Indigenous meanings of Australian town names

Gundagai, NSW Is said to mean, 'to cut with a hand-axe behind the knee' in Wiradjuri language. Situated on the bend of Murrumbidgee River, much like the bend in a knee, is the town Gundagai. Narooma, NSW A local Yuin word for 'clear blue waters'. Wollongong, NSW Thought to mean 'sound of the sea' in the Dharawal language. The word is pronounced Woll-long-gong, with the second syllable being accented, and is supposedly onomatopoeic for the pounding and surging of the waves. Dubbo, NSW Is thought to come from a Wiradjuri word, Thubbo, which is in conjecture of two possible meanings; either 'red earth' or 'head covering', as the first permanent European settler, Robert Dulhunty's house may have looked like the shape of a hat to the local people. Moruya, NSW Situated on the Moruya River, the Brinja Yuin word means 'home of the black swan'. Today, the black swan is used as a local emblem. Katoomba, NSW Comes from a Gundungurra word meaning 'falling water tumbling over a hill' and takes its name from a waterfall that drops into the Jamison Valley in the region. Canberra, ACT Thought to mean 'meeting place' in the local Ngunnawal language. Tuggeranong, ACT A Ngunnawal expression meaning 'cold place'. Gungahlin, ACT Two potential meanings of this Canberran region, both steaming from the Ngnunnawal language. First, is 'little rocky hill'. Nagambie, VIC A Taungurung word for 'Lagoon'. Natimuk, VIC A Jardwadjali word thought to mean 'Little Lake'. Geelong, VIC Coming from the Wathaurung word, Jillong, meaning 'tongue' which may refer to the tongue-shaped of the part of the bay where Geelong is situated. Wangaratta, VIC A Waywurru word for 'resting place of cormorants'. Wonga, meaning 'cormorants' (bird) and -ratta meaning 'meeting place of the rivers'. Kerang, VIC Kerang is a Wemba Wemba story of a big tree that once feel and means 'its leaves'. This demonstrates how many places stem from a significant event in a dreaming or songline story. Tambo Upper, VIC Situated near the Tambo River, Tambo is the Gunnai word for 'perch' (fish), presumably a plentiful source of food in the area.

What does your town's name mean? (Image: AAP) Source: (Image: AAP)

Marrawah, TAS

Peerapper language name for 'eucalypt tree'.

Legana, TAS

As the town sits at the point where the Tamar River becomes fresh water, Legana means 'fresh water' in the local Tyerrernotepanner (Palawa) language.  

Parattah, TAS

Meaning 'ice and cold' in the Tarripnyenna language from The Big River tribe. 

Whyalla, SA

Comes from a Barngarla word meaning, 'place with deep water'.

Oodnadatta, SA

Derives from the Arrernte word utnadata, a word for 'mulga blossom'.

Piccadilly, SA

Sometimes a place name that looks very English is a camouflaged, hidden Aboriginal name. The original name was in the Kaurna language, pikurdla, which literally meant ‘two eyebrows’, from piku ‘eyebrow’ and the dual suffix -rdla.

Uraidla, SA

The very same Kaurna language suffix appears in this other Adelaide Hills place name, meaning ‘two ears’; from yuri  ‘ear’ and the dual suffix -rdla.

Mandurah, WA

A Noongar word originally as mandjar meaning, 'meeting place'.

Balingup, WA

The name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1850, and is said to be derived from the name of a local Aboriginal warrior, Balingan.

Tammin, WA

Takes it name from the nearby Tammin Rock, which is thought to come from a Noongar word Tammar, a name for the 'Black Gloved Wallaby'.

Kalgoorlie, WA

Steams from the Wangai word Karlkurla or Kulgooluh, meaning 'place of the silky pears' referring to local edible fruit.

Kununurra, WA

A (failed) English translation of the Miriwoong word Goonoonoorrang which means ‘river’, as the town is situated near the Kununurra River.

Yallingup, WA

Meaning, 'a large hole in the ground', the town takes its name from a nearby cave (Yallingup Caves) or originally, "Ngilgi's Cave". Ngilgi's Cave comes from an Aboriginal legend where a vicious fight occurred between a bad spirit who lived in the cave and a good spirit (Ngilgi) who lived in the "Wardan" (the ocean).  Yal means large hole in Wardandi (People of the ocean) language.

Yalyalup, WA

A Wardandi variation of 'place of many holes'.