A few years ago, the Macleay River Historical Society had a request from the author Gavin Souter enquiring about when Herborn Lane, East Kempsey, was changed to Herborne Avenue.
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The author of Lion and Kangaroo had spent his early years in East Kempsey and his book, The Idle Hill of Summer, was written about that period.
Ernest William Lewis Herborn was the second son of William Herborn of Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau (now in Germany).
He married Fanny Rudder, daughter of Enoch William Rudder, Kempsey's founder in 1855 in St Thomas' Anglican Church, Port Macquarie.
He was one of Kempsey's first registered surveyors.
Ernest is credited with surveying the first subdivision of Central Kempsey, surveying the Trial Bay Gaol grounds and also the first survey of the village of Nambucca.
Two of his sons, Otho Albert and Eugene Ernest, also became registered survyors. In 1892 Ernest wrote to the Borough Council offering to dedicate a lane running through his property from the Port Macquarie Road to Innes Street as a public road.
His offer was accepted and it came to be known as Herborn Lane. In 1932, Kempsey Shire Council made Herborn Lane a one-way traffic street, for "up" traffic only. In 1933 the only son of
Stanley and Olla Carpenter, eleven year old Stanley Gerard James Carpenter, was killed when he rode his bicycle down Herborn Lane and was struck by a car on the Highway.
His father was the war hero Stanley Franzien Carpenter, who was recommended for a Victoria Cross at Gallipoli. Stanley junior was a pupil of East Kempsey Public School and was on his way to have lunch at his parents' business in Smith Street. Afterwards,
Herborn Lane was closed to through traffic at the lower end. In May 1937, the council received a petition from local residents and ratepayers asking for a change of name from Herborn Lane to Herborn Avenue, stating that the class of residences fronting onto and adjoining it warranted a "better-sounding" name.
They also did not wish to retain the name "Herborn". The council replied and asked the petitioners to come up with a new name.
The petitioners suggested Triangle Lane.
The matter was considered by the council in June 1937. Alderman McElhone said he could see no reason to obliterate names long connected with the town such as Herborn had been.
He moved that the Lane be renamed Herborn Avenue. Alderman Warhurst seconded this and the motion was carried.
It is not clear when the spelling changed to "Herborne" as it is currently but the original name was Herborn.
