List of Australian place names of Aboriginal origin

Place names in Australia have names of Aboriginal origin for three main reasons:

* Historically, white explorers and surveyors may have asked local Aboriginal people the name of a place, and named it accordingly. Where they didn't ask, they may have heard the place was so-named. Due to language difficulties, the results were often misheard and misunderstood names, such as the name of the Yarra River. There are a suspicious number of place names which translate as "pretty" and "resting" place, which may imply European romanticism, and no doubt a good deal of mispronunciation and corruption in general.

* Australian governments have officially named many places, particularly suburbs, after Aboriginal people or language groups, such as Aranda or Tullamarine.

* The place name has always been called thus by Aboriginal people, and Aboriginal people still live in the area. This is particularly so for Aboriginal communities, such as Maningrida in the Northern Territory. This is more frequent where white settlement has been less dense, particularly in Central Australia and the Top End.

Watkin Tench, who arrived on the First Fleet, observed of the Aboriginal languages of present-day Sydney:

:"We were at first inclined to stigmatise this language as harsh and barbarous in its sounds. Their combinations of words in the manner they utter them, frequently convey such an effect. But if not only their proper names of men and places, but many of their phrases and a majority of their words, be simply and unconnectedly considered, they will be found to abound with vowels and to produce sounds sometimes mellifluous and sometimes sonorous. What ear can object to the names of Colbee, (pronounced exactly as Colby is with us) Bereewan, Bondel, Imeerawanyee, Deedora, Wolarawaree, or Baneelon, among the men; or to Wereeweea, Gooreedeeana, Milba [Tench reports that: "Mrs. Johnson, wife of the chaplain of the settlement, was so pleased with this name that she christened her little girl, born in Port Jackson, Milba Maria Johnson"] , or Matilba, among the women? Parramatta, Gweea, Cameera, Cadi, and Memel, are names of places. The tribes derive their appellations from the places they inhabit. Thus Cemeeragal, means the men who reside in the bay of Cameera; Cadigal, those who reside in the bay of Cadi; and so of the others." [ [http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/t/tench/watkin/settlement/chapter17.html Watkin Tench, The Settlement of Port Jackson, Chapter 17.] ]

uburbs and towns

A
*Allawah
*Angurugu
*Aratula
*Artarmon
*Aurukun

B
*Ballarat
*Bamaga
*Banyule
*Baryulgil
*Beenleigh
*Berri
*Billimari
*Bindoon
*Binningup
*Boggabri
*Bombo
*Boolaroo
*Boroondara
*Bouddi
*Boyanup
*Bunyip
*Buronga
*Burracoppin
*Burraneer

C
*Caiguna
*Cammeray
*Canberra
*Collaroy
*Coodanup
*Coolamon
*Coonabarabran
*Coonawarra
*Cootamundra
*Corryong
*Cowra
*Cunderdin

D
*Dubbo
*Dungog

E
*Echuca
*Elanora

G
*Galong
*Garah
*Geelong
*Gilgandra
*Gingin
*Gnowangerup
*Goodooga
*Goondiwindi
*Grong Grong
*Gungahlin
*Gymea

I
*Illawong
*Indooroopilly

J
*Jabiru
*Jannali
*Jeparit
*Jindabyne

K
*Kalamunda
*Kalli
*Kangy Angy
*Kareela
*Karuah
*Karumba
*Kerang
*Kirrawee
*Koo Wee Rup
*Koorda
*Kulin
*Kumari
*Kurnell
*Kyancutta
*Kyogle
*Kurri Kurri

L
*Larrakeyah

M
*Maleny
*Manangatang
*Manilla
*Maralinga
*Maroochydore
*Maribyrnong
*Marree
*Mia Mia
*Moe
*Mollymook
*Mooloolaba
*Moonbi
*Mooroolbark
*Moruya
*Mudgee
*Mullaloo
*Mundubbera
*Murwillumbah

N
*Nannup
*Narara
*Naremburn
*Narrandera
*Narrogin
*Nerrigundah
*Nhulunbuy
*Noosa
*Nowra
*Nyngan
*NambrokO
*Ongerup
*Ouyen

P
*Papunya
*Panania
*Parramatta
*Patchewollock
*Perenjori

R
*Ramingining

T
*Tambellup
*Tanilba Bay
*Tanunda
*Terrigal
*Tincurrin
*Toongabbie
*Toowong
*Toowoomba
*Tuggeranong
*Tumbi Umbi
*TurramurraU
*Uralla
*Uraidla

W
*Wadalba
*Wagaman
*Wagga Wagga
*Walcha
*Wandoan
*Wanneroo
*Waroona
*Warragul
*Warrnambool
*Wee Waa
*Werribee
*Wilcannia
*Willunga
*Wodonga
*Wollongong
*Wonnerup
*Woolgoolga
*Woollahra
*Woomera
*Woy Woy

Y
*Yagoona
*Yanchep
*Yarra
*Yarramalong
*Yarrawonga
*Yatala
*Yerrinbool

Regions and Shires

*Baryulgil
*Barrenjoey
*Boonah
*Brewarrina
*Dandenong
*Eurobodalla
*Illawarra
*Kuringgai
*Maribyrnong
*Mundaring
*Murrumbidgee
*Narromine
*Ngaanyatjarraku
*Onkaparinga
*Pilbara
*Wangaratta
*Warringah
*Warrumbungle
*Wollondilly

Beaches and waterways

Beaches

*Belongil
*Bondi
*Bungan
*Caagee
*Elouera
*Ettalong
*Gunnamatta Surf Beach, Victoria
*Tamarama
*Umina
*Wanda
*Wattamolla

Bays

*Akuna
*Careel
*Gunamatta
*Malua
*Tanilba Bay
*Toowoon
*Waratah
*Yowie

Creeks

*Cabramatta
*Cockabutta
*Mingera
*Wollemi
*Wongo
*Mullum Mullum

Dams

*Burrendong
*Googong

Lakes

*Budgewoi
*Bungunnia
*Burrendong
*Cargelligo
*Catagunyah
*Coongie
*Etamunbanie
*Minigwal
*Moondah
*Noondie
*Parangana
*Tuggerah
*Uloowaranie
*Yamma Yamma
*Yantabangee
*Yarra Yarra

Rivers

*Barcoo
*Barwon
*Bega
*Bellinger
*Belyando
*Bogan
*Bombala
*Bulloo
*Bungala
*Colo
*Coolaburragundy
*Cudgegong
*Culgoa
*Goolwa
*Kalgan
*Kolan
*Maribyrnong
*Maroochy
*Mitta Mitta
*Molonglo
*Moonie
*Murrumbidgee
*Myponga
*Namoi
*Narram
*Nogoa
*Nymboida
*Onkaparinga
*Orara
*Pallinup
*Paroo
*Parramatta
*Queanbeyan
*Ringarooma
*Talbragar
*Tamar
*Tambo
*Warrego
*Willochra
*Woronora
*Yankalilla
*Yappar
*Yarra

Mountains, ranges etc

*Bogong High Plains
*Brindabella Ranges
*Mount Buller
*Bungle Bungle Range
*Bunya Mountains
*Burrup Peninsula
*Mount Dandenong
*Dandenong Ranges
*Kata Tjuta
*Moonbi Range
*Mount Tilga
*Uluru
*Watagan Mountains
*Warrumbungles
*Wilpena Pound
*Mount Yarrahapinni
*You Yangs

Deserts

*Tanami Desert
*Tirari Desert

Parks and Forests

National Parks

*Arakwal
*Barool
*Baw Baw
*Bendidee
*Binna Burra
*Boonoo Boonoo
*Bouddi
*Burrowa
*Canunda
*Coopracambra
*Coorong
*Croajingolong
*Currawinya
*Dipperu
*Dunggir
*Eurobodalla
*Garigal
*Japoon
*Kakadu
*Kuringgai
*Lower Glenelg
*Marramarra
*Nangar
*Nattai
*Nymboida
*Onkaparinga River
*Porongurup
*Purnululu
*Tamborine
*Tarra-Bulga
*Terrick Terrick
*Uluru-Kata Tjuta
*Witjira
*Wollemi
*Wyrrabalong
*Yarra Ranges

Nature Reserves

*Muogamarra

tate Forests

*Bago
*Barmah
*Belanglo
*Bodalla
*Bondo
*Buckenbowra
*Buckingbong
*Bulga
*Bullala
*Bungongo
*Burrawan
*Chaelundi
*Cobaw
*Cobboboonee
*Colymea
*Conjola
*Corrabare
*Croobyar
*Currambine
*Currowan
*Dingo
*Drajurk
*Etoo
*Ewingar
*Gibberagee
*Gilwarny
*Goonoo
*Grahway
*Ingalba
*Jenolan
*Kioloa
*Malara
*Maragle
*Moruya
*Murrah
*Nerong
*Ourimbah
*Pilliga
*Pokolbin
*Riamukka
*Tallaganda
*Tillarook
*Toolangi
*Tuggolo
*Wang Wauk
*Weecurra
*Wingello
*Wombat
*Woomargama
*Wyong
*Yadboro
*Yalwal
*Yarratt

tate Conservation Areas

*Whian Whian

Highways and main roads

*Bunnerong Road
*Kamilaroi Highway
*Maroondah Highway
*Oodnadatta Track
*Warrego Highway
*Woniora Road

Place names that sound Aboriginal that aren't

*Aramac
*Bellingen
*Bendigo
*Beulah
*Cloncurry
*Como
*Connemara
*Dimboola
*Engadine
*Eromanga
*Glenorie
*Gwydir River
*Madura
*Malabar
*Menai
*Minto
*Miranda
*Nullarbor ("no trees" in Latin)
*Pymble
*Telopea
*Waitara
*Wallacia
*Wangara (Wan(neroo) + (Gnan)gara)
*Wittenoom

Place names over which uncertainty exists

*Ballina - some argueWho|date=May 2008 named after Ballina in Ireland.
*Bodalla - some argueWho|date=May 2008 a corruption of "boat alley".
*Narrabeen - some argueWho|date=May 2008 a corruption of "narrow bean".
*Ulladulla - some argueWho|date=May 2008 a corruption of "holey dollar".
*Warracknabeal
*Watanobbi - could be from Watanabe, Japanese surname.

References

ee also

* List of Australian repeated place names