The name literally means "beach of Makasar," alluding to the erstwhile trade with Makasar in Sulawesi (Celebes).
Archeological remains of Makasar contact, including trepang processing plants from the 18th and 19th centuries, are still found at Australian locations such as Port Essington and Groote Eylandt, and the Makasar-planted tamarind trees (native to Madagascar and East Africa).