Chasing the Tale of the Mermaid and Other Kimberley Tales

For at least thirty years there has been disagreement over some elements of the archaeological legacy left by the early European explorers and settlers on the Kimberley coast. Two of the enigmas that have aroused discussion in recent years are the wording of the inscription on the Mermaid Tree at Careening Bay and origin of the name 'Marigui' at the mouth of the Prince Regent River. This article offers additional evidence in support of the conventional wisdom regarding the inscription on the Mermaid Tree. It also introduces new evidence regarding the origin of the name 'Marigui' which Joseph Bradshaw gave to his shortlived pastoral enterprise on the Prince Regent River. In the light of the increase in tourism to the Kimberley region, and the interest among historians and tour guides in the Mermaid Tree and the Prince Regent River generally, it is pertinent to revisit current interpretations of these significant Kimberley landmarks.