A-Z of Unusual Australian Place Names by Daniel Scott

”I've been everywhere, man…

I’ve been to Wollongong, Geelong, Kurrajong, Mullumbimby, Mittagong, Molong, Grong Grong, Goondiwindi, Cabramatta, Parramatta, Wangaratta, Coolangatta, what's it matter”

Inspired by the classic Aussie song I’ve Been Everywhere, Man, Daniel Scott set off an alphabetical journey in search of the country’s most unusual place names. Here, from A-Z, are some of the names he discovered, and possible explanations of their origins.

AMPHITHEATRE (VICTORIA)

Hamlet in Victoria’s Pyrenees ranges, originating from the gold mining rush, located in a hollow between two hills which roughly resembles an amphitheatre. Pleasant picnic spot, unless you’re a gladiator.

BOING BOING (NT)

Meaning “mosquitoes buzzing” in Aboriginal, Boing Boing narrowly takes the cake for most unusual place name beginning with B from Blighty in NSW, which probably reminded somebody of home.

COME BY CHANCE (NSW)

Immortalised in a Banjo Patterson poem this settlement in north-western New South Wales got its name from pastoralists who happened upon a large vacant block in while en route somewhere else more promising. 

DIAPUR (VIC)

Diapur, in Victoria’s Wimmera region, just beats Dunedo in New South Wales, named after the area’s black swans, as Australia’s oddest sounding place beginning with “D”.  Diapur is particularly popular with babies.

EHRENBREITSTEIN (SA)

Sadly, like many South Australian towns named by German migrants, this town no longer exists. Its name was changed to Mount Yerila by the 1917 Nomenclature Act as it was one of 69 place-names considered to indicate enemy origin following the First World War. Other lost names include Wusser’s Nob and Pflaum, renamed Hundred of Geegeela possibly because it was much frequented by horses.

FOUL BAY (SA)

This bay on the Yorke Peninsula is far nicer than the name given to it by Matthew Flinders in 1802, because of its poor anchorage, suggests. Also nearby is the delightful sounding Tiddy Widdy beach.

GINGIN (WA)

This town north of Perth sounds good enough to drink and Aboriginals probably thought so too. The name meant “place of many streams” originally.

HUMPYBONG (QLD)

Lovely name originating from when the British abandoned the area, in favour of settling Brisbane, leaving behind empty huts or “humpies”. Humpybong means “dead shelters” in Aboriginal.

INNALOO (WA)

Perth suburb with a fruit market called “Inaloo Fresh” and a shopping plaza, presumably with plenty of indoor restrooms. 

JIMCUMBILLY (NSW)

Tiny settlement and disused railway station located near Bombala, inland from the New South Wales south coast.  Mystery surrounds the meaning of its Aboriginal name.

KNUCKEY LAGOON (NT)

Near Darwin and actually a wildlife reserve rather than a place popular with couples. Just beats Kurri Kurri, in New South Wales, where good Indian cuisine is guaranteed.

LOOS (SA)

This settlement’s German name – Buchsfelde – was considered offensive during the First World War so they came up with this much better alternative.

MOUNT BUGGERY (VIC)

The evocative and typically Aussie name Mount Buggery cannot be bettered anywhere in Australia, although WA’s Muchea (as in “there’s nothing muchea”), a corruption of the Aboriginal Muchela, is excellent too.

NOWHERE ELSE (TAS)

There really is Nowhere Else and it is located near Devonport in north-western Tasmania. 

OZENKADNOOK (VIC)

Almost unpronounceable place in the West Wimmera region bordering South Australia meaning “very fat kangaroo” in Aboriginal.

POOWONG (VIC)

Gippsland town with smelly connotations which appropriately gets its name from the Aboriginal for “carrion” or “putrefaction”.

QUEANBEYAN (NSW/ACT)

Close to Canberra and meaning “clear water”, a place fit for pollies and insect royalty.

ROOTY HILL (NSW)

Area in western Sydney named by Governor King in 1802.  Disappointingly the name refers to roots exposed in fields around the hill after floods.

SMIGGIN HOLES (NSW)

Popular ski resort which gets its Scottish name from pools formed in rocks by cattle.

TOM UGLY (NSW)

Tom Ugly Point, near Sylvania in Sydney’s south, is named after Aborginal who lived in a rock shelter there in the mid nineteenth century. His nickname was said to be ironic as he was a strong, handsome fellow.

UKI (NSW)

Pronounced Yook-eye, this River Tweed dairy town’s name originates from the Aboriginal word for “fern with edible roots” and just beats Ubobo in Queensland.

VITE VITE (VICTORIA)

Vite Vite, on the railway line close to Pura Pura and Nerrin Nerrin in South-Western Victoria, may have got its name from the French for “quick”, as in “I hope the train arrives double quick”.

WONGLEPONG (QUEENSLAND)

Although New South Wales has Woolloomooloo, meaning young kangaroo, and Wards Mistake, named after bushranger Frederick Ward, Queensland’s delightfully named Wonglepong, possibly meaning “forgotten sound” in Aboriginal, just pips Victoria’s Wurt Wurt Kurt as number one W.

XANTIPPE (WA)

Australia’s only place name beginning with X is found near Dalwallinu in the WA wheat belt, and got its name from workers on the rabbit-proof fence. Finding the granite ground they were working on almost impenetrable they called the place Xantippe, after the wife of Greek philosopher Socrates, reputedly a very hard woman!

YORKEY’S KNOB (QUEENSLAND)

Located just north of Cairns, it got its name from a fisherman from Yorkshire – George Yorkey Lawson – who lived nearby in the late nineteenth century. Locals have since resisted attempts to rename it Yorkey’s Beach, being fond of the original despite the reactions it sometimes provokes.

ZEEHAN (TASMANIA)

Former silver-lead mining town in Tassie’s south-west that gets its name from one of Abel Tasman’s ships.