paterson

There is a series of Australian books known as the Billabong series.

The stories focus on the adventures of the Linton family on Billabong station during the period of World War I, In art

Commerce Billabong is the name of a brand of Australian clothing and surfwear.

Billabongs are referred to relatively often in Australian literature. Banjo Paterson's famous folk song "Waltzing Matilda" takes place beside a billabong.

See also Waltzing Matilda Limnology

^ a b Clarke, R. "Australianisms in 'Waltzing Matilda'", Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 10 December 2003. Last accessed 5 November 2009. ^ USGS [Annotated Definitions of Selected Geomorphic Terms and Related  Terms of Hydrology, Sedimentology, Soil Science, and Ecology], USGS Open  File Report 2008-1217. ^ Ludowyk, F. "Of Billy, Bong, Bung, & 'Billybong'", Australian National University, no date. Last accessed 15 March 2008 ^ "billabong", Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online. Accessed 15 March 2008 ^ Skilton, St J. The Survey of Scottish Gaelic in Australia and New Zealand, p. 300. Quote: A respondent to his survey said: "'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." University of Fribourg, Switzerland, June 2004. Last accessed 15 March 2008

MACQUARIE DEFINITION billabong /ˈbɪləbɒŋ/ noun 1. a waterhole in an anabranch, replenished only in flood time. 2. a waterhole in a river or creek that dries up outside the rainy season. 3. an abandoned stream channel.

Australian Aboriginal; Wiradjuri: literally, a watercourse which runs only after rain, from bila river + -bang

http://geography.lancs.ac.uk:82/Plone/images/billabong.jpg/view

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=WVL3M27PJMsC&pg=PT109&dq=billabong+Wiradjuri&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ODcaT72bEeK0iQeMqYTzCw&ved=0CFYQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=billabong%20Wiradjuri&f=false

Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabong, Under the shade of a Coolibah tree, And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling, Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me

BEST WAY TO QUOTE...

"phrase"

- person


 * It does not have to be an oxbow, any deepened bend will produce a billabong as the river drys. --Bejnar (talk) 13:32, 22 April 2012 (UTC)

Merge opposition
The word “Billabong” is notable in its own right and incredibly important in many aspects of Australian cultural identity. I do not in any way support merging this article with Oxbow Lake. - Chris.sherlock (talk) 14:31, 11 April 2020 (UTC)
 * The discussion for this merge is at Talk:Oxbow lake -- Aussie Legend  ( ✉ ) 14:38, 11 April 2020 (UTC)
 * Just noticed, thanks! - Chris.sherlock (talk) 14:39, 11 April 2020 (UTC)