Ngooraialum were anindigenous Australian tribal subgroup, one of three comprising theNgurai-illam Wurrung,[1] thoughNorman Tindale placed them among theTaungurung. They inhabited land along theGoulburn River in centralVictoria, north of Mitchellstown, atMurchison, aboveToolamba, within 40 miles (64 km) of the Murray-Goldburn junction.[2][3] The heart of their land was Noorillim, which they calledWaaring.
The Ngooraialum spokea dialect of Taungurung, aKulinic language of thePama-Nyungan language family, as did the Taungurong. Their ethnonymNguraialum denotes the dialect they spoke.[4]
The Ngooraialum were first mentioned in 1840, when they visited the Mitchellstown depot in February of that year. At that time, theirngurungaeta was Weeng-her-bil.[a] They were said to be numerous and in good condition, despite some skin diseases, and the names of 53 were registered in 1845.[3]
They were frequently in conflict with the neighbouringBangerang.[5]Edward M. Curr, noting that a native fromSwan Hill used a word used by the Ngooraialum 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the south-east, but not by the tribe in the intermediate area, developed a whole theory of the migration of all the tribes in Australia.[6]
Today, many Ngooraialum in theGoulburn Valley live in the settlement of Rumbalara built in 1958 to replace a shanty town on the edge ofShepparton.[citation needed]
Source:Barwick 1984, p. 126