Place Names

My son Jean-Philippe and I lightened our hours of travel by playing a game of spotting the most interesting place names. We would often come to a screeching halt to take pictures of sign posts. As far as I can tell there are two major influences on place names – aboriginal and British. I find aboriginal place names more interesting as they are in my opinion a part of what makes Australia different to other former British colonies and they are often onomatopoeic. Nonetheless I will tell you of one British place name that I saw just North of Sydney on a previous trip. The place is called Tumbledown Dick and there is a hill such that we have a place name of Tumbledown Dick Hill.

We stopped to admire these place names – Cullen Bullen, Grubenbun Creek, Burrumbuttock (which is immortalized in the Bill Bryson book entitled In a Sunburned Country – a very good read), Hurdy Gurdy Creek, The Gurdies, Woo Ree Rup, Boho, Barnawartha, Tallangatta, Wangaratta, Yarrawonga, Yackindandah, Book Book, Tumbarumba, Gumly Gumly, Wagga Wagga, Wantabadgery, and Eunanoreenya.

A quick look at the map around Wagga Wagga revealed the following - Tangambalanya, Yarangobilly, Gobbagombalin, Bangadang, Killimicat, and Bongongalong. Not forgetting my favourite from Sydney – Wooloomooloo. Do my Australian rellies and friends know any more?

There is a famous song by Lucky Starr called I've been everywhere man that just about sums up all you want to know about Australian place names. Look for Yerongpilly where I lived in Brisbane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjm3zSCjNoU&feature=PlayList&p=2DEECCFAEEF89B5D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=15