Werribee River
The explorers Hume and Hovell camped by the river on 15 December 1824. They named it the Arndell after Hovell's father-in-law. John Helder Wedge 're-discovered' the river in 1835 and at first called it the Peel, but then changed it to the Ex or Exe. Exford, an early crossing place on the river, is based on this name. One of the local Wautharong speaking Kulin tribesman that accompanied Wedge said the name for the stream was 'Weariby Yallock' ('yallock' meaning 'stream'). The spelling changed to the present form of Werribee. The original aboriginal word meant spine or backbone.