ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi tˈuː hˈæməltən kˈɑːlᵻnz sˈɛmfɪl, ɐ sˈɛtlɚ fɹʌm bˈɛltɹiːz ɔnðə hˈʌntɚ ɹˈɪvɚ, fˈɔːɹmd ɐ stˈeɪʃən ɪnðɪ ˌʌpɚɹ ˈæpsli ɹˈɪvɚ vˈæli ænd nˈeɪmd ɪt wˈɑːlkə wˈɔltʃə fɹʌmðə lˈoʊkəl ˌæbɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ.
In 1832 Hamilton Collins Semphill, a settler from Belltrees on the Hunter River, formed a station in the upper Apsley River valley and named it Wolka (Walcha) from the local Aboriginal language.