Weed Heads an internet fallacy

Tweed Heads was never known as “Weed Heads” despite a Wikipedia article’s claims.

TWEED Heads residents may be surprised to read that their suburb was originally named "Weed Heads" due to the copious amounts of wild hemp growing in the area.

However a local historian and a surf scene veteran have labelled the article on user-generated online encyclopaedia Wikipedia completely inaccurate.

The article claimed the Tweed region was known for the abundance of wild-growing hemp.

"The area was originally called Weed Heads, in keeping with the surfing culture that dominated the region and its associated ties to marijuana use," the article read.

Kirra surf founder and self-proclaimed veteran "B-grade" surfer Peter Turner said there was no truth to the article.

"I think Weed Heads is some kind of fanciful remark by someone who partakes in a bit of weed," Mr Turner said.

"It's a very easy thing to do with a spray can to take out the 'T' on a Tweed Heads street sign."

The article further stated that the name was changed to Tweed Heads in 1890.

Daily News historian Di Millar said there was never a "Weed Heads".

"As early as 1858 Brisbane's Moreton Bay Courier makes reference to 'the Tweed Heads' and early shipping intelligence reports in newspapers referred to the entrance at the mouth of the Tweed River as the Tweed River Heads," Mrs Millar said.

"Ships' positions when passing along the coast near the Tweed River mouth were given as either near the north or south head of the Tweed River.

"The small settlement that grew up in the river's vicinity became known as Tweed Heads."

She thought the contributor "smokes too much of the green stuff" and it was disappointing that some people spent so much creative effort on creating falsehoods on a site with potential to be an excellent educational resource.