The following information is extracted from a booklet held at the Museum, "Wang Wauk – a Potted History" put together by Leonard Gallagher in 1987.

"Wang Wauk was once spelt as either Wong Wauk or Wongwauk. For reasons unknown it was changed to Wang Wauk in 1904. Perhaps some official's mistake! Coolongolook has had no less than six different spellings …….Goolongolook, Coolongoolook, Coolonglook, Cooloongolook and Cooolongolook."

"It is incredible to think that a Chinese sounding name like Wang Wauk or Wong Wank should be Aboriginal for Wong pigeon. However, another source has it eminating from 'Kandi-wang' which means flying fox in the Worimi tribe's language. Lots of towns and villages have more than one meaning that could have given them their names.

For instance, Krambach could have come from the early German settlers or it could have come from the Aboriginal word 'Krambuch' which means stony, steep mountain."

The river at Nabiac was officially spelt, Wollomba in 1854. Later it was spelt Wollamba but now is officially spelt Wallamba.

Nabiac was once called Clarkin's Crossing after an early pioneer. Somehow it was changed to Clarkson's Crossing and then in 1900, to Nabiac.

Bulahdelah too has had a number of different spellings. Sir William Parry in 1830, spelt it as Boola-deela. Quite phenetic with an 'old country' accent!"

"Wang Wauk along with Dyers Crossing and Failford are not even villages because they were never gazetted as such. They are simply, localities."

"….by 1828, ships of the Australian Agricultural Company had sailed up the Wallingat, Coolongolook, Wang Wauk and Wallamba Rivers."

"…the earliest white settlers to Wang Wauk area were Michael Kindle and Henry Beisler in 1865.…Mrs. John Mitchell in 1896, opened the first post office in Wang Wauk in the house 'Riverview' which is about a mile (1.6km) down river from the present twin bridges."

"….There were three schools. The first two were half-time schools opened in 1879, as the McLean River Upper and the McLean River Lower Schools. William Alway was the teacher who taught at both schools. He used a rowing boat as transport between the two schools - William Alway resigned in 1879 and Charles Eggins was appointed to Wang Wauk Provisional School in May 1892. That indicates but one school after William Alway resigned.

"…The third school for Wang Wauk which still stands, but now as a private residence, was built in 1915. The two acre property on which it stood was dedicated in October 1914. The following year the Minimbah school was pulled down and erected at Wang Wauk. When this school opened at Wang Wauk in 1915 eighteen pupils attended, four of them living today (1987)….sadly the school closed down in 1959."

"Many years before the church was built, church services were held by a Presbyterian clergyman in the home of Donald Cameron….both Presbyterian and Church of England services were also held at the home of Tasman and Winnie Williams…..later services were held by both Methodist and Free Presbyterian clergymen in the Wang Wauk school."

"In 1924, the local folk began raising money to build a church. The church was opened only thirteen months after fund raising began, which was a great effort. Money was freely donated and so were parcels of timber and other items……..As the church was to be a Soldier's Memorial Church, it was fitting that it was opened on Saturday, Anzac Day, 25 April 1925, exactly ten years after the landing on Gallipoli…..The following day, the first church service was held. It was the first of at least 1,000 such services plus marriages, baptisms and burial services before the church closed."

"…The last service in the church was held at the end of 1961. Termites and vandals began doing their utmost to destroy the church. Some church people believe in the old but true saying, 'Waste not, want not' so the church was pulled down and on 18 October 1978 the remains of the 53 year old church are in the grounds of St. Paul's, Nabiac."

"Sadly, the old Community Hall doesn't seem to have a bright future by its deteriorating condition. However, in bygone years it housed innumerable nights of great enjoyment for young and old in the form of travelling picture shows, travelling stage shows, wedding receptions and of course, dances."

"Almost directly opposite the hall was what was known as the 'Race Course', where picnic race meetings were occasionally held. Both the hall and the race track were on the property of Alf Tagg, now owned by B.J. Simpson."