 The river descends over its course.In Australian Aboriginal languages, the river is variously named Wappang, Callathera, Kalylatherer or Kay-lath-er-rer, Pappang, and Wapping with no defined meanings for each of the words.The name of the river is derived from the name of the wife of a former local indigenous leader "Beolite", the leader of the yowung-illum-baluks of the Taungurung people, in the Daungwurrung language.