G'day Helen,

The Aboriginal etymology for "pademelon" is from probably from Dharuk (Sydney region Aboriginal) badimaliyan - assimilated with more familiar English words.

The "story" about a "paddy full of melons" is about as reliable as any other etymology that needs a 'story' to explain it!

The reason they make good eating is that they are more forest dwelling than the big 'roos of the plains - probably less muscular, and so, more tender ... but the songs have two bob each way ... they are going to tenderise the Pademelon by judicious stewing! (Maybe they are also easier to catch, rather than wasting ammunition trying to shoot them ... doesn't the settler in Paterson's poem send his son out to "run down a pademelon ..."?)

Regards,

Bob Bolton