List of reduplicated Australian place names

1919 Yarram Yarram postmark – the town is now Yarram

These names are examples of reduplication, a common theme in Australian toponymy, especially in names derived from Indigenous Australian languages such as Wiradjuri. Reduplication is often used as an intensifier such as "Wagga Wagga" many crows and "Tilba Tilba" many waters.

The phenomenon has been the subject of interest in popular culture, including the song by Australian folk singer Greg Champion (written by Jim Haynes and Greg Champion), Don't Call Wagga Wagga Wagga.[1] British comedian Spike Milligan, an erstwhile resident of Woy Woy, once wrote "Woy it is called Woy Woy Oi will never know".[2]

Place names

Name of placeState or territory Meaning and notes
Bael BaelVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Gannawarra. It contains Lake Bael Bael and the heritage listed Bael Bael Homestead.[3]
Balla BallaWestern AustraliaAn abandoned town and port for the Whim Creek Copper Mine
Ban Ban SpringsQueenslandBan means "grass" in the local Kabi dialect.[4]
Ban Ban SpringsNorthern TerritoryA cattle station
Banda BandaNew South WalesA mountain in the Great Dividing Range near Kempsey, New South Wales
Banka Banka StationNorthern TerritoryA cattle station
Baw BawVictoriaA local government area in Victoria. The name is also applied to a mountain (Mount Baw Baw), and to a national park (Baw Baw National Park). Baw Baw is an Aboriginal word meaning "echo".[5]
Beek BeekVictoriaEmu
Beggan BegganNew South WalesA locality in Harden Shire and a parish in Harden County [6]
Bet BetVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Central Goldfields. Bet Bet had its own local government area (Shire of Bet Bet) from 1864 to 1995.
Bindi Bindi [7]Western AustraliaA small town in the Shire of Moora [8] The name is Aboriginal in origin and is the word for stick or skewer on which a coat is hung. The doubling of the word is to indicate many of them.
Billa BillaQueenslandAboriginal word of unknown dialect meaning pool or reach of water[9]
Bli BliQueenslandNamed after "billai billai", Aboriginal for swamp oak.[10]
Bom BomNSWSmall village near Clarenza
Bon Bon ReserveSouth AustraliaA nature reserve
Bong BongNew South WalesThe place name is Aboriginal for "blind or a watercourse lost in a swamp" or "many watercourses; many frogs".[11]
Bongil BongilNew South WalesThe name Bongil Bongil is the name of a sub-group of the Gumbaingerie tribe which occupied the general area bounded by the Clarence River in the north, the Nambucca River in the south, Dorrigo in the west and the Pacific Ocean.[12]
Book BookNew South WalesA rural community within the local government area of the city of Wagga Wagga
Bookal-Bookal CreekQueensland?[13]
Boonoo BoonooNew South WalesThe place name means "poor country with no animals to provide food" and is Aboriginal in origin.[14] The name is applied to a locality, a national park (Boonoo Boonoo National Park), a river (Boonoo Boonoo River) and a waterfall.
Booti Booti National ParkNew South WalesThe place name means "plenty plenty" in the local Aboriginal dialect.
Brim BrimVictoriaA parish of the County of Dundas
Brit BritVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Southern Grampians
Bruk BrukVictoriaA parish of the County of Dundas
Budgee BudgeeNew South WalesBudgee Budgee is a locality near Mudgee. The origin of the name is unknown, but it first appeared on old maps so is possibly a surveyor's interpretation of an aboriginal name.[15]
Budgee BudgeeVictoriaA parish of the County of Wonnangatta
Bulla BullaVictoriaThe original name of the township of Bulla. An Aboriginal term meaning either 'two' or 'good'.[16]
Buln BulnVictoriaA locality in the Shire of Baw Baw. The name is also applied to a county (County of Buln Buln) in Victoria.
Bungle Bungle RangeWestern AustraliaA corruption of "bundle bundle", a grass common to the Kimberley region.[17]
Burra BurraSouth AustraliaFormer name for the town of Burra. The name is also applied to a creek and a copper mine near the town.
Burrah BurrahVictoriaA parish of the County of Ripon
Burrin Burrin ReserveNew South WalesA nature reserve in south-eastern NSW
Burrum BurrumVictoriaA parish of the County of Kara Kara
Carag CaragVictoriaA parish of the County of Rodney
Colac ColacVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Towong
Collum CollumNew South WalesA locality within the Clarence Valley LGA.
Coomoo CoomooNew South WalesThe name was derived from the original station name, which used a local Aboriginal word meaning "much water".[18]
Cope CopeVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Northern Grampians
Curl CurlNew South WalesName may be derived from Aboriginal phrase "curial curial" meaning river of life.[19]
Cut Paw PawVictoriaA parish of the County of Bourke."Maribyrnong: Action in Tranquility", the history of Maribyrnong, gives the meanings of several aboriginal terms. Cut Cut Paw is a corruption of the words for "a clump of she-oaks".
Dom DomVictoriaA mountain in Victoria, 65 km from Melbourne
Doon DoonNew South WalesFrom the Bandjalung-Yugambeh dialect chain word 'doan doan' meaning black or dark.[20]
Drik DrikVictoriaAn Aboriginal word for "Stoney Stoney"[21][22]
Drung DrungVictoriaA former name of locality of Drung in the Rural City of Horsham
Dum DumNew South WalesA locality near Uki, New South Wales
Durren DurrenNew South WalesA locality near Wyong, within the Central Coast Council local government area.
Elong ElongNew South WalesA locality on the Golden Highway in New South Wales
Ganoo GanooVictoriaA parish of the County of Dundas
Gatum GatumVictoriaA former name of locality of Gatum in the Shire of Southern Grampians and the name of a Melbourne Cup winner
Gherang GherangVictoriaA parish of the County of Grant
Ghinni GhinniNew South WalesA locality east of Taree in New South Wales
Gil GilVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Buloke
Gin GinQueenslandThe name was derived from the original station name, which used a local Aboriginal word indicating "red soil thick scrub".[23]
Gin GinNew South WalesA small town within the Narromine Shire in New South Wales
GinginWestern AustraliaMay mean either "footprint" or "place of many streams".[24]
Gol GolNew South WalesGol Gol got its name from the local Aboriginal word for 'meeting place', as recorded by the explorer Thomas Mitchell.[25]
Gong GongVictoriaA locality of the City of Ballarat
Goonoo GoonooNew South Wales"Plenty of water".[26]
Gre GreVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Northern Grampians
Greg GregNew South WalesA locality in the southern highlands of New South Wales
Grong GrongNew South Wales"Very hot".[27]
Guda GudaWestern AustraliaA small Aboriginal community in the Wyndham-East Kimberley local government area
Gumly GumlyNew South Wales"Place of many Frogs" Near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Gunyah GunyahVictoriaAn earlier name of the locality of Gunyah in South Gippsland Shire
Gunyah GunyahVictoriaA parish of the County of Buln Buln
Hie HieNew South WalesSee Terry Hie Hie, New South Wales
Jellat JellatNew South WalesA locality south-east of Bega in New South Wales
Jil JilVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Buloke
Jim Jim FallsNorthern Territory
Jimba Jimba StationWestern AustraliaA cattle station, east of Carnarvon
Jingi Jingi CreekQueenslandA creek.[28] Jingi Jingi Creek rises on the western slope of the Great Dividing Range, in the locality of Diamondy, north-east of Jandowae. It flows south-west through Jinghi and Tuckerang to Brigalow, where it crosses the Warrego Highway and flows into the Condamine River.
Jung JungVictoriaA former name of locality of Jung in the Rural City of Horsham
Kadji KadjiWestern AustraliaA pastoral lease east of Morawa
Karup KarupVictoriaA parish of the County of Dundas
Ki KiSouth Australia
Kin Kin [29] QueenslandMay be derived from the local Aboriginal word for 'black ants'.[30] or

May be derived from an Aboriginal word, Kabi language, kauin kauin, a variant of kutchin indicating red, from the red soil area drained by Kin Kin Creek.[31]

Koonung Koonung CreekVictoriaA tributary of the Yarra River
Koort-koort-nongVictoriaA parish of the County of Hampden
Korrak KorrakVictoriaA parish of the County of Tatchera
Kunat KunatVictoriaA parish of the County of Tatchera
Kurri KurriNew South WalesIn the Minyung Dialect, which refers to this area, Kurri-kurri means 'the beginning, the first'.[32]
Lal LalVictoriaLal Lal is a town in Victoria
Lang LangVictoriaLang Lang was formerly known as Carrington, after Lord Carrington.[33] The town is named in honour of an early settler in region, called Lang.[34] In the Woiwurrung language, the name Lang Lang,[35] also spelled Laang Laang, meant "stones" or "stony".[36] Lang Lang is also believed to mean "bush bush"; or a "clump of trees".[33] Also see Lang Lang River and Little Lang Lang River.
Ma Ma CreekQueensland
Mia Mia [7]Victoria
Millaa MillaaQueenslandMay be derived from the local Aboriginal word for 'plenty water'.[37] or

May be derived from a corruption of "millai millai", possibly Yindinji language, indicating a fruit-bearing plant Elaeagnus latifolia.[38]

Milly MillyWestern AustraliaA pastoral lease in the Mid-West
Min Min LightsQueenslandNot exactly a place name, but worthy of inclusion. Min Min is, or was, a location near Boulia.[39]
Mitta MittaVictoria
Mona Mona MissionQueenslandAboriginal community in far north Qld
Mooney MooneyNew South Wales
Morrl MorrlVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Northern Grampians
Mundi MundiNew South WalesA cattle station in the outback
Murrin MurrinWestern AustraliaAn abandoned gold and copper mining town and siding on the Malcolm-Laverton railway line.[40]
Nap Nap MarraVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Wellington
Nareeb NareebVictoriaA former name of the locality of Nareeb in the Shire of Moyne[22]
Nerrin NerrinVictoriaA locality of the Rural City of Ararat
Ni NiVictoriaA former locality of the Shire of Hindmarsh
Nug NugVictoriaA locality of Alpine Shire
Obi ObiQueenslandBelieved to be a perpetuation of the personal name of a prominent Aboriginal, known variously as Ubi Ubi, Wubi Wubi or Obi Obi.[41]
Pandie Pandie StationSouth AustraliaA cattle station
Paw PawVictoriaSee Cut Paw Paw
Pendyk PendykVictoriaA parish of the County of Dundas
Perrit PerritVictoriaA parish of the County of Tatchera
Pom PomVictoriaA parish of the County of Villiers
Pura PuraVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Moyne
Tabby Tabby IslandQueenslandDerived from a corruption of Bundjalung language, Ngaraangbal dialect, word dhube dhube, indicating crab place or shell place.[42]
Terip TeripVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Murrindindi
Terrick TerrickVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Loddon
Terrick Terrick National ParkVictoria
Terry Hie HieNew South Wales
Tilba TilbaNew South WalesSaid to be a Thawa Aboriginal term for 'many waters'.[43]
Tucki TuckiNew South WalesA locality of the City of Lismore
Vite ViteVictoriaA locality of the Corangamite Shire
Wagga WaggaNew South Wales'Wagga wagga' is probably an Wiradjuri term for 'many crows'; with wagga, an onomatopoeic word, imitating the sound of the crow's call. 'Waggan', for one type of crow and 'waggura', for another have been recorded; also: reeling (a sick man or a dizzy man); to dance, slide or grind.[44]
Wal WalVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Northern Grampians
Walla WallaNew South WalesProbably Wiradjuri in origin, but no meaning has been verified. Possibly from wallawalla for rain.[45]
Walla WallaVictoriaA parish of the County of Ripon
Wallan WallanVictoria
Wangi WangiNew South WalesThe word Wangi has been translated variously as water, night owl or dark green tree so that Wangi Wangi would mean place of much water, many night owls or many dark green trees. Early settlers and fishermen used the word to mean peninsula and Point Wolstoncroft (in the locality of Gwandalan) was called "Little Wangi". Captain Dangar's 1826 sketch of Lake Macquarie marked Wangi Point as "Wonde Wonde". There is no explanation of the marked difference between spelling and pronunciation.[46]
Warra WarraVictoriaA parish of the County of Borung
Wat WatVictoriaA parish of the County of Croajingolong
Wee Wee RupVictoriaA locality of the Shire of Gannawarra
Whian WhianNew South Wales[47]A locality of the City of Lismore
Will Will RookVictoriaA parish of the County of Bourke
Wonga WongaVictoriaAn earlier name of the locality of Wonga in South Gippsland Shire
Wood WoodVictoriaA locality of the Rural City of Swan Hill
Wool WoolVictoriaA locality of the Colac Otway Shire
Woy WoyNew South WalesSaid to be an Awabakal Aboriginal term for 'deep water' or 'lagoon'[48]
Wujal WujalQueenslandAboriginal community in far north Qld
Wuk WukVictoriaA locality of the Shire of East Gippsland
Wurruk WurrukVictoriaA parish of the County of Tanjil
Wyn WynVictoriaA former locality of the Rural City of Horsham
Yabba YabbaVictoriaA parish of the County of Moira
Yagga YaggaWestern AustraliaAn Aboriginal community near Halls Creek, Western Australia
Yan Yan GurtVictoriaA locality of the Surf Coast Shire
Yanac A YanacVictoriaA former name of a locality of Yanac in the Shire of Hindmarsh
Yarram YarramVictoriaThe former name of Yarram, Victoria
Yeo YeoNew South Wales

See also

References

  1. Champion, Greg; Haynes, Jim. "Don't Call Wagga Wagga Wagga". Warner/Chappel Music Australia. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  2. Fickling, David (2003-10-04). "Town lampooned by Spike Milligan bends over backwards to laud him". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  3. "Bael Bael Homestead (Heritage Listed Location)". onmydoorstep.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  4. "Ban Ban Springs (entry 45313)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  5. "Baw Baw National Park". Australian Alps National Parks. 12 Sep 2013. Retrieved 14 Dec 2013.
  6. "GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES REGISTER EXTRACT – Beggan Beggan". Place name search. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  7. 1 2 "COUNTRY NEWS". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 June 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  8. Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names – C". Retrieved 2011-02-12.
  9. "Billa Billa (entry 47796)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  10. "Bli Bli – origin of name". Sunshine Coast Regional Council. 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  11. "Bong Bong". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
  12. "Bongil Bongil National Park". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
  13. ""THE MAIN ROADS ACTS, 1920-1943"". The Worker. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 3 January 1949. p. 3. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  14. "Boonoo Boonoo". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
  15. "Budgee Budgee on the other side of Mudgee". budgeebudgee.com. Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  16. "Bulla". eMelbourne the city past & present. The University of Melbourne. July 2008. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  17. Riviera, Larry. "The Bungle Bungles". about.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  18. "Coomoo Coomoo (Parish)". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  19. "Curl Curl". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  20. "Doon Doon". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  21. Brown, J. K. (1968). "Early History of Drik Drik". Archived from the original on 1 January 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  22. 1 2 "No Title". Portland Guardian. Vic.: National Library of Australia. 22 September 1876. p. 3 Edition: EVENINGS. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  23. "Gin Gin - town (entry 13801)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  24. "History of country town names – G". Landgate. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  25. "The History of Gol Gol". Gol Gol Public School. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  26. "Wallabadah – Places to See". smh.com.au. 26 November 2008. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  27. "Grong Grong". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  28. "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 3 March 1860. p. 11. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  29. "SUMMARY". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 16 November 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  30. "Kin Kin". noosa.com.au. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  31. "Kin Kin (entry 18157)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  32. "Kurri Kurri". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  33. 1 2 "Brief History of Lang Lang". Lang Lang & District Historical Society. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  34. Reed, A. W. (1973). Place names of Australia (1st ed.). Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 135. ISBN 0-589-50128-3.
  35. "Lang Lang: 101776: Traditional Name: Lang Lang". VICNAMES. Government of Victoria. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  36. "Lang Lang: 101776: Traditional Name: Laang Laang". VICNAMES. Government of Victoria. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  37. "Welcome to Millaa Millaa". tablelands.org. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  38. "Millaa Milla - town (entry 22066)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  39. "Min Min Lights". UFOIC-UFO Investigation Centre. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  40. "LEASE UNDER OPTION". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 8 August 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  41. "Obi Obi (entry 48818)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  42. "Tabby Tabby Island (entry 33053)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  43. "Tilba". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
  44. "Wagga Wagga". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
  45. "Walla Walla". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  46. "Lake Mac Libraries: Wangi Wangi". Lake Macquarie City Library. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  47. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article125188178
  48. "Woy Woy". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.

Further reading

  • Kennedy, Brian, & Kennedy, Barbara. & Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2006) Australian place names ABC Books for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney, N.S.W. ISBN 0-7333-1760-X
  • Reed, A. W. (1967) Aboriginal place names Sydney ; Wellington : A.H. & A.W. Reed. ISBN 0-7301-0127-4 (pbk)
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