Town names

The following information is a summary of the origins for town names in Western Australia. Please select the first letter of the town you wish to see.

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A

Abbotts

Latitude 26° 19' Longitude 118° 23'

A goldfields town near Meekatharra, Abbotts was first settled in 1898/9 and was declared a townsite in 1900. It is named in honour of a prospector, Mr Vincent Abbott, who in 1893 changed his name from Vincent Vrauizan.

Agnew

Latitude 28° 01' Longitude 120° 31'

A goldfields town near Leinster, Agnew was declared a townsite in 1936. It is named after a miner, Mr John A Agnew of Bewick, Moreing & Co., a local mining firm.

Ajana

Latitude 27° 57' Longitude 114° 30'

A farming town in the northern wheatbelt north of Northampton, Ajana was gazetted as a townsite in 1915. The name is an Aboriginal word, believed to be derived from "Ajano", the Aboriginal name for the area around nearby Barrel Well. Another source states the name is derived from the word Ngatjana or Ngajna, an Aboriginal word meaning "mine", and suggests that stone axes would be quarried at such locations.

Albany

Latitude 35° 02' Longitude 117° 54'

The City of Albany, located on the south coast of Western Australia, was officially named by Governor Stirling at the beginning of 1832. It is named after Frederick, the Duke of Albany and York, and the favourite son of King George III. The city is located on King George Sound which was discovered and named "King George the Third's Sound" on 28th September, 1791, by Captain Vancouver.

Albany was the site of the first settlement in W.A. when Major Edmund Lockier of the 57th Regiment, under instructions from the N.S.W. Govt. hoisted the British Flag on 21.1.1827 on the site of "The Residency".
The city was more often referred to as King George Sound or King George's Sound for about the first 40 years of settlement. Portion of it was originally named "Fredrickstown" by Major Lockyer in 1827 in honour of the Duke of York and Albany, Commander in Chief of the British Army. This name disappeared about 1831 and the name Albany was retained for the whole town.

Aldersyde

Latitude 32° 22' Longitude 117° 17'

Land for a proposed townsite at the 18 1/2 mile peg on the Brookton-Kunjinn Railway was resumed from four properties in 1913. One of the properties, owned by Mr Frederick Pyke was named "Aldersyde", and this name was suggested as the name of the town by the local progress association in 1914. Nuralgin and Markegin were other names considered, and Aldersyde was gazetted in 1915.

Allanson

Latitude 33° 20' Longitude 115° 09'

The townsite of Allanson is located 196 km south of Perth and just 6 km west of Collie. It is in the Collie Coalfields, and land was set aside for a townsite here in 1898, in accordance with government policy of providing land for coal miners close to the mine sites. A railway station named West Collie was opened in 1898, and when a townsite was gazetted in 1906 it was also named West Collie. However, much of the original townsite land was underlaid by coal seams, and little land was released. A new subdivision was made in 1911, and the townsite boundaries changed and gazetted 1912. The name was changed to Allanson in 1916, and it is believed to be named after Arthur Allan Wilson, the MLA for Collie from 1908 to 1947.

Amery

Latitude 31° 09' Longitude 117° 05'

A siding and townsite near Dowerin, Amery was first known as Ejanding in 1910. Its name was changed to Amery in 1928, apparently because another railway siding further north was to be named Ejanding. The name was suggested by S. J. Dobbin, Deputy Secretary for Railways, and although no origin for the name is given, it may be after Leonard Amery, Secretary of State for the Dominion, or his brother , William Banks Amery, OIC Development & Migration.

Ardath

Latitude 32° 02' Longitude 118° 06'

Ardath is a Townsite on the railway line between Corrigin and Bruce Rock. It was originally named Kerkenin townsite in April 1914, but was changed to Ardath in 1915 because of confusion with Kukerin. The name Ardath was suggested by the Secretary for Railways. Ardath is the name of a prophet mentioned in the second book of the Apocrypha called Edras. The name may also be from the novel "Ardath, the Story of a Dead Past" by Marie Corelli.

Arrino

Latitude 29° 26' Longitude 115° 38'

This townsite, located between Three Springs and Mingenew and gazetted in 1904, takes its name from the Aboriginal name of nearby springs, Arrino Well. These springs were recorded as early as 1859, and have been spelt variously as Arranoo, Arronoo and Arrino. An early settler, Mr N W Cooke had a property named "Arrino" here in 1876. The meaning of the Aboriginal word is not known, but one source states it means "many granite hills".

Augusta

Latitude 34° 19' Longitude 115° 09'

The most south westerly town in the state, Augusta was named by Gov. Sir James Stirling in May 1830. Until 2003 it was thought the name honoured Princess Augusta Sophia (b. 8/11/1768 d. 22/9/1840), 2nd daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte. In 2003 the book "James Stirling - Admiral and Founding Governor of Western Australia" by Pamela Statham Drew (UWA Press 2003) was published, and in it (page175) a letter by James Turner is referred to which states "a town is purposed to be built named Augusta, County of Sussex, in compliment to the Duke". Princess Augusta Sophia died unmarried, and the "Duke" is most likely the Duke of Sussex,  Augustus Frederick (Hanover), the 6th son of George III. He married Lady Augusta Murray in 1793, but the marriage was deemed a violation of the Royal Marriage Act, and was declared null and void in 1794. He had children by her, and did not remarry until after she died on 5 March 1830. Lady Augusta Murray is most likely the person after whom Augusta is named.

Austin

Latitude 27° 38' Longitude 117° 52'

A town in the Murchison goldfields near Cue, Austin is located on an island in Lake Austin. The lake is named after its discoverer, surveyor Robert Austin who explored this area in 1854. He named the lake Great Inland Marsh, but it was later changed to Lake Austin. The townsite, which was named after the lake, was gazetted in 1895.

Australind

Latitude 33° 17' Longitude 115° 43'

The town of Australind is located on the shores of Leschenault Eastuary, 165 km south of Perth and 12 km north east of Bunbury. In 1840 a company named the Western Australian Company was formed in England with the objective of purchasing lands in Western Australia and applying certain principles of colonisation and emigration as laid down by one of the Directors, Edward Gibbon Wakefield. The Company purchased 103,000 acres on Leschenault Inlet, and named the settlement proposed there "Australind", a combination of Australia and India. A grand town of 1,000 acres was planned and surveyed in 1840/41, but through causes beyond the control of settlers and despite the labours of the chief Commissioner, Marshall Waller Clifton, FRS, the achievement fell short of the expectations as an agricultural area. Within a few years most of the original settlers had drifted away, and the Western Australian Company was wound up in 1846. Little of the planned town was ever developed, and most of it was eventually re-subdivided.

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B

Baandee

Latitude 32° 35' Longitude 117° 59'

Baandee is a townsite on the Great Eastern Highway near Doodlakine, between Kellerberrin and Merredin. It was gazetted in April 1912, and is an Aboriginal word, sometimes spelt "Barndi", and possibly meaning "to smell". "Barndy" is also a word for "swan" in one SW dialect.
Note: C. W. Massingham, a very early settler in the Merredin district, recorded the Aboriginal name of Hines Hill, a hill about 8km NE of Baandee, as "Baandui". He was of the opinion that this was where Baandee got its name.

Babakin

Latitude 32° 07' Longitude 118° 01'

A Townsite on the railway line between Corrigin and Bruce Rock, Babakin was gazetted in 1914 The name was first shown on a lease taken up by C Heal Jnr in 1873, and it is believed to be an Aboriginal for "Dingo" or "Native Dog".

Badgebup

Latitude 33° 38' Longitude 117° 54'

A townsite between Katanning and Nyabing , this place was originally proposed as "Badjebupp", for the name of a station on the Katanning - Nampupp (Now Nyabing) Railway in 1910. The name is derived from nearby Badgebup Well, and is an Aboriginal word said to mean "place of wild rushes". Another source gives it as "broad green leaves on a plant round soak".
The Townsite was gazetted as Badjebup in , changed to "Nalabup" in 1923, changed back to "Badjebup" in 1923, and finally to Badgebup in 1972.

Badgingarra

Latitude 30° 24' Longitude 115° 33'

Badgingarra, a town on the Brand Highway near Jurien Bay, takes its name from nearby Badgingarra Pool. This feature was first recorded by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1877, and is an Aboriginal word said to mean "water by the manna gums". The townsite was gazetted in 1955.

Badjaling

Latitude 32° 00' Longitude 117° 30'

A townsite just east of Quairading in the central wheat belt, Badjaling was first gazetted as Yuruga in 1914. The name was changed to Badjaling in 1914, and takes its name from the Aboriginal name of nearby water sources, Badjaling soak and Badjaling Spring. The word "badjal" refers to feathers being thrown about as a bird is plucked.

Bakers Hill

Latitude 31° 45' Longitude 116° 27'

Originally declared as Mount Baker in 1897, this name was changed to Baker's Hill in 1902 to avoid confusion with Mount Barker. The apostrophe in the name was not officially dropped until 1944 The town is said to have been named in honour of an early settler, John or James Baker.

Baladjie

Latitude 30° 59' Longitude 118° 56'

Baladjie is another townsite that began as a WAGR railway siding. Situated about 17km west of Bullfinch, the name was first approved as a siding in 1928, and is named after nearby Baladjie Rock. It is an Aboriginal word, the meaning of which is not known. It has at times been spelt Balahgin, Baladgin, Balajie, Baladgee and finally Baladjie. The townsite was gazetted in 1930.

Balagundi

Latitude 30° 44' Longitude 121° 41'

A goldfields townsite located 20 km east of Kalgoorlie, Balagundi is named after a nearby Aboriginal well. The townsite was requested by the Balagundi Progress Association in March 1896, and the townsite gazetted later that year. The meaning of the name is not known.

Balbarrup

Latitude 34° 14' Longitude 116° 12'

This townsite, located near Manjimup, was originally gazetted as "Manjimupp" in 1903. The name was changed to Balbarrup in 1910 to avoid confusion with the new townsite of "Manjimupp" (later Manjimup) situated on the railway about 5km further west. Balbarrup is the Aboriginal name of a nearby brook and place first recorded by a surveyor in 1863, but the meaning of the name is not known.

Balgarri

Latitude 30° 29' Longitude 121° 07'

Balgarri is another goldfields townsite, situated about 45 km NNW of Kalgoorlie. It was locally known as the "Fortytwo Mile" before the name Balgarri was suggested. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, and Balgarri is an Aboriginal word, the meaning of which is not known.

Balingup

Latitude 33° 47' Longitude 115° 59'

The townsite of Balingup is located in the south west, 241 km south of Perth and 31 km south east of Donnybrook. The townsite takes its name from Balingup Pool, located in Balingup Brook which flows through the town. The name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1850, and is said to be derived from the name of an Aboriginal warrior, Balingan.

Balingup is located on the South Western Highway, the main road south to Bridgetown and beyond. It was gazetted as a main road in 1872, and by this time there were a number of farms in the area. In the 1860s the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon was one who had a large flock of sheep here. In the mid 1890s the government planned a railway from Donnybrook to Bridgetown, and Balingup was selected as the site of one of the stations. The government also decided it would establish a townsite at Balingup, but the land at the selected site was privately owned. This land was purchased in 1896, and a scheme of subdivision promptly approved, and lots surveyed in 1897. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, the same year the railway was opened.

Balkuling

Latitude 31° 59' Longitude 117° 07'

Balkuling, also sometimes spelt Balcooling, was suggested as the name for a new siding on the Greenhills - Quairading Railway in 1907. It is the Aboriginal name for a nearby locality, and was gazetted as a townsite in 1920. The meaning of this name may relate to "walking", as kulin or goolin means walking.

Ballaballa

Latitude 20° 42' Longitude 117° 47'

Ballaballa is a townsite on the coast between Port Hedland and Roebourne. It was gazetted in 1898, and is named after the nearby river of the same name. The river name was first recorded by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1879, and this Aboriginal name is believed to be derived from the word "Parla" meaning mud. Ballaballa probably mean "lots of mud".
Ballaballa was the townsite for the Whim Creek Copper Mines, and once included 2 Hotels, Telegraph Station, Blacksmith and a Store. It is now abandoned

Ballidu

Latitude 30° 36' Longitude 116° 46'

The name Ballidu is the result of a compromise between the Department of Lands & Surveys and local residents. The Department wanted to name the place Duli, after nearby Duli Rockhole, and local residents wanted Balli Balli after a nearby soakage. The Secretary of the local progress association suggested combining the names to Ballidu, and the name was approved and a townsite gazetted in 1914. The street names in the townsite are the names of varieties of wheat. The Aboriginal word bal-lee which is similar to Balli means "on this side; this way; in this direction" in one south west dialect.

Bamboo

Latitude 20° 56' Longitude 120° 13'

A mining townsite in the Pilbara near Marble Bar, Bamboo was gazetted in 1895. It derives its name from nearby Bamboo Creek, and the mine of the same name, the name being descriptive of the vegetation.

Bardoc

Latitude 30° 20' Longitude 121° 18'

A goldfields townsite near Broad Arrow north of Kalgoorlie, Bardoc is an Aboriginal name derived from a nearby hill. The hill name was recorded in 1895 and the townsite gazetted in 1896. Although the meaning of the name is not known, the word bar-dook or barduk means "near" or "close" in some Aboriginal dialects.

Beacon

Latitude 30° 27' Longitude 117° 52'

A townsite in the north eastern wheatbelt, Beacon was gazetted in 1931. The local name of the place when the name was suggested for the townsite in 1929 was Beacon Rock, but the origin of the name was not recorded. Local usage dropped the "Rock" from the name between 1929 and 1931

Bejoording

Latitude 31° 23' Longitude 116° 32'

Bejoording is an Aboriginal place name recorded during explorations by George Fletcher Moore in 1836. It is shown as an area set aside for a future townsite on Arrowsmith's map of the colony dated 1 October 1839. The first town lots were sold in 1856-57, and the Townsite gazetted in 1899. It is located near Toodyay.

Belka

Latitude 31° 44' Longitude 118° 10'

A central wheatbelt townsite on the railway line between Bruce Rock and Merredin, gazetted in 1914. This name is believed to be Aboriginal, and one source gives a meaning of "ankle" for the word. Belka is also believed to be the name of a district in Palestine.

Belmunging

Latitude 31° 52' Longitude 117° 09'

A townsite east of York, Belmunging was first gazetted as Dudinanning in 1909. The name was changed to Belmunging in 1915. It is an Aboriginal name derived from Belmunging Pool, a name first recorded in 1890.

Bencubbin

Latitude 30° 49' Longitude 117° 52'

The name of this townsite is derived from "Gnylbencubbing" the Aboriginal name for nearby Mt. Marshall. It was suggested by the Chief Draftsman, J.Hope, in 1913, for the station at the terminus of the Wyalkatchem-Mt Marshall railway. The townsite was gazetted in 1917.

Bendering

Latitude 31° 52' Longitude 117° 09'

A townsite on the railway between Kondinin and Narembeen, Bendering takes its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring. It was gazetted in 1921. The meaning of the name is unknown.

Benjaberring

Latitude 31° 09' Longitude 117° 17'

A wheatbelt townsite near Wyalkatchem, Benjaberring derives its name from a nearby Aboriginal water source. It was recorded as early as 1846, and spelt variously as Binjermaring, Pingeperring and Benjabbering. The townsite was first gazetted as Benjabbering in 1910, but was changed to Benjaberring in 1911 as this spelling better indicated the correct pronunciation.

Beria

Latitude 28° 34' Longitude 122° 23'

A goldfields townsite near Laverton, this name was first gazetted in 1905. A later gazettal in 1936 created a townsite in the same vicinity. The true Aboriginal name of the place was 'Tinbeeringtharra' but Beria, an Aboriginal word meaning 'large open field', was suggested by surveyor J.H.Rowe as being more suitable.

Beverley

Latitude 32° 07' Longitude 116° 56'

Located 33 km south east of York in the Avon valley, land at Beverley was set aside for a townsite in 1830. The town is believed to be named after a town in Yorkshire, as some of the earliest explorers of the Avon valley area were from Yorkshire.

Big Bell

Latitude 27° 19' Longitude 117° 39'

Big Bell was gazetted as a townsite in 1936, and is named after the mine of the same name. The Big Bell Mine was a very big low grade ore deposit at Paton's Find, and was developed by the Premier Gold Mining Co in the 1930's. The town serviced the mine, but the mine closed in 1954, and the town was virtually deserted by 1955. It is not known why the mine was named "Big Bell".

Bilbarin

Latitude 32° 12' Longitude 117° 57'

Bilbarin is a townsite on the railway line between Corrigin and Bruce Rock, and was originally gazetted as Wogerlin in 1914. It was changed to Bilbarin in 1916, and is named after the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring.

Bindi Bindi

Latitude 30° 38' Longitude 116° 22'

Originally a W.A.G.R. siding, Bindi Bindi was gazetted a townsite in 1947. The name is believed to the Aboriginal word for the stick or skewer with which a coat is fastened. The name being repeated usually refers to many of them.

Bindoon

Latitude 31° 23' Longitude 116° 06'

Bindoon was gazetted as a townsite in 1953, but the name has been in use in this area for over 150 years. It is derived from the name given by an early settler, Mr William Locke Brockman, to his property surveyed here in 1843. Bindoon is an Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is uncertain, but some sources state it means "place where yams grow".

Binningup

Latitude 33° 09' Longitude 115° 41'

Binningup is a south western coastal townsite located 153 km south of Perth and 27 km north of Bunbury. Binningup takes its name from "Binningup Beach Estate", a name used by a syndicate of Harvey people who subdivided the area in 1953. It is apparently an Aboriginal name, but not necessarily traditional. By 1962 there was only one resident in the area, but many homes were built in the following few years. At the request of the Shire of Harvey Binningup was gazetted a townsite in 1963.

Binnu

Latitude 28° 02' Longitude 114° 40'

A townsite on the Great Northern Highway north of Northampton, Binnu derives its name from Bininu Well located approximately 2.5 miles east of the Townsite. The well name has been known since 1909, and the townsite was gazetted in 1932. The meaning of this Aboriginal word is said to be "to squeeze". Another source states the meaning to be a contraction of a word meaning "place of emus".

Black Flag

Latitude 30° 33' Longitude 121° 14'

The goldfields townsite of Black Flag, now abandoned, takes its name from the Black Flag gold find, discovered in 1893. The townsite was gazetted in 1897, but it is not known why the place was named Black Flag.

Bodallin

Latitude 31° 22' Longitude 118° 51'

The townsite of Bodallin takes its name from the railway siding of this name, established between 1894 and 1897. It is located about half way between Merredin and Southern Cross. The townsite was gazetted spelt Boddalin in 1918, and was amended to Bodallin in 1947. The name is believed to be a corruption of Boodalin, the Aboriginal name of a soak about 23km NW of the station, and one source gives the meaning as "a big round soak".

Boddington

Latitude 32° 48' Longitude 116° 28'

Boddington is named after Henry Boddington, a farmer who shepherded sheep in the area in the 1860's and 1870's, and also leased land here in 1875. A pool in the Hotham River was known as Boddington Pool, and when the site for a railway stopping place and a townsite was chosen adjacent to the pool, Boddington was selected as the name. The townsite was gazetted in 1912.

Bolgart

Latitude 31° 16' Longitude 116° 31'

A townsite north of Toodyay, Bolgart derives its name from a nearby spring. The spring was discovered and the name recorded by explorer G F Moore in 1836. He referred to the area as "a tract of several acres of rich ground covered with active springs, the grass rich and green". J Scully took up land here in the 1840's, and named his property "Bolgart". The townsite was gazetted in 1909. One source gives Bolgart as an Aboriginal word meaning "place of water".

Bonnie Rock

Latitude 32° 30' Longitude 118° 22'

Bonnie Rock is a townsite on the edge of the eastern wheatbelt, and was the terminus of the railway line through Beacon. The townsite was gazetted in 1932, the name having been suggested by the district Surveyor, S Smith, in 1930. The name is taken from the local name of a nearby rock which was named by an early sandalwood getter.

Bonnie Vale

Latitude 30° 51' Longitude 121° 10'

A goldfields townsite near Coolgardie, Bonnie Vale was gazetted in 1897. It was apparently named after Bonnie, a prospector who picked up a 7oz. nugget here in May/June 1894.

Boodarockin

Latitude 31° 00' Longitude 118° 48'

Boodarockin is a townsite in the eastern wheatbelt near Bullfinch. When the Lake Brown Bullfinch railway line was built in 1928, a siding situated about 30km westwards of Bullfinch was named Boodarockin after some nearby wells. The Aboriginal name of the wells was first recorded in 1889. A townsite was later gazetted here in 1929, but no development ever took place. The meaning of the name is not known.

Boogardie

Latitude 28° 02' Longitude 117° 47'

Boogardie is a mining townsite about seven kilometres north west of Mount Magnet. It was gazetted in 1898, and is a local Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is unknown.

Boolading

Latitude 33° 21' Longitude 116° 38'

Boolading is a townsite west of Darkan, and derives its name from a property name. In 1907 the W.A.G.R. sought a name for a new siding here on the Collie-Darkan line, and the name Boolading was suggested by H. Farrell the district Surveyor (in "compliment to Mr W. Gibbs, the most hospitable settler on the line"). The townsite was gazetted in 1909, and was originally spelt Bulading. The spelling was amended to Boolading in 1955. The name is Aboriginal, but the meaning is not known. Boo-la means "plenty; much; many; abundance", in some south west dialects.

Boorabbin

Latitude 31° 13' Longitude 120° 19'

Boorabbin is a townsite about half way between Southern Cross and Coolgardie. It is an Aboriginal name, derived from nearby rocks of the same name. The name of the rocks was recorded by the explorer C.C.Hunt in 1865, but Hunt did not record a meaning. The townsite here was gazetted in 1898.

Boorara

Latitude 30° 49' Longitude 121° 38'

A goldfields townsite near Kalgoorlie, Boorara was gazetted in 1897. The name is Aboriginal of unknown source and meaning.

Borden

Latitude 34° 04' Longitude 118° 16'

Borden is a townsite between Gnowangerup and Ongerup. The name was first used in 1912 when it was proposed by the Secretary for Railways as the name of a siding on the new Tambellup-Ongerup Railway. It was gazetted as a townsite in 1916. Although it is not known why this name was given, it is known that it is after the Right Honourable Sir Robert Laird Borden, the 8th Prime Minister of Canada (1911 - 1920). This is confirmed because the next siding on the railway line (now closed) was named Laurier, after the Right Honourable Sir Wilfred Laurier, the 7th Prime Minister of Canada (1896 - 1911).

Boscabel

Latitude 33° 40' Longitude 117° 04'

Boscabel is a townsite in the Great Southern region near Kojonup. The name of the townsite was suggested by the local progress association in 1912, and is believed to be derived from an English name - there is a Boscobel House in Shropshire. The townsite was gazetted in 1913.

Boulder

Latitude 30° 47' Longitude 121° 29'

The townsite of Boulder, adjacent to Kalgoorlie, was gazetted in 1896. It is named after a gold mining lease called "The Great Boulder".

The story of the naming of the "the Great Boulder" is told in "The Mile that Midas Touched" (G. Casey & T. Mayman) - In 1893 in Dashwoods Gully in South Australia four men discussed the future of a local mining lease 'The Boulder'. Its main features were large sandstone boulders in which were found some small wiry stringers of gold. W.G. Brookman and Charles de Rose had been working the lease without much success, and George Brookman, a businessman who was backing them, had gone to Dashwood's Gully with an experienced prospector, Sam Pearce to discuss the matter. Later George Brookman told them he might be able to raise funds in Adelaide to send a small party to Coolgardie, and later the Adelaide Prospecting Company was formed. W.G. Brookman and Sam Pearce left Adelaide on the 7th of June 1893. On the last stage of their journey they walked beside their cart and two horses for 300 miles to Coolgardie. Sam Pearce had a good knowledge of geology and he and Brookman moved their camp to Ivanhoe Hill. While Brookman was away at Coolgardie applying for 20 acres Pearce discovered a rich lead a few chains away and in August they registered another lease. With memories of their Dashwood's Gully lease they called it the Great Boulder.

Bowelling

Latitude 33° 25' Longitude 116° 29'

Bowelling is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, located 234 km south south east of Perth and 32 km east of Collie. Bowelling is an Aboriginal name the meaning of which is unknown. It was first recorded as the name of a pool in the Collie River in 1890. When the railway from Collie to Darkan opened in 1906 and passed close to the pool, a siding was established nearby and at first referred to as Siding Number 2. In December 1907 it was renamed Bowelling, and at the Surveyor-Generals suggestion a few lots were surveyed at the siding in 1908. Bowelling was gazetted a townsite in 1908.

Bowgada

Latitude 29° 20' Longitude 116° 10'

Bowgada is a townsite in the northern wheatbelt between Perenjori and Morawa. It was originally gazetted as Chubble in 1913 and was changed to Bowgada in 1914. Bowgada is the Aboriginal name of a local bush, the botanical name of which is Ramulosa.

Boxwood Hill

Latitude 34° 22' Longitude 118° 45'

A townsite near Bremer Bay, Boxwood Hill was locally known by this name since early settlement. It was gazetted as a townsite in 1963. The name appears to be descriptive, relating to a vegetation type.

Boyanup

Latitude 33° 29' Longitude 115° 44'

The townsite of Boyanup is located in the south west agricultural region, 195 km south of Perth and 18 km south east of Bunbury. In 1888 a railway was built between Boyanup and Bunbury, and in 1891 the government opened up land in the area by declaring the Boyanup Agricultural Area. Land was set aside for a townsite in the agricultural area, lots in the townsite surveyed in 1893, and the townsite gazetted in 1894.

Boyanup is an Aboriginal name, having been first recorded by an explorer in 1852. It is also on the main road south, and is shown on a road survey in 1869 as Boyinup. It is said to mean "a place of quartz" - Boya means "rock" or "stone".

Boyerine

Latitude 33° 30' Longitude 117° 25'

This townsite, in the great southern district between Wagin and Woodanilling, was gazetted as Boyadine in 1904. The spelling was amended to Boyerine later the same year, and the name is derived from nearby Boyerine Pool, first recorded in 1874. The meaning of the name may be related to Boya, an Aboriginal word meaning "rock" or "stone".

Boyup Brook

Latitude 33° 50' Longitude 116° 21'

The townsite of Boyup Brook is located in the great southern agricultural region, 269 km south south east of Perth and 31 km north east of Bridgetown. The Boyup Brook area was known as Upper Blackwood when in 1896 the government set land aside for a future townsite on the Blackwood River about 8 km south of the present townsite. In 1899 farmers in the area met and formed the "Upper Blackwood Progress Committee", and wrote to the government requesting the setting aside of a townsite in which to erect a school, places of worship and other public purposes. The Committee was seeking to "advance the interests of this rising and important district".

The request for a townsite shrewdly proposed it be named "Throssell". It was addressed to the Minister for Lands, at that time George Throssell. The Lands Department resisted the proposal at first, as it did not consider there was enough demand for lots, but the Progress Committee persisted, and the Minister directed the Department to survey some lots. The survey was carried out in 1899 and although the name Throssell was used for a short time, Sir James Lee Steere, former resident of the area and prominent politician, suggested the Aboriginal name Boyup, by the which the area was locally known, should be used. The townsite was gazetted as Boyup in 1900, although local usage was mostly "Boyup Brook". In 1908 there was a major expansion of the townsite, and locals suggested that as there was some confusion with the similarity of Boyup and Boyanup, the townsite should be renamed Boyup Brook. The renaming was approved, and the townsite regazetted as Boyup Brook in 1909.

The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby watercourse, Boyup Brook, which was first recorded as Booyup Brook in 1877. Buyu is said to mean "place of smoke", and another account states that "Booy" means "big smoke", and was named because the brook was originally surrounded by blackboys which, when set alight, sent up a cloud of black smoke.

Bremer Bay

Latitude 34° 24' Longitude 119° 23'

A townsite on the south coast between Albany and Hopetoun, Bremer Bay derives its name from the bay on which it is located. The bay is believed to have been named by John Septimus Roe, the Surveyor-General, who visited the area in 1831. It is assumed that Roe named this feature after James John Gordon Bremer, captain of the "TAMAR", under whom he served between 1824 and 1827.

Bremer Bay was originally named Wellstead in 1951 but locals petitioned to have the town renamed to what it was locally known as, this being Bremer Bay. The change of name was approved by the Minister for Lands and the new name gazetted in 1962.

Bridgetown

Latitude 33° 57' Longitude 116° 08'

Bridgetown is a picturesque townsite on the Blackwood River between Greenbushes and Manjimup. The name of the town was proposed by Surveyor T.C. Carey in 1868 at the suggestion of the settlers of the area "as it is at a bridge and the "Bridgetown" was the first ship to put in at Bunbury for the wool from these districts". It was approved by Governor Hampton at the suggestion of J. S. Roe, the Surveyor-General, in June 1868. An earlier suggestion by Carey was "Geegelup", the Aboriginal name of the place and a brook through the town. The name was gazetted on 9/6/1868.

Broad Arrow

Latitude 30° 27' Longitude 121° 20'

A goldfields townsite between Kalgoorlie and Menzies, this place was first gazetted as Kurawah (Broad Arrow)" in May 1896. It would appear that the area was known locally as Broad Arrow and the Aboriginal name was Kurawah. Broad Arrow was officially adopted as the name in January, 1897.

Broad Arrow was named after a gold mine discovered by Reison who, when on his first trip to the area, marked broad arrows on the ground, at intervals, to direct his mates who were following. It was soon a thriving goldmining town, and in 1900 had a population of 2400 with 8 hotels, 2 breweries, a stock exchange and a large hospital.

Brookton

Latitude 32° 22' Longitude 117° 01'

A farming town in the Great Southern region between Beverley and Pingelly, Brookton was one of the original stations on the Great Southern railway which opened in June 1889. When the government gazetted a townsite here in 1895 it was named "Seabrook", but local acceptance of the station name resulted in the townsite being changed to Brookton in 1899. The town is named after "Brookton House", the property name of John Seabrook (1818-1891), who moved to this district soon after marrying in 1846.
He was the first settler and founder of what is now known as the Brookton district.

Broome

Latitude 17° 58' Longitude 122° 14'

Broome, a seaside town in the Kimberley, was gazetted a townsite in 1883. It is named after Sir Frederick Napier Broome (1842-1896) who was the then Governor of Western Australia. He took office in June 1883 and in September 1890 was appointed acting Governor of Barbados.

Broomehill

Latitude 33° 51' Longitude 117° 38'

The townsite of Broomehill came into existence just before the completion of the Great Southern Railway in 1889. It was given that name to commemorate the fact that Governor and Lady Broome turned the first sods, one at Albany, the other at Beverley. Listed as Broomehill (one word) in railway timetables gazetted in 1889, but as Broome Hill when gazetted a townsite in 1890. Although always locally known as Broomehill, the official spelling was only changed from two words to one word in 1959.

Brown Hill

Latitude 30° 46' Longitude 121° 30'

A goldmining townsite near Kalgoorlie, Brown Hill was gazetted in 1899. The name is descriptive.

Bruce Rock

Latitude 31° 53' Longitude 118° 09'

A central wheatbelt town, Bruce Rock was gazetted in 1913. It was originally called Nunagin (Noonegin) but this name was easily confused with Nungarin and Narrogin. It was changed to Bruce Rock, after the nearby rock. The rock is said to be named after John Rufus Bruce who cut sandalwood near there around 1879.

Brunswick Junction

Latitude 33° 15' Longitude 115° 50'

The town of Brunswick Junction is located in the south west between Harvey and Bunbury. It was founded around 1898, when the Brunswick railway station was opened at the junction of the Perth-Bunbury line and the newly completed Collie-Brunswick line. The town is named after the nearby river. The Brunswick River was discovered by J S Roe in 1830, and named after the House of Brunswick. The Aboriginal name is Mue-De-La. The name Brunswick was most likely chosen by Governor Stirling, as in 1813 whilst in command of the "Brazen" (a 28 gun sloop) Stirling received confidential orders to take the Duke of Brunswick, the Prince Regent's brother in law, to Wyk in Holland. The Duke was received on the "Brazen" with a 21 gun salute, and was on the ship for 5 days before leaving it in Holland. (Brunswick, Duke of (Frederick William). Born at Brunswick 1771, Killed at Quatre-Bras, Belgium 1815).

Bullabulling

Latitude 31° 01' Longitude 120° 52'

A goldfields townsite west of Coolgardie, this place was gazetted as Bulla Bulling in 1898. The spelling was amended to one word, Bullabulling, in 1944.

Bullaring

Latitude 32° 30' Longitude 117° 44'

Bullaring is a townsite on the railway line between Wickepin and Corrigin, and was gazetted in 1914. The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, the meaning of which is unknown.

Bullfinch

Latitude 30° 59' Longitude 119° 07'

The mining town of Bullfinch, located about 34 kilometres north west of Southern Cross was gazetted a townsite in 1910. "Bullfinch" was the name given to mining leases in the vicinity held by D. L. Doolette and V. Shallcross in 1909-1910. Gold was discovered on these leases by an employee, Charlie Jones, in April 1910. Although the Bullfinch mine was closed in May 1921, another mining boom took place in this area after the Second World War when Western Mining took over the Copperhead leases and set up a subsidiary company, Great Western Consolidated, to handle its interests. By 1950 the Copperhead mine was employing 130 men and the company had built a new town. Production ceased in May 1963.

Bullsbrook

Latitude 31° 40' Longitude 116° 00'

Bullsbrook, a locality north of Upper Swan, derives its name from a railway station, established here during the construction of the Midland Railway in the 1890s. The railway station was named after an adjacent watercourse, Bulls Brook, which was probably named after Lt Henry Bull who was granted land about 8km south on 15 May 1831. An alternative claim is that the watercourse was named after Richard ("Bull") Jones, one of Henry Bull's servants, who resided in the region for many years.
A townsite named Kingsford was gazetted here in 1936. This coincided with the establishment of Pearce Air Force Base and the name was chosen to honour Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Australia's most famous aviator. At the request of the Swan Road Board, the name was changed to Bullsbrook in 1939 This was to overcome confusion caused by the Post Office being known as Bullsbrook and an airfield in NSW being known as Kingsford.

Bulong

Latitude 30° 43' Longitude 121° 59'

A goldfields town about 34 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie, Bulong was gazetted in 1895. After the discovery of gold in this vicinity the area became known as "I.O.U" which was the name of a mine or a gold-mining lease. In October 1894 surveyor G.C.Hamilton was instructed to lay out a townsite at "I.O.U" and to "suggest a better name for it". Hamilton suggested "Boolong", the aboriginal name of a small soak situated nearby. This name was adopted but was spelt "Bulong" to conform with the Standard system of spelling Aboriginal names.

Bunbury

Latitude 33° 20' Longitude 115° 39'

The City of Bunbury is named in honour of Lieutenant Henry William St. Pierre Bunbury (1812-1875) of the 21st Fusiliers. Bunbury carried out explorations in this area in 1836, and in a book of his letters and papers published in 1930 he wrote of Bunbury " A township has been formed, or at least laid down on the maps, comprising the southern promontory and part of the north beach at the entrance of Port Leschenault Inlet, which the Governor named "Bunbury" in compliment to me......"
In 1830 Lt Governor Stirling caused a military station to be established at Port Leschenault under the command of Lt McLeod, but it only lasted six months. Bunbury township was mentioned in the Government Gazette in 1839, but lots in the town were not surveyed until 1841, and these were declared open for selection in March 1841.

Bungulla

Latitude 31° 57' Longitude 117° 35'

The townsite of Bungulla, located just to the west of Kellerberrin, was gazetted in 1910, and was previously a railway station. Bun-Galla is the Aboriginal name for that part of the body just above the hips.

Buniche

Latitude 33° 00' Longitude 118° 50'

Buniche is a townsite on the railway line between Lake Grace and Newdegate. The name was first proposed for a railway siding by the Secretary for Railways in 1925, but no origin was recorded. It was gazetted as a townsite in 1925.

Bunjil

Latitude 29° 38' Longitude 116° 22'

The townsite of Bunjil, located in the northern wheatbelt between Wongan Hills and Mullewa, was created as a result of a decision to establish a railway siding at this place in 1913. It was gazetted in 1914, and the Aboriginal name was suggested by surveyor Smith, acting District Surveyor. Its meaning is not known.

Bunketech

Latitude 30° 26' Longitude 117° 09'

The townsite of Bunketch, located in the eastern wheatbelt, derives its name from Bunketch Rocks, first recorded in 1903. A railway siding was established here in 1928, and a townsite gazetted in 1929.

Buntine

Latitude 29° 59' Longitude 116° 34'

Buntine is a townsite on the Wongan Hills to Mullewa railway line, located just north of Wubin. The name was first used as a siding name in 1913, the name having been suggested by District Surveyor, J P Camm. The name is taken from a nearby hill, the name of which was first recorded in 1910. The townsite was gazetted in 1916.

Burakin

Latitude 30° 31' Longitude 117° 10'

Burakin, a townsite gazetted in 1928, is located near Kalannie in the eastern wheatbelt. The name is an Aboriginal word of unknown meaning, and was suggested by the Wongan Hills Road Board in 1927. The original spelling was to have been Borrikin.

Burbanks

Latitude 31° 02' Longitude 121° 08'

Burbanks is a goldfields townsite located just south of Coolgardie. It was gazetted a townsite in 1897.

Burekup

Latitude 33° 19' Longitude 115° 48'

Burekup is a townsite located in the south west, east of Bunbury. In 1910 the Railways Department requested to name a new siding on the Pinjarra-Picton line as "Boorekup", stating this was "the Aboriginal name of a wildflower that grows profusely in the locality". The spelling was altered to Burekup according to the rules of orthography used by the Department of Lands & Surveys, and the name was approved by the Minister for Lands in 1910. Land in the vicinity was privately owned, the first development of the area occurring in 1914. Burekup was gazetted a townsite in 1973, following a request from the Shire of Dardanup.

Burracoppin

Latitude 31° 24' Longitude 118° 29'

A townsite on the Great Eastern Highway east of Merredin, Burracoppin was gazetted in 1891 It takes its name from Burracoppin Rock, a nearby granite rock, the name of which was first recorded in 1864 as Burancooping Rock. It was also shown as Lansdowne Hill in 1836. It is an Aboriginal name said to mean "near a big hill".

Burran Rock

Latitude 31° 15' Longitude 118° 00'

A townsite in the eastern wheatbelt near Nungarin, Burran Rock was first gazetted in 1915 as Danberrin, the name of a nearby hill. It was changed to Burran Rock the same year, following local protests regarding the name. Burran Rock was the name given to a school here in 1912, and the name is a corrupted version of the Aboriginal name of a nearby rock, Burracobbing Rock.

Burtville

Latitude 28° 46' Longitude 122° 39'

Burtville is a goldfields townsite near Laverton. Gold was discovered here by prospectors Billy Frost and J. Tregurtha in 1897. Business and residential areas were laid out under the Goldfield Act by surveyor J. H. Rowe in 1901. Rowe recorded the Aboriginal name for the district as "Merolia" and the settlement was shown as such on early maps.

However, the original residents determined upon calling the place Burtville in compliment to the Warden of the Mount Margaret Goldfield, then Mr. Alfred Earle Burt (1852-1945), a son of Sir Archibald Burt, first Chief Justice of the Western Australian Supreme Court. This name was in local use as early as October 1901. The townsite was gazetted as "Merolia" in 1902, but regazetted as Burtville at the request of the Progress Association later in the same year.

Busselton

Latitude 33° 39' Longitude 115° 21'

Named in honour of the Bussell's, an early and notable family of pioneers who were the first settlers in the area. They had previously settled at Augusta near the mouth of the Blackwood River in 1830, and in 1831, disenchanted with the hardships encountered, J. G. Bussell discovered land of "parkland" nature in the Vasse region. He was granted land in the area in 1832, and moved here in 1834. Bussell built a home named "Cattlechosen", and the remainder of his family moved here from Augusta in 1835/6.

The first official mention of the name Busselton was on 30 June 1835, when the Colonial Secretary wrote informing the Surveyor-General that nine towns, among which was Busselton, were to be considered open for the purchase of allotments. On 4 July 1835 a General Notice to that effect was issued from the Surveyor-General's office, Perth. The district continued to be referred to as "the Vasse", and in general "the Vasse" and "Busselton" were equally used as late as the turn of the century, when "the Vasse" began to be dropped.

Byford

Latitude 32° 14' Longitude 116° 00'

Byford, a suburb on the south eastern edge of Perth, was first gazetted as the townsite of Beenup in 1906. This was previously the name of the railway siding there and was a corruption of the Aboriginal name of nearby Beenyup Brook. In 1919 the "Beenup Progress Association" requested that the name be changed to "Lynwood" but this was refused because of duplication in Queensland. Early in 1920 a further request for a name change was made, this time expressing a preference for "Byford". The name change was gazetted in 1920, and it is believed to be descriptive ("by the ford on Beenup Brook").

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C

CADOUX

Latitude 30° 46' S Longitude 117° 08' E

Cadoux is a townsite in the north eastern wheatbelt. When it was decided to establish a railway siding here in 1927 the local road board secretary suggested "Cado", after the name of the farmer who owned the land. The name was later confirmed to be correctly spelt Cadoux, and honours Donald Cadoux, an English settler, who arrived in Western Australia in 1909. He died at Gallipoli during the Great War 1914-1918 and his name was suggested as a fitting memorial for the town. The townsite was gazetted in 1929.

CALINGIRI

Latitude 31° 05' S Longitude 116° 27' E

The townsite of Calingiri, located north east of Perth near New Norcia, derives its name from Calingiri Waterhole, the name of which was first recorded by a surveyor in 1903. Between 1914 when a settlement was first proposed at Calingiry W H and 1917 when it was gazetted, this townsite was variously spelt Calingtry, Kalingiri, The Washpool, Kalingary, Calingarra, Calingtry, Calingiry, Kalingiry and finally Calingiri. The name is believed to be derived from "Calingal", the Aboriginal word for the diamond dove. Calingiri was known to early settlers as the Washpool and was formerly a mission waterhole where flocks of sheep were washed before shearing.

CALLION

Latitude 30° 07' S Longitude 120° 34' E

Callion is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located about 60 km south west of Menzies. It was gazetted in 1897, and prior to gazettal was locally known as Speakman's Find, after the prospector who originally found gold here in 1896. Callion may have been another prospector , but this information is not known at present.

CAMBALLIN

Latitude 17° 59' S Longitude : 124° 11' E

Camballin townsite, in the Kimberley district between Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, was gazetted a townsite in 1959. The name was selected by Northern Development Ltd in 1957, and the townsite was to service the Company's Liveringa Rice Project. Camballin is the name of a nearby pastoral station.

CANNA

Latitude 28° 54' S Longitude 115° 52' E

Early in 1913 the Public Works Department proposed placing a siding at the 51 mile, 2 chain peg on the Wongan Hills - Mullewa Railway which was then under construction. The name originally agreed upon for this siding was "Pindawa" after the Aboriginal name for a well situated 8km West of the site, but when land was set aside for a future townsite the same year it was spelt "Pinndawa".

In 1914, this name was declared unsuitable because of its similarity to the existing town of Pindar on the same line. The alternatives "Yondong" or "Canna" were suggested, and the latter was chosen in June 1914. The railway line was opened for traffic on 5 April 1915 with Canna being one of the stopping places. The townsite was not formally gazetted and land made available for sale until 1928. No reason is given for the choice of name, but almost all the siding names on this line are Aboriginal. The other alternative, "Yondong", is an Aboriginal name for the "black goanna", but "Canna" has not been found in various vocabularies consulted. Nevertheless, despite the existence of a Scottish island and a plant of that name, an Aboriginal origin is considered most likely. Canna may well be a form of "Kana" meaning "alive or green" in the Wongi language.

CAPEL

Latitude 33° 33' S Longitude 115° 34' E

Situated 17 miles south of Bunbury on the Capel River after which it is named. The Capel River was discovered by F. Ludlow in1834, but no name was applied, and it was not until Lt. H W Bunbury on the 17th December 1836 quotes crossing a considerable river with steep banks, hitherto unknown to colonists which he says was afterwards named the "Capel" by Mr Bussell after a cousin, Miss Capel Carter. Plans to establish a townsite here were first noted in 1844, and the place was given its Aboriginal name "Coolingnup". The townsite was surveyed in the 1870's, but lots were not sold until 1897. The townsite name was changed from Coolingnup to Capel in 1899.

CARBUNUP RIVER

Latitude 33° 42' S Longitude 115° 11' E

Situated about 15km WSW of Busselton, this townsite was declared as Carbunup in 1926. It is named after the nearby river of this name, and the name was changed to Carbunup River in 1958. to avoid confusion with Carbarup, a townsite in the Mount Barker region Carbunup is an Aboriginal place name that has been variously said to mean "place of a kindly stream" , "place of cormorants" (WA Museum which gives the word for cormorant as carbanga), and "place of the stinkwood thicket".

CARNAMAH

Latitude 29° 41' S Longitude 115° 53' E

Carnamah, gazetted a townsite in 1913, is located in the midlands wheatbelt area , 23 kilometres south east of Three Springs. It is named after "Carnamah", the name of a pastoral property established by Duncan Macpherson in this location in the late 1860s. A telegraph station was established here in 1873, and is referred to in 1876 by the famous explorer Ernest Giles. Giles spells it "Cornamah" in his book, but "Carnamah" on his map.
Macpherson's property "Carnamah" derives its name from Carnamah Spring, first
mentioned in an application for grazing leases in 1861 in the name of Macpherson and Slater. The name is probably Aboriginal of unknown meaning, or possibly is a Gaelic word meaning "cairn of the cattle" or "cattle rocks".

CARNARVON

Latitude 24° 53' S Longitude : 113° 40' E

Carnarvon, located on the coast at the mouth of the Gascoyne River, was gazetted a townsite in 1883. It is named after the 4th Earl of Carnarvon, Henry Howard Molyneux, Lord Lieut and Custos Rotulorum of Co. Southampton, High Steward, Univ. of Oxford, and Constable of Carnarvon Castle; Secretary of State for the Colonies 1866-1867 and from 1874 to 1878, Lord Lieut. of Ireland 1885-86. The Aboriginal name for this area is "Kow-win-wordo", said to mean "neck of water"

CARON

Latitude 29° 38' S Longitude 116° 19' E

Caron is a townsite in the north east wheatbelt, located just south of Perenjori. It was gazetted in 1921, and is named after the railway station there on the Wongan-Mullewa railway. The railway station is assumed to have been named after Carun Spring situated about 26km west. Carun Spring first appeared on plans in 1895, but is incorrectly spelt "Caron Spring" on plans from 1907 to 1955, accounting for the spelling variation retained in the townsite name.

Caron is an Aboriginal name of uncertain origin and meaning, but is possibly related to "Coron", a word recorded in Bishop Salvado's 1851 vocabulary as meaning "hail" or "hailstones".

CARRABIN

Latitude 31° 23' S Longitude 118° 41' E

The townsite of Carrabin is located about 43 kilometres ENE of Merredin, on the railway line between Merredin and Southern Cross. It was gazetted in 1912, and took its name from the already existing railway siding located adjacent to the townsite. It is an Aboriginal name of unknown meaning.

CASCADE

Latitude 33° 28' S Longitude 121° 04' E

The townsite of Cascade is one of the most recent wheatbelt towns, and is located near the south coast between Ravensthorpe and Esperance. The name was suggested by the Esperance Shire for the Townsite because the area was locally known as "Cascades", but it is not known why. The townsite was gazetted in 1976

CERVANTES

Latitude 30° 30' S Longitude 115° 04' E

The townsite of Cervantes, a fishing settlement on the west coast near Jurien Bay and Nambung National Park, was gazetted in 1963. It is named after nearby Cervantes Islands, which in turn are named after the "Cervantes", an American whaler, wrecked just north of the islands on the 20th July 1844. The "Cervantes" was under the command of Captain Gibson at the time of the shipwreck and the survivors walked about 160 km south along the coast to Fremantle. At the time of naming of the townsite it was thought that the islands had been named "Cervantes" by the Baudin Expedition of 1801-03 after a Spanish author, and, as a result, many of the streets received Spanish names

CHANDLER

Latitude 31° 06' S Longitude 118° 25' E

Chandler is a townsite in the eastern wheatbelt, located about 47 kilometres NNE of Merredin. Now abandoned, it was established to service the mining of Alunite from nearby Lake Campion. Land was set aside for the townsite in 1942, and the name Chandler was chosen in honour of Mr J Chandler, the farmer who discovered the alunite deposits. The townsite was gazetted in 1943.

CHINOCUP

Latitude 33° 32' S Longitude 118° 23' E

The townsite of Chinocup was declared as "Chinokup" in 1923, to satisfy a need for blocks of land at the station of this name on the Nyabing-Pingrup Railway (now abandoned) The station was named after nearby Lake Chinocup, and the spelling of the townsite was changed in 1962 to agree with the lake. Chinocup is an Aboriginal word of unknown meaning which had been recorded as the name of the lake in 1879.

CHITTERING

Latitude 31° 27' S Longitude 116° 06' E

The locality of Chittering, located about 70 kilometres north east of Perth has been known by this name since first recorded by explorer George Fletcher Moore in 1836. It is an Aboriginal word probably meaning "place of the willy wag tails". One of the Aboriginal words for this bird is "chitti-chitti'.

CLACKLINE

Latitude 31° 43' S Longitude 116° 31' E

The townsite of Clackline, located 17 kilometres south west of Northam, was gazetted a townsite in 1896. Despite being on a railway line, the name has no connection with the railway, and is an Aboriginal name. The surveyor John Forrest, later Premier of Western Australia, recorded the name for a well and brook in 1879, but did not record a meaning for the name.

CLARENCE

Latitude 32° 08' S Longitude 115° 46' E

Clarence is a townsite in the Perth suburb of Munster, located on Cockburn Sound south of Perth. Land was set aside for townsite here in January 1830, but was not formally gazetted until 1906. It is named after Prince William, the Duke of Clarence and Earl of Munster.

COLD HARBOUR

Latitude 31° 54' S Longitude 116° 47' E

The townsite of Cold Harbour, located just east of York, was gazetted in 1903. It is named after a property name in use in the area since the 1840's. In 1842 Stephen Stanley Parker and his elder brother John Wyborn Parker branched out from their father's property of 'Northbourne' at York to establish themselves on 'Cold Harbour', a property just south of York on the same side of the Avon River as 'Northbourne'. The estate was named in honour of the grandfather, John Parker, who had purchased the 'Cold Harbour' portion of the Northbourne Court manor in Kent. "Cold Harbour" seemed an appropriate name for the estate, the beauty of the land with its loamy soil, winding streams and tall green timbers reflected the images of exuberantly green, river nourished farmlands of Stephen Stanley's native County of Kent.

COLLIE

Latitude 33° 21' S Longitude 116° 09' E

The townsite of Collie is located in the south west agricultural region, 202 km south south east of Perth, and about 50 km east of Bunbury. It is situated on the Collie River after which it is named. The river, which rises in the Darling Range and flows into Leschenault Estuary near Bunbury, is named after Dr Alexander Collie. Dr Collie, a Royal Navy surgeon, and Lt. William Preston of H.M.S. Sulphur, explored this country and discovered the river in 1829, and Captain James Stirling, the Lieutenant Governor, named it in Collie's honour. Collie was appointed the first Resident Magistrate at Albany in 1831, was later appointed Colonial Surgeon, and died at Albany in 1836.
Collie is a coal mining town, coal having been discovered near here by George March, a shepherd, in the early 1880s. The coalfields were developed in the late 1890s, and land set aside for a townsite. The name Collie was generally used from the beginning, and when lots were surveyed and the townsite gazetted in December 1897, it was named Collie. However, the selection of name was immediately a problem, as there was already a railway station near Roelands named Collie. Collie townsite was therefore renamed Colliefields in January 1898. The Colliefields Progress Committee immediately protested at this decision, and after further consideration the Collie railway station was renamed Roelands and Colliefields townsite renamed Collie in 1899.

COLLIE BURN

Latitude 33° 24' S Longitude 116° 11' E

Collie Burn is a townsite near Collie . In 1902 the government decided to establish a town in the Collie Coalfields, near the terminus of the Collie Boulder Railway, south east of Collie. The town was to service the Collie Burn and Collie Cardiff coal mines, and a site midway between the two mines was chosen. The townsite was gazetted in 1907, and was named Collieburn, as Cardiff was used elsewhere in Australia. The townsite was sometimes referred to as Collie-Burn, but in 1944 a government notice proclaimed the correct spelling to be Collie Burn. In 1916 the southern portion of the townsite was renamed Collie Cardiff.
The Collie part of the name is from the Collie River, and the Burn is probably from the old English word for a stream or river.

COLLIE CARDIFF

Latitude 33° 26' S Longitude 116° 12' E

Collie Cardiff is a townsite in the Collie coalfields south east of Collie. The need for a townsite here was identified in 1902, and a townsite known as Collieburn, midway between Collie Cardiff and Collie Burn was gazetted in 1907. By 1915 the main requirement for land was closer to the Collie Cardiff end of the townsite, and the Cardiff Progress Association sought to rename the town, Cardiff. The government supported the change of name, but only of the southern portion of the Collie Burn Townsite, and this was officially changed in 1916. It was first declared as "Collie-Cardiff", but was amended to Collie Cardiff (no hyphen) in 1944. The name is derived from it being on the Collie coalfields, and Cardiff being the name of the Welsh coal mining city.

COLREAVY

Latitude 30° 53' S Longitude 119° 01' E

Colreavy is a townsite in the Yilgarn Goldfield, located near Bullfinch. A townsite near here was declared as "Knutsford" in 1889, but Knutsford was cancelled in 1912 due to a bad design. The townsite of Colreavy, about 1400 metres north, was gazetted in 1912. Colreavy was originally going to be called Golden Valley after the name of the general area, but this was rejected due to duplication in the Eastern States. Colreavy is named after Bernard Norbert Colreavy, one of the prospectors who in 1887 found gold in this area. This gold find led to the gold rush which created the Yilgarn Goldfields.

COMET VALE

Latitude 29° 56 36' S Longitude 121° 07 34' E

Comet Vale is an abandoned goldfields mining town, situated about 30 kilometres south of Menzies. It is named after a comet, visible at the time gold was discovered in the area, and in 1895 had a population of 500. It was gazetted a townsite in 1916.

CONDINGUP

Condingup is a townsite located in a wheat and sheep area near the south coast east of Esperance. It was declared a townsite in 1963, and takes its name from the nearby Condingup Peak. This is an Aboriginal name of unknown meaning, first recorded during surveys for the telegraph line in 1875/6.

CONGELIN

Latitude 32° 50 29' S Longitude 116° 53 02' E

A townsite in the South West between Narrogin and Wandering, Congelin was gazetted in 1913. The townsite was requested by the "14 Mile Brook Progress Association"in 1911, and the name was derived from a nearby pool. The name is Aboriginal, of unknown meaning.

COOLIMBA

Latitude 29° 51' S Longitude 114° 58' E

Coolimba is a coastal fishing town, located on the coast west of Eneabba. The townsite was gazetted in 1969, and the name is Aboriginal, said to mean "place by the water". This place is also sometimes referred to as "Desperate Bay".

COOKERNUP

Latitude 32° 59' S Longitude 115° 53' E

Cookernup is a town in the south west between Waroona and Harvey. A townsite was gazetted here in 1894, and derives its name from a farm established nearby by Joseph Logue in the early 1850's. Also spelt Kookernup in 1853, Logue Brook was once known as Cookernup Brook. The meaning of this Aboriginal name is given as "the place of the swamp hen"(cooki).

COOLGARDIE

Latitude 30° 57' S Longitude 121° 09' E

Coolgardie is one of the major towns in the goldfields of Western Australia, and is located 510 kilometres east of Perth. Gold was discovered here by Bailey and Ford in 1892, and the townsite of Coolgardie was gazetted in 1893. At its peak in 1900 it had 23 hotels, 3 breweries, 6 banks, 2 stock exchanges and 3 daily and 4 weekly newspapers. The population then was 15,000, with 25,000 more in the area.

Coolgardie is an Aboriginal name of uncertain meaning. Different sources give it as meaning "a rockhole surrounded by mulga trees" ( the mulga tree is named "koolgoor"), from "coolgabbi" meaning a tree near a waterhole, or after the large Bungarra lizard, pronounced "Coorgardie"by the Aborigines. It is claimed that Warden John Finnerty was the first to record the name, having asked local Aborigines the name of the place. The name was difficult to spell, and what some claim is "Golgardi", was spelt by Finnerty as Coolgardie.

COOLUP

Latitude 32° 44' S Longitude 115° 52' E

Coolup is a town in the south west between Pinjarra and Waroona. It was gazetted a townsite in 1899, but the name has been recorded in the area since at least 1886. Coolup is an Aboriginal name possibly meaning "place of the wild turkey". (kool or koonlie are given as words for the wild turkey).

COOMALBIDGUP

Latitude 33° 38' S Longitude 121° 22' E

Coomalbidgup is a townsite on the South Coast Highway between Esperance and Ravensthorpe. It was gazetted in 1961, and takes its name from the nearby Coomalbidgup Creek. The name is Aboriginal, and one informant states it means "Possum scratches up a tree & there is water there". The explorer George Grey in 1839 recorded "Koo-mal" as meaning Possum, "up" means place, and Bid-dee or Bid-gee means waterhole in the dialect of the Mundrabilla Tribe.

COOMBERDALE

Latitude 30° 28' S Longitude 116° 02' E

Coomberdale is a locality in the Midlands area, located between Moora and Watheroo. It takes its name from the railway siding established here by the Midland Railway Co. in 1895, the year the Company's railway from Midland to Walkaway was opened. The siding is named after Coomberdale Well which was recorded by surveyor Alexander Forrest in a property surveyed for Edmund King in 1872. The name was probably given by King who settled in the area around 1866, and who came from Oxfordshire in England He named his property "Oxfordale".

COOROW

Latitude 29° 53' S Longitude 116° 01' E

Coorow is a town in the Midlands wheatbelt area, 264 Kilometres north of Perth, between Carnamah and Moora. The townsite of Coorow was gazetted in 1893, and the name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, first recorded in 1872. The meaning of the name may be from the word "Curro", which is the Aboriginal word for a variety of Portulacca, or another source gives it as "many mists".

CORDERING

Latitude 33° 30' S Longitude : 116° 39' E

Cordering is a townsite in the south west, located on the railway between Collie and Wagin. The townsite, gazetted in 1916, is named after the railway siding located here. The siding is in turn named after the nearby Cordering Creek. Cordering is an Aboriginal name which was first used as the name for a farm in the area around 1903. Its meaning is not known.

CORINTHIA

Latitude 31° 07' S Longitude 119° 14' E

Corinthia ia an abandoned goldfields townsite, located about 13 kilometres north west of Southern Cross. The townsite took its name from the nearby "Corinthian Mine", but was gazetted spelt Korinthia in 1911. It was changed to Corinthia in 1912, and the name is believed to be derived from the biblical city of Corinth in Greece.

CORRIGIN

Latitude 32° 20' S Longitude 117° 52' E

The townsite of Corrigin, located in the wheatbelt area between Brookton and Kondinin, was first gazetted in 1913 as "Dondakin". This name was derived from the adjacent railway siding, which in turn was a form of the Aboriginal name of a nearby soak, Dondakine Soak. The local name, "Corrigin", was not accepted by railway authorities at first because of the likelihood of confusion with another siding called "Korrijinn".
Eventually, due to public protest, Korrijinn was changed to "Bickey", and Dondakin changed to Corrigin on 15 May 1914. Corrigin is named after Corrigin Well, another local Aboriginal name, first recorded in 1877. The meaning of the name is not known.

COSSACK

Latitude 20° 41' S Longitude 117° 11' E

Cossack, a once thriving port and pearling centre, is located on the Pilbara coast near Roebourne. It was gazetted a townsite in 1872, but by the turn of the century the port had silted up. It is now virtually abandoned, and all that remains are a few historic buildings. The townsite was named after H.M.S. Cossack which visited Tien Tsin harbour in 1871 with the Governor, Sir Frederick Weld, on board

COWARAMUP

Latitude 33° 51' S Longitude 115° 06' E

Located 12kms north of Margaret River, Cowaramup derives its name from Cowaramup Siding, which was located near the townsite, on the Busselton to Augusta railway. The townsite was gazetted in 1925, and the name is believed to be derived from "Cowara", the Aboriginal name for the Purple Crowned Lorikeet..

COWCOWING

Latitude 31° 00' S Longitude 117° 27' E

Cowcowing is a townsite in the central wheatbelt between Wyalkatchem and Koorda. It was gazetted a townsite in 1919, but had earlier been a siding on the railway line here. Cowcowing is an Aboriginal name, first recorded as the name of nearby lakes in 1854. One earlier record in 1846 refers to a Gow gow eeh Lake, and this is presumed to be the same lake. The meaning of the name is not known.

CRANBROOK

Latitude 34° 18' S Longitude 117° 33' E

Cranbrook is a town in the Great Southern region, situated 39 kilometres NNE of Mount Barker. It was one of the original railway stations on the Great Southern Railway when the railway opened in 1889, and was gazetted a townsite in 1899. The name is taken from the town of Cranbrook in Kent, about 65 kilometres south east of London. It is believed to have been named by Mr J A Wright, who was manager of the Western Australian Land Company which built the railway. Mr Wright was educated at Queen Elizabeth School in Cranbrook.

CUBALLING

Latitude 32° 49' S Longitude 117° 11' E

Cuballing is a townsite on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Narrogin, 195 km from Perth. It is one of the original stations on the Great Southern Railway, and was in use when the railway opened in 1889. The station was originally spelt Cubballing after nearby Cubballing Pool, but when the townsite was gazetted in 1899, the current spelling was adopted. The name of the pool was first recorded in a lease application in 1868, but the meaning of this Aboriginal name is not known.

CUDDINGWARRA

Latitude 27° 22' S Longitude 117° 47' E

Cuddingwarra is a townsite in the Murchison goldfields near Cue. When gold was first discovered in the area in 1888 this place was known as "Dead Finish", but when the government gazetted a townsite in 1895, Cuddingwarra was the name chosen. Cuddingwarra is the Aboriginal name of a nearby hill, first recorded in a pastoral lease application by Lacy Brothers in 1878-79.

CUE

Latitude 27° 26' S Longitude 117° 53' E

Cue was gazetted a townsite in August 1893. It is named after Tom Cue, one of those who discovered gold there in 1892. The following account from an article in the "Sunday Times" dated Nov. 24th, 1974, page 7 describes the beginnings of Cue "Back in the young Western Australia of 1890, the gold rush to the Murchison was in full swing. Crowds of gold seekers actually walked over large quantities of surface gold that was eventually found by Tom Cue after one of those all too common droughts removed the surface grass. Cue, the capital of Murchison, mushroomed near the spot where Tom Cue and his mates made fortunes by turning over stones with forked sticks as their only equipment. Gold virtually covered the ground. This surface gold did not build the town though. The deep gold did this."

CUNDERDIN

Latitude 31° 39' S Longitude 117° 14' E

Cunderdin is a central wheatbelt town on the Great Eastern Highway between Meckering and Tammin, 156 km east of Perth. Land was set aside for a townsite here in 1904, and the townsite was gazetted in 1906. Cunderdin is the Aboriginal name of a nearby hill, first recorded by the explorer C C Hunt in 1864. The meaning of the name is not known, but one source states "Cunder" is derived from "Quenda", meaning "place of the bandicoot", and another source gives it as meaning "big turkey".

CUTHBERT

Latitude 35° 01' S Longitude 117° 47' E

Cuthbert is a townsite on the western edge of Albany. It was originally established as a siding on the Great Southern Railway in the 1890's, and named "Eastwood". In 1909 the government decided to subdivide land here, and when a name for the townsite was sought Eastwood was unacceptable because it was already in use in three other Australian states. Alternative names of "Karajinup" and Ätwell" were considered before the name "Werillup", an Aboriginal word meaning "place of swamps" was chosen and gazetted as the name of the townsite in 1914. The Deputy Postmaster-General objected to Werillup, and the name "Cuthbert"was suggested as an alternative by the Secretary for Railways in 1915. The change of name was gazetted in September 1916, and the name is believed to honour an 1890's settler of the area.

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D

DALAROO

Latitude 30° 35' S Longitude 116° 01' E

Located just to the north of Moora, the townsite of Dalaroo derives its name from nearby Lake Dalaroo. The name is believed to be Aboriginal, of unknown meaning, and was first recorded by a surveyor in 1848. It has been shown incorrectly as "Dalara Lake" at times. The townsite was gazetted in 1914.

DALWALLINU

Latitude 30° 17' S Longitude 116° 40' E

The townsite of Dalwallinu is located 251 kilometres NNE of Perth in the northern wheatbelt. It was gazetted in 1914, although the name was in use as a railway station on the "Wongan Hills - Mullewa Line" in 1913. The meaning of this Aboriginal word is given as "a place to wait a while", although this meaning is disputed by some early residents of the district. Another source suggests the meaning is "good lands", referring to the open grass lands closer to Pithara.

DALYUP

Latitude 33° 43' S Longitude 121° 36' E

Dalyup is a townsite on the South Coast Highway east of Esperance, about 700 kilometres from Perth. It was gazetted in 1962, and derives its name from the Dalyup River on which it is located. The name is Aboriginal, and possibly is the Noongar word for the King Parrot or Hookbill, spelt Djalyup" in some word lists. The Dalyup River was discovered by the explorer J S Roe in 1848, and named by him "Gage River". The first surveys in the area were carried out in 1875, and the surveyor, H S Carey recorded the Aboriginal name of the river as Dalyup. This name has taken precedence over Roe's name.

DAMPIER

Latitude 20° 40' S Longitude 116° 43' E

A town on the north west coast, west of Roebourne, Dampier was first established as a port for Hamersley Iron in the 1960's. It was also gazetted a townsite in 1972. Dampier is named after the English explorer and onetime buccaneer, William Dampier, who visited the adjacent islands in 1699 in his ship the "Roebuck". The island group through which he sailed was named "Dampier Archipelago" by Captain Louis Freycinet in 1803.

William Dampier (1651-1715) was the first Englishman to set foot on Australian soil. As a young man he took part in various adventures on both coasts of central America, and in 1683 joined a group of buccaneers bound for the Pacific. In 1686 he joined the "Cygnet" under Captain Swan, and in 1688, briefly visited Western Australia near Broome. He returned to Western Australia in 1699 for a longer visit, exploring the coast from north of Houtman Abrolhos to north of Broome. He landed on, and named, Rosemary Island in the Dampier Archipelago on this expedition.

DANDARAGAN

Latitude 30° 41' S Longitude 115° 42' E

A townsite in the Midlands west of Moora, Dandaragan is an Aboriginal word which one source gives as meaning "good kangaroo country". The name was first recorded for a nearby spring and gully by a surveyor in 1850, although the name was sometimes spelt "Dandaraga".
Although a Townsite was gazetted here in 1958, the name has been in use since James Drummond took up a property here in 1850. Dandaragan was an important place on the road north, and a police station was opened here in the 1850's, a school in 1885 and a post office in 1896.

DANGIN

Latitude 32° 02' S Longitude 117° 20' E

Dangin is a townsite 7 km south west of Quairading. It was first approved as a railway siding on the Greenhills to Quairading railway in 1907, the name being derived from Dangin Spring, a nearby Aboriginal name recorded as early as 1860. In 1863 Dangin is recorded as the name of Mr Edward Read Parker's farm, which he settled in the 1850's. It is believed the name is derived from Danjin, an Aboriginal word meaning- "place of the needle bush or hakea" (Djanja). The townsite here was gazetted in 1959.

DARDANUP

Latitude 33° 24' S Longitude 115° 45' E

Situated about 10 km south west of Bunbury, the Dardanup area was first settled by Thomas Little around 1852. Little built a homestead named "Dardanup Park", the name believed to be a variation of the Aboriginal word "Dudingup" the meaning of which is not known. Little gave land to the Catholic Church and attracted other settlers to the area, and a small community soon developed.
Land at Dardanup was privately owned and developed, but in the 1920's the government acquired and subdivided land here for closer settlement. The townsite of Dardanup was gazetted in 1923,

DARKAN

Latitude 33° 20' S Longitude 116° 45' E

Darkan is a townsite in the south west 30 km west of Arthur River. The townsite was gazetted in 1906, but the area was settled by William John Gibbs and his family in the late 1860's. One of Gibb's properties was named Darkan, but the name is believed to be a local Aboriginal name. The meaning is not known at present.

DATTENING

Latitude 32° 32' S Longitude 116° 53' E

Dattening is a townsite about 20 km west of Pingelly. The name is Aboriginal of unknown meaning and derivation. This general area was known locally as "Taylors Well" after the well sunk here by Mr Norris Taylor in the 1890's. In 1906 the Taylors Well Progress Committee requested the survey of some small blocks for business in the area and a scheme of subdivision was commenced in 1907. "Taylors Well" was rejected as a possible name for the proposed townsite because of duplication in South Australia, so the local progress association and the Mourambine Road Board suggested Dattening, "the native name of a spring in the neighbourhood of the well". Dattening townsite was gazetted in 1908 In 1925 and again in 1929 local agitation to change the name to "Taylors Well" was unsuccessful.

DAVYHURST

Latitude 30° 03' S Longitude 120° 39' E

A goldfields townsite south west of Menzies, Davyhurst was gazetted in 1901. When it was proposed to declare a townsite here in 1900 the place was referred to as "Davyston", better known as "Mace's Find". Warden Owen of Menzies then advised the Department the place was known as "Davyhurst", and this was the name used when the townsite was gazetted. It is believed to be named after a miner

DAY DAWN

Latitude 27° 28 S Longitude 117° 52 E

A townsite in the Murchison Goldfields, just 6.6 km from Cue, Day Dawn was originally gazetted as "Bundawadra" in 1894, but was changed to Day Dawn within three months. Gold was discovered here by Ted Hefferman in 1892, and he named his discovery "Day Dawn", after the time of day that he pegged his claim. The area developed rapidly from 1898 when the famous "Great Fingall" mine was established, and the town of Day Dawn boomed. Flooding and other problems closed the mine around World war II, and Day Dawn soon faded away.

DENHAM

Latitude 25° 56' S Longitude 113° 32' E

Denham is a townsite located in Shark Bay 831 km NNE of Perth. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, and at that time was locally known as "Freshwater Camp". The government surveyor who surveyed the townsite, C M Denny, chose the name Denham for the townsite, deriving the name from the adjacent Denham Sound. The Sound in turn is named after Captain Henry Mangles Denham, a Royal Navy Hydrographer who surveyed a portion of Shark Bay in the HMS Herald in 1858.

The site chosen for this townsite was the only location in Shark Bay providing a good supply of fresh water. The local population at that time was principally engaged in pearling, and many opposed declaring a townsite, because of the process used to obtain the pearls and pearl shell. The pearlers used "shell pits" and "pogey tubs" in which they deposited the dead pearl shell fish, allowing it to come to a state of putrescence before boiling down. This enabled them to collect the pearls that were not visible when the pearl shells were opened on the beach. They believed the smell of their industry would force them to move away from the townsite where health laws would now apply.

DENMARK

Latitude 34° 58' S Longitude 117° 21' E

The townsite of Denmark, located on the south coast 51 km west of Albany, was gazetted a townsite in 1909. It is located on the Denmark River from which it derives its name, the river having been named by the explorer Dr J B Wilson RN in December 1829. Wilson named it the "Denmark" in compliment to his friend Dr. Alexander Denmark R.N. a physician to the fleet. The Aboriginal name "Koorrabup", recorded by Alfred Hillman in 1833, also refers to this area.

Although a townsite was not declared here until 1909, a settlement of this name had existed here for some years previous. A Millars Bros. Timber mill was established on the banks of the river in 1894.

DERBY

Latitude 17° 18' S Longitude 123° 38' E

The townsite of Derby, located on King Sound north of the mouth of the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley district was gazetted in 1883. It is named after Edward Henry Stanley, Lord Derby (1826-1893), Secretary of State for Colonies 1882-1885. The town was established to service the growing Kimberley cattle industry, and grew rapidly following the discovery of gold in the Kimberley in 1885.

DESMOND

Latitude 33° 38' S Longitude 120° 09' E

The townsite of Desmond is located near the south coast between Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun. It was created first as a siding on the railway to Hopetoun, and named "Eldverton" after a nearby mine, in turn named after the prospector that discovered it. Eldverton was gazetted a townsite in 1909.

In 1910 another railway siding was opened at the mine, and named Eldverton, and it was necessary to rename the other siding. The name was changed to Desmond, and the townsite name was changed at the same time. It is named after nearby Mount Desmond. Mount Desmond was named by Surveyor-General John Septimus Roe in December 1848 whilst exploring the south coast area.

DINNINUP

Latitude 33° 49' S Longitude 116° 32' E

The townsite of Dinninup, located in the south west 17 km east of Boyup Brook, derives its name from Dinninup Brook. It is an Aboriginal name of unknown meaning, and was first recorded by a surveyor in 1877. Early settlers in the area, noting that the government was planning to extend the railway from Boyup Brook to Kojonup in 1908, asked for land to be set aside for a townsite. The railway was in place by 1910and a station named Dinninup established , but the townsite was not gazetted until 1915.

DONGARA

Latitude 29° 15' S Longitude 114° 56' E

Dongara is a townsite near the mouth of the Irwin River, 351 km NNW of Perth. The area was first settled in the early 1850's, and government buildings were erected in the townsite area in the late 1860's and early 1870's. There is no actual gazettal date for the townsite, but townsite lots were surveyed in 1873, and government land sales were held here in 1877 and in the 1880's. For some time an alternative spelling of "Dongarra" was used, but Dongara was adopted as the official spelling in 1944. The name is the anglicised version of "Thungarra", an Aboriginal name referring to the mouth of the Irwin River. It is said to mean "place of the fur seal".

DONNYBROOK

Latitude 33° 35' S Longitude 115° 49' E

The townsite of Donnybrook, located 210 km south of Perth in a predominantly fruitgrowing area, was gazetted in 1894. The area was first settled around 1842 when George Nash and others took up land here and named the place "Donnybrook" after the suburb of Dublin, Ireland from where they came. The eastern portion of this townsite was formerly known as Minninup.

DOODLAKINE

Latitude 31° 37' S Longitude 117° 53' E

The townsite of Doodlakine is located 218 km ENE of Perth, in the eastern wheatbelt area. An area of agricultural land was set aside as the Doodlakine Agricultural Area in 1894, and land on the road to the Yilgarn goldfield was gazetted as the Doodlakine townsite the same year. However, the railway to the goldfields was built and opened soon after, and passed 3km south of the townsite. The government decided to subdivide land at the railway, and in 1899 a second part of the Doodlakine townsite was gazetted. The portion on the railway is today the main part of Doodlakine.

Doodlakine is an Aboriginal name for some granite rocks about 5km NNW of the townsite. It was first recorded by explorers in 1864, and the spelling of it has been variously recorded as Dodolakine, Dudulukine, Dodlakine, Doodlekine and Doodlakin.

DOWAK

Latitude 32° 53' S Longitude 121° 36' E

Situated about 119km NNW of Esperance, Dowak was approved as the name of a siding on the railway from Norseman to Salmon Gums in 1926. A townsite was subsequently gazetted here two years later, in 1928. Dowak is a Noongar word for the waddy or throwing stick.

DOWERIN

Latitude 31° 12' S Longitude 117° 02' E

The townsite of Dowerin, like many such towns in the central wheatbelt, owes its location to the railway. In 1906 the government extended the railway from Goomalling to the developing Dowerin Agricultural Area and decided to survey a townsite at the terminus. The Aboriginal name of the site chosen was "Wuguni", but "Dowerin", also an Aboriginal name, was already in local use for the place, and was the name gazetted in 1907. The name is derived from nearby Lake Dowerin, first recorded on maps around 1879. One source suggests Dowerin is the Aboriginal word for the twenty eight parrot (Dow-arn), and another suggests it means "place of the throwing stick"(dower).

DUDININ

Latitude 32° 52' S Longitude 117° 54' E

Dudinin is a townsite in the Great Southern area, 268 km from Perth. It was gazetted a townsite in 1915, taking its name from the railway siding established earlier at this place. The name is of Aboriginal origin, but the meaning is not known at present.

DUGGAN

Latitude 33° 09' S Longitude 118° 09' E

Duggan is a townsite east south east of Perth, between Kukerin and Lake Grace, about 320 km from Perth. It was gazetted in 1916, and took its name from the railway siding which was established here earlier the same year.

DUKIN

Latitude 30° 56' S Longitude 117° 26' E

Dukin, a townsite in the eastern wheatbelt region north of Wyalkatchem, was gazetted a townsite in 1921. It is named after the railway siding there which is first mentioned in 1917. The siding name was probably a contraction of the Aboriginal name of a nearby water supply, Dukin Warrin Soak. This feature was also sometimes spelt Duckin Warrin Soak.

DUMBLEYUNG

Latitude 33° 19' S Longitude 117° 44' E

The townsite of Dumbleyung, located in the Great Southern Region 39 km east of Wagin, was gazetted in 1907. The name is derived from nearby Dumbleyung Lake, the current spelling of which was recorded by surveyors in the 1860's and 70's. The lake appears to have been shown on a map in 1839 with the name "Kondening Lake", but in 1843 the explorers Landor and Lefroy discovered the lake and recorded the name as "Dambeling Lake". One publication on meanings of Aboriginal names records the name as meaning "a place where a game called dumbung was played", although another source says dambeling means "large lake or inland sea".

DUNDAS

Latitude 32° 23' S Longitude 121° 46' E

Dundas is a goldfields townsite about 21 km south of Norseman. It was gazetted in 1895, and derives its name from its situation at the southern end of the Dundas Hills. The hills were named by Surveyor-General J S Roe in 1848 after Captain Dundas of the Royal Navy ship H M S Tagus. The Aboriginal name for the area is which the townsite is situated is known as "Nucaniu" or "Neucaniu".

DUNNSVILLE

Latitude 30° 38' S Longitude 120° 52' E

An abandoned goldfields townsite north east of Kalgoorlie, Dunnsville was declared a townsite in 1897. It is named after John Dunne, a prospector who discovered gold in this vicinity in August 1894. Dunne's lease later became the Wealth of Nations Mine.

DUNSBOROUGH

Latitude 33° 36' S Longitude 115° 06' E

The townsite of Dunsborough is located on the coast, 12kms south-east of Cape Naturaliste and approximately 19kms NW of Busselton. It was gazetted as a Townsite in 1879, but land for a townsite was set aside here in the late 1830's, and there is a recorded whale fishery at "Dunsbro" in 1850.

Dunsborough is located adjacent to Dunn Bay from which it derives its name. The bay is believed to have been named by Governor James Stirling , March 1830, whilst on the "Eagle" carrying out a survey of Geographe Bay. It is named after Captain Richard Dalling Dunn, under whom Stirling served on the "Hibernia"120 and the "Armide"38 in 1810-1811 (Stirling named a number of features in Western Australia after naval officers under whom he served or was associated with) When Dunsborough first appeared on a map in 1839 it was spelt "Dunnsbro" but the extra n appears to have disappeared by 1850, and the spelling of "bro" was amended to "borough" when the name was gazetted in 1879.

DURANILLIN

Latitude 33° 31' S Longitude 116° 48' E

Duranillin is a townsite in the south west, located on the railway between Collie and Wagin. The townsite, gazetted in 1918, is named after the railway siding located here. The siding is in turn named after the nearby Duranilling Pool. This Aboriginal name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1877, but the meaning of it is not known.

DWARDA

Latitude 32° 46' S Longitude 116° 41' E

Dwarda is a townsite in the south west 11km south of Wandering. The survey of a townsite in this vicinity was first requested by the Wandering Roads Board in 1912, the place being the proposed terminus of an extension to the Hotham Valley Railway. The name "Dampier" was suggested for the siding , and was used for a few months, but was replaced by "Dwarda" in 1913. The name is a contraction of the name of a nearby gully, "Dwardardine Ck". Taking its name from the siding, Dwarda townsite was gazeted in 1914. Dwarda is an Aboriginal word meaning Dingo.

DWELLINGUP

Latitude 32° 43' S Longitude 116° 04' E

Dwellingup is located in a timber and fruitgrowing area in the Darling Range ESE of Pinjarra. Townsite lots were surveyed at this place by Surveyor W.F. Rudall in 1909 after the Lands Department became aware that the site was planned as the terminus of the "Pinjarra-Marrinup Railway". Names suggested for the place by Rudall were "Dwellingerup" or "Marrinup", after nearby brooks, or "McLarty" after a local MLA who had been very active concerning the railway. Surveyor-General H.F. Johnston chose "Dwellingupp" after being misinformed regarding the spelling of Dwellingerup Brook. Ignoring a suggestion from the Under Secretary to amend the name to "Dwellingdown", the Minister for Lands approved the name as "Dwellingup" in December 1909. Eventually, the spelling "Dwellingupp" was chosen by order of the Under Secretary for Lands, and the townsite was gazetted as Dwellingupp in February 1910. The spelling was amended to Dwellingup in 1915. Dwellingup is an Aboriginal name said to mean "place of nearby water". The town was burnt out by a bushfire in 1961 but was rebuilt.

The double p spelling in the original gazettal of this name was used because the Lands and Surveys Department had adopted a system for spelling Aboriginal names developed by the Royal Geographical Society. A number of Aboriginal names ending in "up" were for a time spelt with the "upp" ending (including Kirupp, Kulikupp, Manjimupp and Mungalupp). The RGS system had a rule that vowels are pronounced as in Italian and consonants as in English. This would have meant that names ending in "up" should have been pronounced as "oop", because the Italian "u" was a long "u", as in flute. These Aboriginal names were meant to be pronounced as "up", and the Department asked the RGS for a rule to assist in correct pronunciation. The RGS solution was that doubling the following consonant shortened the preceding vowel, and this meant the "upp" ending ensured the "up" pronunciation. However, this particular rule was rescinded in 1915 for SW towns with the suffix "up", as the Australian way of pronouncing the letter "u" was almost always short, and rarely the Italian "oo".

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E

EASTBROOK

Latitude 34° 24' S Longitude 116° 06' E

Eastbrook is a townsite located in heavily timbered country 10km north east of Pemberton. The name was first given to Group Settlement Number 9, taken up in this area in early 1922 by a group of ex-wharfies. It was also on the State Saw Mill's private railway from Jarnadup to Pemberton, and a siding of Eastbrook was established in 1922. The townsite was gazetted in 1932. The name is probably descriptive in origin.

EATON

Latitude 33° 19' S Longitude 115° 42' E

Eaton is a suburban area located on the banks of the Collie River, 6 kilometres from Bunbury. In 1949 the island in the Collie River opposite Eaton was named Eaton Island, because its original name, Alexander Island, was duplicated. Eaton was nominated by the Bunbury Road Board in honour of Mr Foster Eaton, the late fisheries and game inspector for this area. The name was given in recognition of work he had done in the area. When urban development was commenced in the area in 1951, it was at first referred to as the Collie River Estate, but was soon changed to Eaton due to its proximity to Eaton Island.

EJANDING

Latitude 31° 01' S Longitude 117° 06' E

Ejanding is a townsite in the central wheatbelt, located about 20 km north north east of Dowerin. It was originally a siding on the Ejanding Northward railway, a line built between the town now known as Amery, and Kalannie, around 1927. Amery was originally named Ejanding in 1910, but was changed to Amery in 1928. Ejanding was gazetted as a townsite in 1930, and is Aboriginal in origin. It derives its name from "Hejanding Well", a name first recorded by the surveyor/explorer Augustus Gregory in 1846.

ELABBIN

Latitude 31° 13' S Longitude 118° 08' E

An Aboriginal name of unknown meaning, Elabbin is a townsite located in the central wheatbelt about 7 km south east of Nungarin. It was first established as a railway siding on the Dowerin-Merredin line in 1912. The growth of the farming area in the vicinity created a demand for land, and the townsite was gazetted in 1913.

ELLEKER

Latitude 35° 00' S Longitude 117° 43' E

The townsite of Elleker is situated near the south coast, about 15 km west of Albany. The W A Land Company, who built the Great Southern Railway in the period 1886-1889, planned to establish a town named Lakeside here in 1889. (named because it is close to Lake Grassmere – now Lake Powell). A comprehensive plan of development was prepared, but only a few lots were sold and there was little development. The Government purchased the railway in 1896, and redesigned the townsite. It was gazetted as Lakeside in 1899, but in 1908 was changed to Torbay Junction to prevent confusion with another Lakeside near Kalgoorlie, and because the railway station was known as Torbay Junction.

Torbay Junction is derived from there being a railway junction here, the line from Torbay meeting the Great Southern Railway. The railway from Torbay was built in 1889 to transport timber from sawmills in the Torbay area, and the railway station was known as Torbay Junction when the line opened. In 1921 the Western Australian Government Railways requested the place be renamed "Ualungup", but this name met with objections because of the similarity to Yallingup. The alternative names of Elleker and Lockyer were proposed, and the name was changed to Elleker in 1921. The name was apparently suggested by Mr J Mowforth, a member of the Albany Road Board from 1896 to 1912. Mowforth was a Yorkshireman, and he proposed the name after Ellerker in south Yorkshire. The reason for the omission of the first 'r' is not known.

EMU HILL

Latitude 32° 06' S Longitude 118° 21' E

A townsite in the eastern wheatbelt south of Narembeen, Emu Hill derives its name from a nearby hill of the same name. The hill was named by John Septimus Roe during an exploring trip through the area in 1836. Roe disturbed a family of Emu's whilst ascending the hill. The townsite was gazetted in 1918.

ENEABBA

Latitude 29° 49' S Longitude 115° 16' E

The townsite of Eneabba is located 278 km NNW of Perth and about 30 km from the west coast. The area around Eneabba was opened up for farming in the late 1950's, and the development created the need for a town. The farm development was known as the "Eneabba Project", and the name was adopted for the townsite that was gazetted in 1961.
Eneabba is the Aboriginal name of nearby springs. The meaning is said to be "small water", from ena meaning water, and abba meaning small. The spring was known as "Pocket Knife Spring"by the early settlers who told stories of the magical power of a pocket knife dropped in the spring.

ERADU

Latitude 28° 41' S Longitude 115° 02' E

Eradu is a townsite in the northern wheatbelt, 34 km west north west of Geraldton. It was gazetted a townsite in 1920, and is named after the railway station situated there. After the Narngulu-Mullewa line was opened in 1894, the station here was known as Greenough River until 1903 when it was renamed Eradu. Eradu was a railway refreshment centre with a station master from 1915 to 1921, after which it was a siding until it was closed in 1973. Eradu (originally recorded as "Earadoo") is the Aboriginal name of a pool in the nearby Greenough River.

ERIKIN

Latitude 31° 56' S Longitude 117° 53' E

A townsite in the central wheatbelt about 25 km west of Bruce Rock, Erikin derives its name from the railway siding of the same name. The siding was established in 1913 following the opening of the Quairading-Bruce Rock railway line. Demand for land resulted in a townsite being declared in 1921. Erikin is named after Eric Harvey, the son of an early settler and the first white child born in the district. Inn was added to the name as meaning "camping place" by the child's mother who proposed the name in 1913.

ESPERANCE

Latitude 33° 52' S Longitude 121° 53' E

The townsite of Esperance, located on the central south coast of the state, derives its name from the bay on which it is located. Esperance Bay was given this name by Admiral Bruny D'Entrecasteaux, commander of the French expedition which explored this coast in 1792. The name honours the ship "L'Esperance" commanded by Captain Huon de Kermadec, which anchored here on 9 December 1792. The bay provided safe anchorage while repairs were made to the "L'Esperance". The name of the other ship in D'Entrecasteaux's expedition, "L'Recherche", is preserved by the naming of the adjacent islands as the Archipelago of the Recherche.
The area of the Esperance townsite was first settled by the Dempster family in the 1870's, and in 1876 a telegraph station was opened here. The formal gazettal of the townsite did not occur until 1893.

EUCLA

Latitude 31° 43' S Longitude 128° 53' E

Eucla is the easternmost settlement in Western Australia. It is situated close to the Western Australian/South Australian border on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain, and north of the Great Australian Bight. The area of Eucla was first explored by Edward John Eyre in 1841, whilst exploring from Fowler Bay in South Australia to Albany in Western Australia. Eyre did not record any name for the area. In 1867, Mr B Douglas, President of the Marine Board of South Australia reported on the discovery of a port at Eucla, but the name is reported as though already known at that time.

The survey of the Eucla (Interstate) telegraph line from Albany to Adelaide in 1873/4 identified the need for a town at Eucla. Land was set aside in 1873, although the townsite was not gazetted until 1885. The telegraph line opened in 1877, and the Eucla telegraph station was one of the most important on the line. The original settlement was abandoned through the encroachment of the sand dunes for which the area is known. Eucla is assumed to be a form of an Aboriginal name for the area, "Yinculyer", which one source gives as referring to the rising of the planet Venus. Another local Aboriginal name for the area is "Chinialla".

EUJINYN

Latitude 31° 54' S Longitude 118° 02' E

Located about 11 km west of Bruce Rock in the central agricultural area, Eujinyn was first created as a siding on the railway from Quairading to Bruce Rock. Demand for land in the area resulted in a townsite being gazetted in 1915. The name is Aboriginal, and is first recorded around 1910 as the name for a nearby well.

EULAMINNA

Latitude 28° 58' S Longitude 121° 46' E

Eulaminna is an abandoned eastern goldfields townsite about 45 km east south east of Leonora. In 1900 lots were surveyed here for a residence and business area to serve the Anaconda Copper Mine. The Anaconda is a large South American python and this name was taken from a world-famed copper mine in the U.S.A. The Western Australian mine did not progress immediately due to an initial lack of capital for large scale operations and "Anaconda" townsite was not gazetted until 1904. In May 1907 a request was received from the W.A. Copper Co. to change the name of the town because of confusion on the London market involving copper shipments from Anaconda, U.S.A. and Anaconda, W.A. The company proposed utilising the Aboriginal name of the area "Eulaminna" and the name was amended to this in 1907.

EURO

Latitude 28° 43' S Longitude 122° 23' E

Euro is another abandoned eastern goldfields townsite, located near Laverton. It is named after a nearby mine developed by North Star Gold Mines Ltd. Land was first surveyed at Euro in 1900, and the townsite was gazetted in 1902. The Euro is a species of kangaroo.

EXMOUTH

Latitude 21° 56' S Longitude 114° 07' E

Exmouth is a townsite on the north west coast, 1260 km north of Perth. It was gazetted a townsite in 1963, and was founded as a support town to the Harold E. Holt Communications Station run by the U.S. Navy.
Exmouth is situated on the western side of Exmouth Gulf from which it takes its name. The feature was named by Commander Phillip Parker King RN of HMS "Mermaid" during hydrographic surveys in the area in 1818. The name honours the Viscount Exmouth, Edward Pellew. Edward Pellew was born in Dover, England in 1757 and died in 1833. He had a very distinguished career in the navy, and was regarded as British naval hero. Pellew entered the Royal Navy at 13 years of age, was appointed Lieutenant in 1778 and received his commision as post Captain in 1780. In 1793 he received a knighthood for his heroic conduct in capturing the "Cleopatra", a French frigate. Three years later he was created a Baronet for his heroic services in saving the troops and crew of the British transport "Dutton". In 1804, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. In 1814, having risen to the rank of Admiral of the Blue, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Exmouth of Canonteign, County Devon; and, finally, was advanced to a Viscountcy in 1816 for his gallantry in bombarding and totally destroying the fleet and arsenal of Algiers in that year.

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F

FEYSVILLE

Latitude 30° 57' S Longitude 121° 36' E

Feysville is an abandoned eastern goldfields townsite, about 25 km south east of Kalgoorlie. The Feysville mine was established here around 1896, and in 1897 the local Progress Committee sought the declaration of a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, and is said to honour Henry Fey who prospected here in 1895.

FINUCANE

Latitude 20° 18' S Longitude 118° 34' E

Finucane is located on the west side of the entrance to Port Hedland harbour, separated from the town by West Creek. It was gazetted a townsite in 1972, and is named after the island on which it is located. Finucane Island is believed to be named after Paterson Finucane who arrived in 1884 from London and went to Cossack the same year. He was acting first class police constable at Roebourne in 1886, a teamster at Millstream 1887-88 and is listed in 1895 as the Bailiff at Marble Bar. He was later at Port Hedland.

FITZGERALD

Latitude 33° 45' S Longitude 119° 27' E

Located in the Great Southern agricultural area between Jerramungup and Ravensthorpe, the townsite of Fitzgerald was gazetted in 1967. It was created to service the surrounding agricultural area which was opened up for farming from the late 1950's. Other names considered for the town were Dwertup, Coompertup, Woogenup & Hamerlsey The name Fitzgerald is taken from the nearby river and surrounding Land District. The river was named in 1848 by the Surveyor-General, John Septimus Roe, whilst undertaking an exploration of the area. He named it in honour of the then Governor of Western Australia, Charles Fitzgerald. The naming of the streets within the town was made a competition in the local school and was won by Peter Rae in September 1968.

FITZROY CROSSING

Latitude 18° 11' S Longitude 125° 35' E

The townsite of Fitzroy Crossing located in the southern Kimberley district 2256 km north north west of Perth, was gazetted a townsite in 1975. The town however was settled around the turn of the century, being first shown on maps in 1903. The name is descriptive, as it is located at a crossing on the Fitzroy River.

The Fitzroy River, was discovered and named by Captain John Lort Stokes of the "Beagle" in 1838. He named it after Capt. Robert FitzRoy, who was captain of the "Beagle" from 1831 to 1836 during its voyage around the world. Stokes was mate and assistant surveyor on the "Beagle" under FitzRoy, with Charles Darwin the naturalist. In naming the FitzRoy River Stokes stated in his journal "I determined, with Captain Wickham's permission, to call this river after his name, thus perpetuating by the most durable of monuments, the services and the career of one, in whom, with rare and enviable prodigality, are mingled the daring of the seaman, the accomplishments of the student, and the graces of the Christian – of whose calm fortitude in the hour of impending danger, or whose habitual carefulness for the interests of all under his command, if I forbear to speak, I am silent because, while I recognise their existence, and perceive how much they exalt the character they adorn, I feel, too, that they have elevated it above, either the need, or the reach of any eulogy within my power to offer". This river, with its tributary the Hann, is the longest system in the Kimberley at 733 km. It was first traversed by Alexander Forrest in 1879. The Fitzroy rises in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges and empties into King Sound south of Derby.

FRANKLAND

Latitude 34° 22' S Longitude 117° 05' E

Frankland is a townsite in the Great Southern region about 45 km west of Cranbrook. Land for the townsite was set aside in 1909, but the only developments in the area for some years were a hall and school. The declaration of the townsite took place in 1947. Frankland townsite derives its name from its location just to the east of the Frankland River. The river in turn derives its name from Mount Frankland, which was named in 1829 by Dr J B Wilson RN, after the Surveyor-General of Tasmania, George Frankland.

On his exploration trip in December 1829 to the north and west of Albany, Wilson named and climbed Mt.Lindesay. From the top of this hill Wilson noted how conspicuous the hills in the region were and stated that they would be grand points in a trigonometrical survey of the country, and named them after the Surveyors General in Australia. i.e Roe - W.A.; Mitchell - N.S.W; Frankland – Tasmania.

FURNISSDALE

Latitude 32° 34' S Longitude 115° 46' E

The townsite of Furnissdale is located about 5 km south east of Mandurah. It was gazetted in 1970, and is named after William John Furniss who purchased land in the area in 1929-30. Furniss's land was subdivided in the 1940's, and the area has been locally known as Furnissdale since that time.

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G

GABANINTHA

Latitude 26° 55' S Longitude 118° 39' E

A townsite 40 km south east of Meekatharra in the Murchison goldfields, Gabanintha derives its name from the mine located here. Mining leases were taken out here in 1895, and 1895-1910 were the peak years for the Gabanintha Mine. In 1897 the Gabanintha miners petitioned the government to survey a townsite at their place. An area was set aside and the townsite was gazetted in 1898. Lots were surveyed in 1905, and mining continued here until 1944 The townsite is now abandoned. The name is Aboriginal, of unknown meaning.

GABBIN

Latitude 30° 48' S Longitude 117° 41' E

Gabbin is a townsite in the eastern agricultural area about 17 km west of Bencubbin. When the railway line from Wyalkatchem to Mount Marshall was proposed to be constructed through this area in 1913 the need for a station at this place was identified. Gabbin was approved as the name by the Minister for Lands in 1914, and it was derived from "Gabbabin" a place located about 10 km south east of the townsite which was first shown on maps in 1909. The townsite, gazetted in 1918, was named after the railway station. The name is of Aboriginal origin, and probably relates to water, as many similar Nyoongar words refer to water.

GAIRDNER

Latitude 34° 13' S Longitude 118° 56' E

The town of Gairdner, located 31 km south of Jerramungup in the Great Southern Region, derives its name from the nearby Gairdner River. The river, which flows into the Southern Ocean at Doubtful Island Bay, was named by John Septimus Roe in 1848 after Gordon Gairdner of the Colonial Office, London. This area was new land settlement in the 1970s, and as the area developed the Gairdner River Progress Association sought clarification of the name of the place. The Minister for Lands approved it to be Gairdner in 1978.

GALENA

Latitude 27° 50' S Longitude 114° 41' E

The townsite of Galena is located 536 km north north west of Perth, on the banks of the Murchison River close to where the North West Coastal Highway crosses the river. It was originally gazetted as Geraldine in 1920, deriving its name from the "Geraldine" lead mine discovered here by Augustus Gregory in 1848. The lead mine was in turn named after Charles FitzGerald, Governor of Western Australia 1848-1855.

The need for a townsite at this place developed in 1920, when it was proposed to develop a new lead mine named "Surprise Mine". It was thought there would be over 500 men working the mine, so a townsite named Geraldine was gazetted in July 1920. No sooner was the townsite named than the Post Office complained the name was too similar to Geraldton, and requested the name be changed. Locally the name Geraldine was never used at all, the name Galena being given to the Post Office from when the town was developed. The townsite was therefore renamed Galena in 1921, the name being the Latin word for lead. Within a year of the town being renamed the world market for lead was very flat, and very little development took place at Galena. There was an attempted revival of the area in the mid 1950s, but the area is now disused.

GARRATT

Latitude 31° 16' S Longitude 119° 15' E

A railway siding initially named "Doongin", the Aboriginal name of a hill near Tammin, was established at this place in 1924. Land at the siding was set aside for a future townsite to be known as "Doongin", but within 12 months the Commissioner for Railways had requested a name change due to the similarities between "Doongin" and Dangin, a siding in the South-West. Because of this, the siding name was changed to Garratt, which was understood to be "the name of a gentleman who first took up land in the vicinity". The townsite was gazetted in 1931.

GASCOYNE JUNCTION

Latitude 25° 03' S Longitude 115° 12' E

Gascoyne Junction is a townsite in the Gascoyne region, 178 km east of Carnarvon. It is located at the junction of the Gascoyne and Lyons River's, hence the name. The Gascoyne River was named by the explorer George Grey in 1839 after his friend, Captain Gascoyne. Settlers in this area first expressed the desire for a townsite here in 1897, there already being a police station there at that time. The government was slow to declare a townsite, and by 1909 a general store and other buildings had been erected here on private land. When the townsite was gazetted in 1912, it was named Killili, a local Aboriginal word for the bullrush. It was nominated by the local policeman following a request from the Surveyor-General for a "euphonious native name".

Little development took place in the townsite, the only building being the Road Board office. In 1938 the Gascoyne Road Board wrote to the Lands Department complaining about the name. Apparently the small settlement there had never been locally known as Killili, and the Post Office, Police Station and Hotel all used Gascoyne Junction as their address, and locally the place was also known as "The Junction". The Roads Board asked the Department to "expunge" the name of Killili and rename it Gascoyne Junction. The change of name was gazetted in 1939.

GERALDTON

Latitude 28° 47' S Longitude 114° 37' E

The largest city in Western Australia north of Perth, Geraldton is located on the coast 424 km north north west of Perth. The city is located on Champion Bay, discovered by Commander D Dring in the colonial schooner "Champion" in January 1840. The bay was named by the Royal Navy hydrographic surveyor, J L Stokes, who surveyed it later in 1840.

The Geraldton area was first explored by George Grey in 1839. In 1848 copper and lead were discovered on the Murchison River, and later that same year the Governor, Charles Fitzgerald, inspected the mineral deposits himself. On this trip he was speared in the leg by local Aborigines. The first exports of ore from the Murchison mines was made from Champion Bay in 1849, and soon after in 1850 surveyor Augustus Gregory was instructed to survey a townsite at this place.

By March 1850 Gregory had surveyed 40 half acre allotments , and on June 3 1851 the townsite of Geraldton was declared. The name was most probably given by Surveyor-General J.S. Roe, and honours the colony's Governor at that time, Captain Charles Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was born in Ireland in 1791, and joined the Royal Navy in 1809. He rose to the rank of Captain in 1840 , and was Governor of Western Australia from 1848 to 1855.

GIBSON

Latitude 33° 39' S Longitude 121° 49' E

The townsite of Gibson is located 26 km north of Esperance on the road between Esperance and Norseman. When it was proposed to construct a railway from Norseman to Esperance around 1910, the decision was made to create a townsite at "Gibson Soak". The railway was not built until the mid 1920s, the Esperance – Salmon Gums section opening in 1925. The townsite was gazetted in 1921. Gibson Soak was a reliable permanent water source first recorded by surveyor A.W.Canning in 1896, and named after "Billy Gibson" who came across the soak while searching for stock.

GINDALBIE

Latitude 30° 20' S Longitude 121° 45' E

Gindalbie is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 55 km north east of Kalgoorlie. In 1898 when it was proposed to establish a town here the name nominated was "Vosperton" This name was to honour a well-known goldfields identity, newspaperman F.C.B. Vosper, editor of the "Coolgardie Miner", and who was elected the MLA for North-East Coolgardie in May 1897. The boundaries and area for the proposed townsite were amended in 1900, and the name changed to Gindalbie, a local Aboriginal name. The townsite was gazetted in 1903

GINGIN

Latitude 31° 21' S Longitude 115° 55' E

Gingin, a townsite 84 km north of Perth is the centre of a rich agricultural district, well suited to raising beef cattle and oranges, and has abundant fresh water. It was gazetted a townsite in 1871, but before this, in 1869, another townsite named Granville was gazetted about 3 5 km to the westward. Granville was never developed.

The Gingin area was first explored by George Fletcher Moore in 1836, and Moore showed the Aboriginal name "Jinjin"on his exploration plan. Later when a property was surveyed here for W L Brockman in 1843 the name was shown as "Gingin Station". The major stream in the area was also recorded as Gingin Brook in 1848. Gingin is an Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is uncertain, but sometimes stated to mean "footprint". Another study states that the word Gingin means the "place of many streams".

GLADSTONE

Latitude 25° 58' S Longitude 114° 15' E

The townsite of Gladstone is located on the eastern shore of Shark Bay, about 750 km north of Geraldton. It was gazetted a townsite in 1891, and is most probably named after W.E.Gladstone, Prime Minister of Britain, 1868-74, 1880-85,1886, and 1892-94. Little development has ever taken place at Gladstone.

GLEDHOW

Latitude 35° 01' S Longitude 117° 50' E

The townsite of Gledhow, located 5 km west of Albany, was originally declared as a private townsite by the W.A. Land Company Ltd. in 1891. The company built the railway from Beverley to Albany, and received land grants in return. In 1896 the WA government brought the railway and land from the company, and Gledhow was then gazetted as a government townsite in 1898. It is probable that the townsite is named after Gledhow in Yorkshire in England.

GNOWANGERUP

Latitude 33° 56' S Longitude 118° 00' E

A townsite in the Great Southern agricultural region, Gnowangerup is situated by road 61 km south east of Katanning. Growth in the area in 1904 resulted in local settlers seeking the declaration of a townsite, and land was set aside for that purpose in 1905. The name of the townsite is Aboriginal, being derived from nearby Gnowangerup Creek and Spring, both names being first recorded in 1878. The name means "place where the mallee hen (Gnow) nests".

When the townsite was first gazetted in 1908 it was spelt "Ngowangerupp", this spelling being determined by the Lands and Surveys Department use of the Royal Geographical Society's "System of Orthography" for spelling native names. Local dissatisfaction with this spelling led to it being altered to Gnowangerup in 1913.

GOLDEN RIDGE

Latitude 30° 51' S Longitude 121° 39' E

Golden Ridge is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 20km south east of Kalgoorlie. It was originally a Business Area under the Mining Act known as "Waterfall", and when more residential land was requested by the Waterfall Progress Committee in early 1910 the government decided to declare a townsite. The townsite of Waterfall was gazetted in December 1910, but the Commonwealth Government soon objected to the name because it was duplicated in New South Wales. The Waterfall Progress Committee suggested the name "Golden Ridge" as an alternative, this being the name of the local mine at the time, and the town often being referred to as "The Ridge". The name was changed to Golden Ridge by Gazettal in March 1911. About 1913-14 the Commonwealth Railways established a railway station at Golden Ridge on the Trans Australian Railway.

GOLDSWORTHY

Latitude 20° 21' S Longitude 119° 31' E

The townsite of Goldsworthy is located about 100 km east of Port Hedland in the Pilbara district. It was created in the late 1960s to service the iron ore mine at Mount Goldsworthy, after which it is named. The mountain was named by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1879, after Roger Tuckfield Goldsworthy, the Colonial Secretary at the time. Most of the mountain was mined for iron ore, but the mine is now closed, and the town has been dismantled and removed.

GOOMALLING

Latitude 31° 18' S Longitude 116° 50' E

Goomalling is a townsite in the central agricultural region 45 km north north east of Northam. The name Goomalling was first shown for a spring found by explorers Hillman & Lefroy in 1846. Hillman noted on his plan "rich grassy country" and squatters subsequently moved into the area. George Slater was the first in the Goomalling area, establishing a property around Goomalling Spring in the early 1850s.
When the Northam – Goomalling railway line was opened in 1902 the government decided to establish a townsite at Goomalling. It was gazetted in 1903. Goomalling is an Aboriginal word which means "the place of the silver-grey possum". Goomal is the Nyoongar word for this possum.

GOONGARRIE

Latitude 30° 03' S Longitude 121° 09' E

Goongarrie is an abandoned eastern goldfields townsite, located about 85 km north north west of Kalgoorlie. When it was proposed to establish a townsite here in 1894 the area was known as the 90 Mile Camp on account of its estimated distance from Coolgardie. Being located near Lake Goongarrie, the name Goongarrie was chosen for the townsite when it was gazetted in 1895. The meaning of this Aboriginal word is not known.

GORDON

Latitude 30° 27' S Longitude 121° 35' E

Gordon is an abandoned eastern goldfields townsite about 35 km north north east of Kalgoorlie. Development of gold mines in the area in 1896 created a need for a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1897. It is not known who the name commemorates, but it is most likely a local miner.

GRACETOWN

Latitude 33° 52' S Longitude 114° 59' E

The south western townsite of Gracetown is located on the coast at Cowaramup Bay, about 12.5 km northwest of Margaret River. The area was first proposed for development as a caravan park and camping place in 1957, but the government decided it should be developed as a townsite. Planning of the townsite took some time, and the lots at "Cowaramup Bay" were not surveyed until 1961. The sale of land and gazettal of the townsite took place in 1963.

The name of Gracetown was a decision of Stewart Bovell, the Minister for Lands in 1962. It is named in commemoration of Grace Bussell for her bravery in saving passengers from the wrecked steamship "The Georgette" in 1876. The vessel had sprung a leak and was wrecked off the coast near her residence "Wallcliffe". When the condition of the vessel was discovered some of the passengers were placed in lifeboats and safely reached shore. The bulk of the passengers however, were still on board. Seeing the plight of the remaining passengers the 16 year old Grace Bussell and stockman Sam Isaacs rode their horses into the surf and out to the stricken vessel. By allowing the passengers to cling on to their clothes and to their horses manes and tails they managed to transfer them safely to shore. About 50 of the passengers were cared for at "Wallcliffe". Grace Bussell received the silver medal for bravery from the Royal Humane Society to mark her exploit, and Sam Isaacs the bronze medallion.

GRASS PATCH

Latitude 33° 14' S Longitude 121° 43' E

Grass Patch townsite is located on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, 79 km north of Esperance. A townsite here was proposed in 1910, when the government was planning to build a railway from Esperance to Norseman, and land in the area was being opened up. "The Esperance Land and Railway League" particularly pushed for the townsite to be developed, but it was 15 years before the railway was built. The area was well known as "Grass Patch", a nearby farm of this name having been settled around 1896, and renowned for bountiful crops and good grass. However, when the townsite was gazetted in 1923, the local settlers sought a more suitable name, and nominated three names, "Warden" being the one selected as most suitable. Objections were soon received to this name, and later the same year it was changed to Grass Patch.

GRASS VALLEY

Latitude 31° 38' S Longitude 116° 48' E

The townsite of Grass Valley is located in the Avon Valley area, 14 km east of Northam. The name of Grass Valley is derived from an original property name, "Grass Valley" being the name given by William Nairn to the property he was assigned in 1833. The railway line from Northam to Southern was constructed through here in 1893-4, and this section opened for traffic in January 1895. Grass Valley was one of the original stations when the line opened, and the government subdivided land in the area. Land for a townsite was set aside in 1898, and the townsite gazetted later that year.

GREEN HEAD

Latitude 30° 04' S Longitude 114° 58' E

The coastal townsite of Green Head is located 288 km north north west of Perth. It is named after the nearby headland of the same name, the name being descriptive and first used by the Admiralty hydrographic surveyor, W E Archdeacon in 1875. Land was set aside here for a camping reserve in 1946, and the popularity of the place in the early 1950s resulted in a demand for building blocks. Lots were surveyed in the proposed townsite in 1959, and the townsite gazetted in 1966.

GREENBUSHES

Latitude 33° 51' S Longitude 116° 03' E

The townsite of Greenbushes, located in the south west between Balingup and Bridgetown, 251 km from Perth, was gazetted in 1889. Tin had been discovered near here by Stinton in 1888, and the place referred to as Greenbushes apparently because of particularly green bushes which stood out from the grey of the local Eucalypts. A townsite of Greenbushes was gazetted in 1889 was located about three kilometres South of the present townsite, but was abandoned and cancelled in 1893, because the land in the area was mineralised. The railway from Donnybrook to Bridgetown was opened in 1898, and a station of Greenbushes established about six kilometres north of the original townsite. The Surveyor-General decided to create a townsite at the railway station, and following the survey of lots, a new Greenbushes townsite was gazetted in May 1899. However, the location of this townsite was around three kilometres North of the main road through the tinfields, where a number of businesses and residences were established, including some government buildings. This area was also known as Greenbushes, and was the cause of some confusion. In October 1899 Greenbushes was renamed North Greenbushes, and later that month a new townsite of Greenbushes gazetted for the business and residence area on the main road.

GREENOUGH

Latitude 28° 55' S Longitude 114° 42' E

The locality of Greenough is located 24 km south east of Geraldton in the northern agricultural region. It derives its name from the Greenough River, the river being named by Captain George Grey in 1839 after George Bellas Greenough, President of Royal Geographical Society. Grey noted that the flats around the Greenough River were very fertile, and in the early 1850s pastoralists moved into the area. In 1857 the area was subdivided into small farms, and the place soon became renowned for its abundant crops. The 1860s were the boom years for Greenough.

GREGORY

Latitude 28° 11' S Longitude 114° 15' E

The townsite of Gregory is located on the coast between Geraldton and Kalbarri. It was gazetted as Pakington townsite in 1853, in honour of the Secretary of State, Sir John Pakington, who was Minister for the Colonies in Great Britain's Derby Ministry of 1852-53. For many years this coastal village was known locally as "Port Gregory", the name of the adjacent harbour which had been named in 1849 after the Gregory brothers, Augustus and Frank. The name of the townsite was changed to Gregory in 1967. Port Gregory was used in the 1850s as the port to ship lead from the Murchison mines.

GREY

Latitude 30° 40' S Longitude 115° 08' E

The townsite of Grey, located on the coast about 160 km north of Perth, is named after Captain (later Sir) George Grey of the 83rd Regiment. Grey explored the country between Sharks Bay and Perth in 1839, passing through the area of this townsite. The local name of the place before the gazettal in 1968 was Green Islets.

GUDARRA

Latitude 30° 29 S Longitude 121° 21 E

Gudarra is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located about 30 km north north west of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered here in 1892, the place first being known as the "Sore Foot Rush", a reference to the tired limping diggers who first arrived when the rush began. This was soon changed to Paddington, the reason for this choice of name being unknown. It was gazetted as the townsite of Paddington in 1897.
In 1911 Commonwealth authorities attempted to eliminate all duplicated town names in Australia, and Paddington was one of those suggested for renaming. The Secretary for Mines suggested renaming it to Goodarra, and this was amended to Gudarra by the Surveyor-General. Gazettal of the new name occurred in 1912. The name is Aboriginal, of unknown meaning and source.

GUILDERTON

Latitude 31° 21' S Longitude 115° 30' E

The townsite of Guilderton is located on the coast at the mouth of the Moore River, 94 north of Perth. It was gazetted a townsite in 1951, but has been used as a camping and holiday place since around 1905 when residents of Gingin petitioned the Lands Department for the creation of a road to the place and a camping reserve. A reserve for a picnic ground was declared in 1907, and the area soon became popular for camping and picnicking In the 1940s public demand for permanent camping sites led to the government deciding to declare a townsite, and seeking a name for the area, which up until then had been locally referred to as "Moore River".
A number of names were considered, the preferred name of "Guilderton" being suggested by Mrs Henrietta Drake-Brockman. The name links the town with the wreck of the Dutch ship "Gilt Dragon" near here in 1656, and the loss of thousands of Guilders it was carrying. Dutch coins and relics of the wreck have been found near the mouth of the Moore River.

GULLEWA

Latitude 28° 40' S Longitude 116° 19' E

Gullewa is a townsite in the Yalgoo goldfield, about 160 km east of Geraldton. Gold was discovered here in 1894, and the area was mined until the mines closed in 1937. In 1896 Gullewa was an important mining centre, and the Gullewa Progress Committee requested the government to declare a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, but like many goldfields townsites is now abandoned. It derives its name from nearby from Gullewa Spring, first recorded by John Forrest in 1873. The name is Aboriginal, of unknown meaning.

GUNYIDI

Latitude 30° 09' S Longitude 116° 05' E

Gunyidi is a townsite in the midlands agricultural region, 231 km north of Perth. It is located on the Midland Railway, and a siding known as "Siberia Fettlers Camp" was established here in 1906, but the name was soon changed to Gunnyidi. This name is apparently a contraction of the Aboriginal name for a nearby water source, Mungerdegunyidie Well. The double "n" conformed to the Royal Geographical Society's orthography used for Aboriginal words during the early part of the twentieth century. Gunnyidi was declared a townsite in 1930, and the spelling was changed to Gunyidi in 1973.

GUTHA

Latitude 29° 00' S Longitude 115° 57' E

Gutha is a townsite in the northern agricultural region, about 25 km north of Morawa. In 1913 it was decided to establish a station here on the Wongan Hills – Mullewa railway . The district surveyor suggested the name "Muthingutha", the Aboriginal name of a nearby rockhole. This was shortened to Gutha by the Lands Department, and Gutha siding was established in 1913. It was gazetted a townsite in 1914.

GWAMBYGINE

Latitude 31° 57' S Longitude 116° 48' E

The townsite of Gwambygine is located on the Avon River, 13 km south south east of York. The name is Aboriginal, and said to be the name of a nearby hill, also known as Bald Hill. In 1831 Rev J B Wittenoom was granted land here, and named his property "Gwambygine". In 1901 the government purchased the property and resubdivided it as the "Gwambygine Estate", with some of the land on the Avon River being developed as a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1902. A railway siding was established here in 1902 known as "Hicks Siding", after Mr J Hicks who leased Wittenoom's property from around the 1860s. It was renamed Gwambygine in 1910

GWINDINUP

Latitude 33° 31' S Longitude 115° 44' E

Gwindinup, located between Boyanup and Donnybrook in the south west region, was gazetted a townsite in 1909. It is located on the Boyanup-Bridgetown railway which in this area was opened in 1893. A siding named "Runnymeade" was established here when in 1908 the government decided to subdivide land. The name Runnymeade had already been used elsewhere in Australia, so an alternative name was requested from the Preston Roads Board in Donnybrook. The Board nominated Gwindinup, without any explanation of the name. The Lands Department thought it may be a local spelling of the nearby Gynudup Brook, but this cannot be substantiated.

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H

HALL POINT

Latitude 15° 41' S Longitude 124° 25' E

Hall Point is an obscure Townsite in the Kimberley district near Kuri Bay, about 200 km north, north east of Derby. It is not known why this townsite was gazetted in 1922 in such a remote location with no road access. It takes its name from the nearby feature, named by the Royal Navy Hydrographer, Phillip Parker King, in 1821, whilst surveying the area in the "Bathurst".

HALLS CREEK

Latitude 18° 14' S Longitude 127° 40' E

The Kimberley townsite of Halls Creek is located 2855 km north east of Perth on the Great Northern Highway. It was named after Charles Hall who, with John Slattery, prospected the vicinity in 1885 and found the alluvial and reef gold that led to the 1886 gold rush on the Kimberley Goldfield. Hall's name was first applied to the creek on which he found gold before being used for the townsite name. The gold rush led to around 6,000 men prospecting in the vicinity in 1886.
Townsite lots were laid out in 1887, but the townsite was not gazetted until 1894. It was first gazetted as Hall's Creek, but the apostrophe was officially removed in 1944. Because of frequent floods a new townsite of Halls Creek, situated about 12km westwards, was gazetted in 1949. The old townsite is now a popular tourist destination.

HAMEL

Latitude 32° 52' S Longitude 115° 55' E

Situated 3 km south of Waroona in the south west, Hamel was gazetted a townsite in 1899. It was named in compliment to Mr Lancal V de Hamel, the former owner of the land where the townsite is situated. De Hamel was a prominent Member of Parliament, the former MLA for Albany, and had passed away at Coolgardie on 26th of November 1894. The land for the townsite was purchased from de Hamel's estate in 1898 and subdivided by the Department of Lands and Surveys.

HARRISMITH

Latitude 32° 56' S Longitude 117° 52' E

The townsite of Harrismith, located 67 km east of Narrogin in the Great Southern region, was gazetted in 1915. The townsite was declared to take advantage of growth in the area which came about as a result of the government constructing a railway line from Yillimining to Kondinin in 1914. The government had decided to name the siding here "South Dorakin", but the name was strongly objected to by local residents. They suggested the name Harrismith, after Harry Smith, the name of the first settler in this vicinity. The name was approved in 1914.

HARVEY

Latitude 33° 05' S Longitude 115° 54' E

Harvey townsite is located in the south west 140 km south of Perth. It derives its name from the nearby Harvey River, which was named by Governor Stirling in 1829, soon after the river's discovery by explorers Collie and Preston in 1829. Although not positively known, the river is most likely named after Rear Admiral Sir John Harvey RN, Commander in Chief of the West Indies Station in 1818. Stirling was in command of the "Brazen" in those waters at the time, and Harvey recommended him for promotion. Stirling named a number of Western Australian features after his former navy colleagues.

Harvey was developed as a private town in the 1890s following the opening of a railway station there in 1893. In 1926 the Harvey Road Board sought the declaration of a townsite, but this did not occur until 1938.

HESTER

Latitude 33° 55' S Longitude 116° 10' E

The townsite of Hester is located about 7 km north north west of Bridgetown. It was gazetted a townsite in 1899, and was originally a siding on the Donnybrook to Bridgetown railway, opened in 1898. The town derives its name from the nearby Hester Brook, a name first recorded by surveyor John Forrest in 1866. Hester Brook is named after Edward Godfrey Hester, an early settler (late 1850's) of the Bridgetown district.

HIGGINSVILLE

Latitude 31° 45' S Longitude 121° 43' E

Higginsville is an abandoned Goldfields townsite, located about 58 km north of Norseman on the railway between Norseman and Kalgoorlie. It was gazetted a townsite in 1907 and is believed to be named after the prospector, Patrick Justice Higgins, born Toodyay 1864, died Geraldton 1924.

HIGHBURY

Latitude 33° 03' S Longitude 117° 14' E

Highbury is a townsite in the Great Southern Region, 16 km south, south east of Narrogin. It was originally gazetted in 1905 as Wolwolling, taking its name from the railway siding established here in 1894. The siding name was derived from the Aboriginal name of a pool in the nearby Arthur River.

In June 1905 the Wolwolling Progress Association applied to have the townsite renamed, claiming the name was too similar to other names, and letters and parcels were going astray. The new name suggested was "Linton". This name was rejected because of duplication, and in 1906 the Progress Association nominated Highbury as their next choice. No origin was given with the name, although it is most likely English, as there are a number of Highburys in England. The name change was gazetted in 1906.

HILLMAN

Latitude 33° 19' S Longitude 116° 48' E

Hillman is a townsite in the Great Southern region, located about 8 km north east of Darkan. It was gazetted in 1907, taking its name from the railway siding established here in 1906 when the railway line from Narrogin to Darkan was opened. The siding was named after the nearby Hillman River, named by Governor Stirling in 1837 after Alfred Hillman, an early draftsman and explorer who arrived in the colony in 1831.

HINES HILL

Latitude 31° 32' S Longitude 118° 04' E

The townsite of Hines Hill is located on the Great Eastern Highway between Merredin and Doodlakine, 240 km east of Perth. The railway line from Northam to Southern Cross was constructed through here in 1893-4, and this section opened for traffic in January 1895. Hines Hill was one of the original stations when the line opened, and the government subdivided land in the area. The townsite is named after the siding, and was gazetted in 1910.

Hines Hill is a nearby physical feature, and C.W. Massingham, a very early settler in the Merredin district, has stated that this feature was named after Jack Hines who collected sandalwood around there. Massingham recorded the Aboriginal name for this hill as "Baandui". Other records show the name as Bainding.

HOLT ROCK

Latitude 32° 41' S Longitude 119° 25' E

The townsite of Holt Rock is located in the eastern agricultural region 74 km from Hyden. It takes its name from the nearby feature of the same name. The feature was named by the explorer Frank Hugh Hann in August 1901 when he was on a trip from Menzies to Ravensthorpe. Hann possibly named it after G H Holt, a Draftsman in the Lands & Surveys Department. He named other features on this trip after employees of the Department. The townsite was gazetted in 1939.

HOPETOUN

Latitude 33° 57' S Longitude 120° 07' E

The townsite of Hopetoun is located on the south coast south of Ravensthorpe. As there appeared to be no Aboriginal name for the area, the surveyor surveying the townsite in 1900, Surveyor G. Reilly, suggested it be named Hopetoun, after the Earl of Hopetoun, first Governor General of Australia (1900). The Earl was Rt Hon John Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC. He was Governor-General 1901-1903. He was born at Hopetoun in Scotland.

The town came about as a result of the discovery of gold and copper near Ravensthorpe in 1899, and the proclamation of the Phillips River Mining District. The miners soon took advantage of the area's close proximity to the coast at Mary Ann Haven (also referred to as Mary Ann Harbour or Mary Ann Cove) , 40 km south, and some businesses and residences were established there in 1900. Lots were surveyed in 1900, and the townsite gazetted in 1901. A railway connecting Hopetoun and Ravensthorpe was opened in 1909.

HORSESHOE

Latitude 25° 27' S Longitude 118° 35' E

Horseshoe is an abandoned Goldfields townsite near Peak Hill in the Peak Hill Goldfield. Gold was discovered in this vicinity in 1897, and in 1898 the Government considered the creation of a townsite. A surveyor selected a site in 1898, but local dissatisfaction with the position meant that an alternative area was used, and the townsite was not gazetted until 1901. Originally, this place was a gold mining area known as "Horseshoe Bend" because the first leases followed the spine of a horseshoe shaped ridge there. The area where the townsite developed was known as "Horseshoe", a name sometimes shortened to "the Shoe".

HOWATHARRA

Latitude 28° 32' S Longitude 114° 38' E

The townsite of Howatharra is located about 30 km north of Geraldton in the northern agricultural district. Land in this vicinity was opened up for farming in the early 1900s, and a railway siding named Howatharra (Webb's Siding) was established here in 1908. It was gazetted a townsite in 1909. Howatharra is the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Howatharra Spring. It is shown as Howetparrah Well on a 1872 map of the area.

HYDEN

Latitude 32° 27' S Longitude 118° 55' E

The townsite of Hyden is located 339 km east of Perth in the central agricultural region. Land in this vicinity was opened for farming in the 1920s, and in 1930 the government constructed a railway from Kondinin to Hyden Rock. Demand for land at the railway terminus resulted in gazettal of the Hyden townsite in 1932. It is named after the nearby Hyden Rock which was first shown on maps in 1921. It is not known at present who the rock was named after.

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I

ILLAWONG

Latitude 29° 42' S Longitude 114° 57' E

Illawong is a coastal townsite on the west coast between Jurien and Port Denison. In 1971 the Government decided it would establish a townsite here for professional fishermen who were operating in the area. The place was locally known as Sandy Bay at the time, but was named Illawong when gazetted in 1972. The source of the name is unknown at present, although it appears to be an eastern states Aboriginal name.

IRWIN

Latitude 29° 13' S Longitude 115° 05' E

The townsite of Irwin is located about 15 km east of Dongara in the northern agricultural region. It is located on the banks of the Irwin River, from which it derives its name. Explorer George Grey discovered the river in 1839, and Grey named it after his friend, Major Irwin of the 63rd Regiment.
Frederick Chidley Irwin (1788 - 1860) was the son of Reverend James Irwin. He began his military career in 1808, seeing active service in Spain and Portugal, taking part in several of the major sieges, retreats and battles of the Peninsula War. In 1817/18 he was stationed in Canada and later in Ceylon. In June 1829 he arrived in the colony with a detachment of the 63rd Regiment per the "Sulphur". He acted as administrator of the colony in 1832 during Governor Stirling's absence, and was acting Governor of the Colony on the death of Lt. Col Andrew Clarke in 18467/8 until relieved by Capt. Charles Fitzgerald. He was promoted to Captain in late 1828, to Major in 1837 and to Lt. Col. in 1845. He retired from the army in 1854 and died in Cheltenham in 1860.
Land in this area, also known as Yardarino, was subdivided in 1899. The nearby railway station was however named Irwin, and when a townsite was gazetted in 1921, the place was named Irwin.

ISSEKA

Latitude 28° 26' S Longitude 114° 39' E

The townsite of Isseka, located 10 km south of Northampton in the northern agricultural region, was gazetted a townsite in 1913. It takes its name from the railway siding of the same name, and came about following a request for blocks in the area by the Isseka Progress Association in 1912. The name is an alternative spelling of the nearby Isachar Well, but little is known about this name.

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J

JACKSON

Latitude 30° 12' S Longitude 119° 07' E

Jackson is an abandoned townsite in the Yilgarn goldfield, located about 115 km north north east of Southern Cross. It was gazetted in 1897, following a request for residential land here in 1896. Although it was locally known as Mount Jackson, deriving that name from the nearby hill named by the explorer Ernest Giles in 1875, it has been officially Jackson since 1897. Like many goldfields towns it was very temporary, quickly being occupied with buildings of hessian, wood and iron, and just as quickly abandoned. It boomed in 1896, and is recorded as abandoned by 1917.

JARDEE

Latitude 34° 17' S Longitude 116° 07' E

The townsite of Jardee is located in the south west region, 5 km south south west of Manjimup. The Government established a railway siding named Jardanup here in 1912, following the completion of the Bridgetown-Wilgarup railway in 1911. Jardanup was the terminus of the railway, and serviced the No. 1 State Saw Mill, built here in 1912. In 1925 the railway siding name was changed to Jardee because of confusion with Dardanup, and when the government gazetted a townsite here in 1927, it was also named Jardee. The name was proposed by the Warren Roads Board, and appears to be a made up name, derived from the Aboriginal name Jardanup, and Deeside, the name of a historic property in the district.

JARRAHDALE

Latitude 32° 20' S Longitude 116° 04' E

The townsite of Jarrahdale is located in the Darling Range, 50 km south east of Perth. Jarrahdale is a descriptive name, derived from the town's situation in some of Western Australia's best Jarrah forest. The place came about as a result of the granting of timber concessions here in 1872. The Jarrahdale Timber Company constructed a railway for the transport of timber from Jarrahdale through Mundijong to Rockingham. By the turn of the century Jarrahdale was a thriving community, and the government decided to declare a townsite. This took some time to declare, due to Jarrahdale being a mainly private town at the time, and the townsite was not gazetted until 1913.

JARRAHWOOD

Latitude 33° 48' S Longitude 15° 40' E

The townsite of Jarrahwood is located in the south west, 36 km south east of Busselton. The town is located in an area of Jarrah forest which was subjected to heavy cutting in the last century. The principal company operating in the area of the townsite was the Jarrah Wood and Sawmills Company Limited, and is from this name that the townsite name is derived. The company also ran a private railway from Jarrahwood to Wonnerup, and this was purchased by the government in 1906. The townsite was gazetted in 1932.

JENNACUBBINE

Latitude 31° 26' S Longitude 116° 43' E

The townsite of Jennacubbine is located in the eastern agricultural area, about midway between the towns of Northam and Goomalling. It was first a siding on the Northam-Goomalling railway line opened in June 1902, and was not declared a townsite until 1966. It derives its name from an Aboriginal well, first recorded as Jenacubine Well by the explorer A C Gregory in 1848. It was recorded as Jenacubbine in 1853, and has been spelt with the current spelling since 1889. Some records advise the meaning of this name is "salt water".

JERDACUTTUP

Latitude 33° 43' S Longitude 120° 28' E

Jerdacuttup is a townsite near the south coast between Ravensthorpe and Esperance. It was gazetted in 1966, and was developed following the governments opening up of land for agricultural purposes in this area in the 1960s. Jerdacuttup derives its name from the Jerdacuttup River located about 16 km to the west. This Aboriginal name was first recorded with this spelling by surveyor C D Price in 1875/76, although he also uses the spelling Jerdacat and Verdicat, and the explorer John Forrest (later Premier of Western Australia) recorded Jerticutup in 1870.

JERRAMUNGUP

Latitude 33° 57' S Longitude 118° 55' E

The townsite of Jerramungup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 454 km south east of Perth. It was gazetted in 1957, at a time when the Government was active in opening up land in the area for agricultural.
Jerramungup is an Aboriginal word said to mean "place of upstanding yate trees". The Yate tree is a variety of Eucalypt tree which is evergreen and grows to a height of 20m and a width of 4m. It has orange bud caps and greenish yellow flowers, and is common in the south west of WA. The name was first recorded by Surveyor-General J S Roe in 1847, when carrying out exploration of the area. In his journal Roe stated "On passing over the first ridge on the following morning we were gladdened by the view of a large extent of good grassy country to the NE lightly timbered and at this time well watered by a river and its numerous branches known to the natives as Jeer-A-Mung-Up". Roe later named the same river near its mouth the Gairdner River, not realising they were the same, and this is the name now used for the river.

JINGALUP

Latitude 33° 58' S Longitude 117° 02' E

Jingalup is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, just to the south west of Kojonup. The local farming community first requested a townsite to be declared here in 1918, the place being proposed to be named Mybrup. By 1922 a recreation ground and hall had been built, and the hall used as a school. The community were by then calling the place Jingalup, and this was the name used when the townsite was gazetted in 1924. The name Jingalup is an Aboriginal word, and appears to be a contraction of nearby Kodjingalup Well, first recorded by surveyor Gregory in 1846.

JITARNING

Latitude 32° 47' S Longitude 118° 00' E

Jitarning is a townsite in the Great Southern agricultural region, 277 km east south east of Perth. It was originally a station on the Yillimining to Kondinin railway , being one of the original stations on the line when it opened in 1915. The name was suggested by District Surveyor Marshall Fox in 1913, and is derived from Jitarning Soak, a nearby Aboriginal water source first recorded in 1873. Original spellings of the name were Geetaring and Geetarning, and there was a Geetarning Progress Association active as early as 1913, as this group requested the declaration of a townsite in that year. The townsite was gazetted in 1917.

JUBUK

Latitude 32° 21' S Longitude 117° 41' E

Jubuk is a townsite in the central agricultural region, located just to the west of Corrigin. When the railway line from Brookton to Corrigin was being planned in 1914, it was decided to establish a siding here named Munganalling and gazette a townsite. The line was opened in 1915, but when the government planned the townsite in 1917 the name Jubuk was nominated for both the siding and townsite. The correspondence does not reveal the source of the name. The townsite was gazetted in 1919.

JURIEN BAY

Latitude 30° 18' S Longitude 115° 02' E

The townsite of Jurien Bay is located on Jurien Bay, 266 km north north west of Perth. The bay, from which the townsite derives its name was named on July 1st 1801 by the French expedition under Captain Baudin. The name honours Charles Marie, vicomte Jurien, 1763-1836, a French naval administrator. Early maritime history of Jurien Bay includes visits by Captain Philip Parker King in the brig "Bathurst" in 1822, Lt. William Preston in the hired cutter "Colonist" in 1830 and J W Gregory in the schooner "Thetis" in 1847-8. The bay was first surveyed by James Harding, Harbour Master of Fremantle, in 1865, and a more extensive survey was made by Staff Commander W E Archdeacon R.N. in 1875.

The first evidence of interest in development at Jurien Bay was when a reserve for Shipping and Landing was declared here in 1887. A church site reserve for the Church of England was gazetted in 1930, and a church erected in late 1931. The church was demolished by the Army in early 1942 because it was of landmark value (of possible aid to a Japanese landing!). Continued use of the area by campers and fishermen led to the Government gazetting a townsite in 1956. The townsite was originally named Jurien Bay, but was changed to Jurien in 1959. In 1999 it was changed back to Jurien Bay, as this had been long regarded as the locally accepted name of the place.

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K

KALANNIE

Latitude 30° 22' S Longitude 117° 07' E

Kalannie is a townsite in the northern agricultural region, 259 km north east of Perth. It was gazetted a townsite in 1929. The name is Aboriginal, and is in a list of names from the York area where the meaning is given as "where the Aboriginals got white stone for their spears".

KALBARRI

Latitude 27° 42' S Longitude 114° 10' E

Kalbarri is a coastal resort and fishing town, 589 km north north west of Perth. It is located at the mouth of the Murchison River, the area becoming popular in the late 1940s as a tourist and fishing resort. In 1948 the government decided to declare a townsite here, and following the survey of lots the townsite was gazetted in 1951.
The name of Kalbarri was chosen from a list of Aboriginal words compiled by Daisy Bates in 1913. It is a man's name from a Murchison tribe, and also the name of an edible seed. The Aboriginal name for the area of Kalbarri has been recorded as "Wurdimarlu".

KALGAN

Latitude 34° 54' S Longitude 118° 00' E

The townsite of Kalgan is located in the south coastal region, about 21 km north east of Albany. It was gazetted a townsite in 1912 following the opening up of land in the area, but land had been put aside for a townsite here in 1837. The place was named "Wyndham" on an 1839 map of the area, but there was no subdivision or land made available in the townsite. It is recorded that it was to be the site of a farming community for the Society of Friends (Quakers), but there is no evidence that any Quakers ever settled in the area.

As there was already a Wyndham in the Kimberley when the town was gazetted in 1912, the name Kalgan was chosen for the townsite. Kalgan is the Aboriginal name of the river on which the townsite is situated, the name being first recorded by the explorer Dr A Collie as "Kalgan-up" in 1831. It is said to mean "place of many waters". The river had earlier been referred to as the "French River", since the French explored it in 1803.

KALGOORLIE

Latitude 30° 45' S Longitude 121° 28' E

Kalgoorlie is the major city in the eastern goldfields region, and is located 596 km east north east of Perth. It was gazetted a townsite in September 1894. Paddy Hannan, Daniel Shea and Thomas Flanagan made a rich gold find near Mt Charlotte in June 1893. The find soon led to a gold rush with thousands of diggers prospecting the rich alluvial field.

When the government decided to declare a townsite here in 1894, the place was locally known as "Hannan's Find", and at first the name "Hannans" was nominated for the townsite. In suggesting the name Hannans to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the Under Secretary for Lands, R Cecil Clifton, noted that the "native name of the place is "Calgoorlie" but this is rather too much like Coolgardie and if adopted is, I fear likely to lead to postal mistakes". R Cecil Clifton supported "Hannan", but Cabinet chose "Kalgoorlie" in August 1894. Although local preference was for Hannan's Find, Kalgoorlie soon came to be accepted as the name of the rapidly developing town. An alternative spelling of "Kalgurli" was also used unofficially on occasions.

Just when the name Kalgoorlie was first recorded and the precise meaning of the name is unknown. Various sources give it as either meaning: Aboriginal dog chasing a kangaroo; the Aboriginal name of a shrub from the area ("Galgurli");or the Aboriginal name for the local edible silky pear ("Kulgooluh").

KAMBALDA

Latitude 31° 12' S Longitude 121° 40' E

The townsite of Kambalda is located in the eastern goldfields region, about 60 km south of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered in the area in 1897, and the government soon decided to declare a townsite here. The government surveyor, W Rowley nominated the name, as it sounded a pleasant name. It is an Aboriginal word, the meaning of which is unknown. The townsite was gazetted in December 1897.
There was little development at Kambalda, and the place remained a ghost town until the Western Mining Corporation found nickel nearby in the early 1970's. It then soon developed into a thriving company town.

KANOWNA

Latitude 30° 37' S Longitude 121° 36' E

Kanowna is an abandoned gold mining town in the eastern goldfields about 20 km north east of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered here in 1894, and the area was at first known as "White Feather". When the government decided to declare a townsite H C Prinsep, then Under Secretary for Mines, stated the Aboriginal name of the place was Kanowna, and this was the name given to the townsite. The townsite was gazetted in December 1894.

The name may not be local Aboriginal name however. There is a Kanowna Station on Coopers Creek in South Australia, and some sources state that one of the early Kanowna diggers came from this station, and brought the name with him. Another source states that "Kanowna comes from the Aboriginal word "kana" or "gana" which means "place of no sleep" or "can't sleep". The term supposedly referred to the extremely stony ground surrounding area, making it an unpleasant place to camp. The term White Feather, although hard to track down with any accuracy, may have come from a dispute between two lots of diggers where one party took to their heels, showing a lack of courage. The remaining men named the lease after the event.

KARLGARIN

Latitude 32° 30' S Longitude 118° 43' E

Karlgarin is a townsite in the eastern agricultural area near Hyden, 321 km east south east of Perth. It derives its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby hill, first recorded by Surveyor-General J S Roe in 1848. Roe recorded the name as "Carlgarin", but common usage appears to have adopted the hard "K" as the preferable spelling. One source gives the meaning of the name as "place of fire" (Karl)

The Karlgarin area was a soldier settlement area, and as early as 1924 the Karlgarin Progress Association sought the declaration of a townsite. The government deferred this request pending a decision on the location of a railway line through the area. It was 1930 before the railway was fixed, and a position of the siding at the 314mile 60 chain point on the Lake Grace Karlgarin Railway was chosen as the location for the townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1931.

KARRATHA

Latitude 20° 45' S Longitude 116° 51' E

Located in the Pilbara district, 1535 km north of Perth, the townsite of Karratha derives its name from the pastoral station from which the land was resumed to create the townsite. It was gazetted in 1969, and was developed by the government to provide land for the community supporting the Pilbara iron ore industry established in the region in the 1960s.

The names suggested for this townsite were Tanga-tanga, Hearson, Dixon, Nickol and Karratha. Karratha was chosen by the Nomenclature Advisory Committee, and was approved by the Minister for Lands who approved in 1968. Karratha is an Aboriginal word meaning "good country" or "soft earth".

KARRIDALE

Latitude 34° 12' S Longitude 115° 06' E

The townsite of Karridale, located 14 km north north west of Augusta, derives its name from the Karri forest in which it is situated. It is named after the Karridale Mill established by M C Davies here in 1884. The area then had a large extent of virgin Karri forest, and provided an obvious choice for the name. "Karri" is an Aboriginal name for the type of tree (Eucalyptus diversicolor). The townsite was gazetted in 1979.

KATANNING

Latitude 33° 42' S Longitude 117° 33' E

Katanning is a townsite in the great southern region, 295 km south east of Perth. The name was first used as one of the original stations on the Great Southern Railway when it opened in June 1889. The Western Australian Land Company who had built the railway soon developed a private townsite here, and when the government purchased the railway in 1896, it converted the townsite to a government townsite. This was formally gazetted in 1898.

Katanning is a local Aboriginal word of uncertain meaning. There has been much conjecture regarding the meaning, with two schools of thought prevailing. One was that the name came from Kart-annin, Kart meaning head and annin meaning meeting place. Thus the name would have meant "meeting place of heads of tribes". The other was that the name was derived from the name of an Aboriginal woman. Many early local settlers believed this theory, the name of the woman being kay-tan, kate ann or kate anning. There is no documentation to support either theory.

KATHLEEN

Latitude 27° 31' S Longitude 120° 34' E

Kathleen is an abandoned townsite in the East Murchison Goldfield, located about 50 km north of Leinster. Gold was discovered in the area in 1897, and a Townsite gazetted in 1900. Locals originally referred to the place as Kathleen Valley, as the original gold find was in a valley. When the townsite was gazetted, the Inspector of Plans in the Department of Lands and Surveys thought the name incongruous, and dropped the "Valley" from the name. It is not known who "Kathleen" was.

KAURING

Latitude 31° 57' S Longitude 117° 01' E

Kauring is a townsite in the central agricultural area 120 km east of Perth, midway between York and Quairading. Farmers took up land here in the late 1860s, and land was surveyed in 1870 for a reserve for travellers and stock, and the reserve was known as "Cowering Reserve". In 1893 the Greenhills Road Board asked for the reserve to be enlarged, and stated then that it would be required for a townsite in the future. "Cowering" was suggested as the name for a new siding on the Greenhills - Quairading Railway in 1907, but when the line opened in 1908 the siding was spelt "Kowring". The spelling was changed the same year to Kauring, and when the government decided to develop a townsite herein 1911, Kauring was the spelling used. The townsite was gazetted in 1912. Kauring is an Aboriginal name, the possible meaning of which is "place of parrots" or "tall place". Large numbers of the purple crowned lorikeets (cower) used to congregate to feed off the blossoms of the salmon gums growing in clumps around a soak in "Cowering Reserve".

KEBARINGUP

Latitude 34° 02' S Longitude 118° 09' E

The townsite of Kebaringup is located about 20 km south east of Gnowangerup in the great southern agricultural region. When the government was planning the railway from Tambellup to Ongerup in 1911 it was decided to establish a siding here, and the name nominated was "Arnott" after a local resident. The line opened in 1913 with this name, but the locals soon petitioned the government for a name change, suggesting Kebaringup. The name was changed later the same year.

The government surveyed a number of small blocks at the siding in 1913, and set aside an area for a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1918. Kebaringup is a local Aboriginal name, being first recorded by a surveyor for a nearby well in 1887. The meaning of the name is not known.

KELLERBERRIN

Latitude 31° 38' S Longitude 117° 42' E

Kellerberrin is a townsite in the central agricultural area, 203 km from Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. The railway line from Northam to Southern Cross was constructed through here in 1893-4, and this section opened for traffic in 1895. Kellerberrin was one of the original stations when the line opened. By 1898 there was a demand for small blocks of land in the area, and the government surveyed a number of 20 acre lots the same year. The area was gazetted as Kellerberrin townsite in 1901, and the government soon made more land available for settlers.
The name Kellerberrin is Aboriginal, and is derived from the name of a nearby hill. The hill was first recorded as "Killaburing Hill" by an explorer in 1861, but in 1864 the explorer C C Hunt recorded it as Kellerberrin Hill. One source claims that Kellerberrin is the name for the fierce ants that are found in the area, while another gives it as meaning "camping place near where rainbow birds are found"- "kalla means camping place or place of, and "berrin berrin" is the rainbow bird.

KENDENUP

Latitude 34° 29' S Longitude 117° 38' E

The locality of Kendenup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 345 km south east of Perth and 22 km north of Mount Barker. Kendenup is one of the original stations on the Great Southern Railway, and is included in a Timetable of June 1889. It derives its name from "Kendenup", the homestead of the Hassell family built here in 1839. The property was one of the best known in colonial Western Australia. The Kendenup property had earlier been taken up by George Cheyne, and was purchased by John Hassell in 1839. The name is of Aboriginal origin, of unknown meaning.

KENTON

Latitude 34° 58' S Longitude 117° 02' E

Kenton is a townsite near the south coast, situated midway between Denmark and Walpole. It is named after the Kent River, on which it is situated. The river was named by Dr J B Wilson R.N in December 1829 after Mr John Kent, a member of his exploration party. The townsite was gazetted in 1962, the area having first attracted interest for a townsite in 1953, when the Denmark Road Board advised there was interest in land in the area.

KEYSBROOK

Latitude 32° 26' S Longitude 115° 59' E

The townsite of Keysbrook is located 62 km south of Perth, between Armadale and Pinjarra. It takes its name from a railway siding established here in 1897. The siding is believed to be named after Thomas Charles Key (1847-1885) who leased land here for a time, and whose name was once used for as the local name of what is now Myara Brook. The townsite was gazetted in 1916, and the name adopted as a bounded locality in 1997.

KINTORE

Latitude 30° 36' S Longitude 121° 01' E

Kintore is an abandoned townsite in the eastern goldfields, located about 45 km north west of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered here in the late 1890s, and in 1897 the Kintore Progress Committee sought the declaration of a townsite for their rapidly growing community. The townsite was gazetted later the same year. The name is believed to relate to a mining name, but the origin is unknown at present.

KIRUP

Latitude 33° 42' S Longitude 115° 53' E

The town of Kirup is located 228 km from Perth, on the South Western Highway between Donnybrook and Bridgetown. It was originally a siding named Upper Capel on the Donnybrook-Bridgetown railway when it opened in 1898. As the siding was in a heavily forested area, G Baxter soon erected a sawmill there, and in 1900 the government took action to subdivide land in the area.

In 1901 when it was decided to declare a townsite here a name was sought. The name "Kirup" is recorded in official papers on the townsite, but no source or meaning is given for the name. When it was gazetted in 1901 the spelling used was Kirupp, the double "p" indicating that the preceding vowel should be shortened. This was later seen as not relevant, and the spelling was amended to Kirup in 1931. The name is Aboriginal, possibly stemming from "kura" and meaning "the place of summer flies".

KOJONUP

Latitude 33° 50' S Longitude 117° 09' E

The townsite of Kojonup is located 256 km south east of Perth, on the Albany Highway between Williams and Mount Barker. The site for the townsite was selected by surveyor Alfred Hillman in 1840, who three years earlier in February 1837 had discovered "Kojonup Spring" at this place. Kojonup was an important staging place on the road to Albany, and in 1837 a military post was established here, and the townsite has been occupied since that date.
The meaning of this Aboriginal name is said to be "place of the South-West stone axe (kadjo) and the stone used to make it (kadjor)." Another less likely meaning is "place of the edible bulb".

KOKARDINE

Latitude 30° 42' S Longitude 117° 10' E

The townsite of Kokardine is located in the northern agricultural region, near the town of Cadoux, 220 km north east of Perth. In 1927, when the government was building the Ejanding North railway, the Wongan Hills Road Board requested a townsite be set aside at this place, and nominated the name Kokardine for it. The townsite was gazetted two years later, in 1929. It derives its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby soak, first recorded by a surveyor in 1892. A possible meaning for the name is "water in the grass", a meaning given to the spelling "kookadine" in a list of names for the Southern Cross district.

KONDININ

Latitude 32° 30' S Longitude 118° 16' E

The townsite of Kondinin is located in the eastern agricultural area, 279 km from Perth between the towns of Corrigin and Hyden. Like many towns in the agricultural areas it began as a railway station. The district around Kondinin was already settled when the government chose to construct a railway line here in 1911, the line, from Yilliminning to Kondinin, being completed in 1915. The terminus of the line was close to Kondinin Lake and Kondinin Well, and this was the reason for the choice of name. It is an Aboriginal name, first recorded by Surveyor-General Roe in 1848, but its meaning is unknown. The townsite was gazetted in 1915.

KONDUT

Latitude 30° 43' S Longitude 116° 46' E

A townsite in the northern agricultural region, Kondut is located 203 km north east of Perth. The townsite is on the railway line that runs from near Dowerin to Mullewa, and it was decided to establish a siding here in 1913. The District Surveyor nominated the name "Konduit", stating it to be the name of a well known well in the locality. The Under Secretary for Lands amended the spelling to Kondut, applying departmental rules for the "orthography of native names". The townsite was gazetted in 1917.

The well referred to had been shown on maps since 1884, when surveyor C Crossland recorded it. Crossland spelt it Conduit Well, and it is still officially recorded with this spelling.

KONNONGORRING

Latitude 31° 03' S Longitude 116° 46' E

The townsite of Konnongorring is located in the central agricultural area, between Goomalling and Wongan Hills, 161 km from Perth. It was first a railway station on the Goomalling to Wongan Hills railway when the line opened in 1911, and derived its name from the nearby Konnongorring Soak. The soak had been shown on maps since 1896, when it shown in a lease taken up by C Chitty, and is an Aboriginal name. The meaning of the name is not known.

In the mid 1920s a school was built adjacent to the Konnongorring station, and in the early 1930s a store was erected nearby. In 1961 the Goomalling Road Board, anxious that speeding motorists be restricted near the school, sought the declaration of a townsite. Following such a declaration the speed would be limited to 35 MPH. The gazettal of the townsite took place in 1962.

KOOJAN

Latitude 30° 48' S Longitude 116° 01' E.

The townsite of Koojan is located in the northern agricultural region, 18 km south of Moora. It is located on the Midland Railway line, and was first established as a siding when the line opened in 1894. The government subdivided a small townsite here and gazetted it in 1910. Koojan is an Aboriginal name derived from a nearby pool. The name of the pool was first recorded by government surveyors in 1861 and 1864, but the meaning of the name was not noted.

KOOKYNIE

Latitude 29° 20' S Longitude 121° 29' E.

Kookynie (pronounced koo-ky-nee) is a townsite in the eastern goldfields, located between Menzies and Leonora, 796 km from Perth. Gold was discovered in the area in the late 1890s, and in 1899 the government decided there was sufficient interest in the area to declare a townsite. It was gazetted as Kookynie in 1900, and is believed to have been named by Mr Beaumont, the manager of the Lady Shenton Gold Mine after a holding near Clare in South Australia.

KOOLAN

Latitude 16° 08' S Longitude 123° 47' E.

The townsite of Koolan is the only Western Australian townsite located on an island. It is located on Koolan Island, the largest island in the Buccaneer Archipelago, situated about 130 km north of Derby. The townsite was gazetted in 1962, its purpose being to support the iron ore industry of the Dampier Mining Company Ltd. on Koolan Island and nearby Cockatoo Island. Koolan is an Aboriginal name first recorded during surveys of the area in 1908. It means "father island", as it is the biggest island in the area.

KOOLANOOKA

Latitude 29° 16' S Longitude 116° 04' E.

Koolanooka is a townsite in the northern agricultural region located about 10km south east of Morawa. It was chosen as the site for a railway station on the Wongan Hills-Mullewa line when the government planned the line in 1913, and the name selected for the station was Bowgada, after the adjacent pastoral station. The name was changed to Koolanooka before the line opened in 1914, and Bowgada was used for the next station south. The townsite was gazetted in 1916. Koolanooka is the Aboriginal name for nearby hills and a spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1893. One source gives the meaning as "hill of wild turkeys".

KOOLYANOBBING

Latitude 30° 49' S Longitude 119° 31' E.

The townsite of Koolyanobbing is located in pastoral country 53 km north east of Southern Cross. It was created to service a nearby iron ore mine developed in the early 1960s, and was gazetted in 1965. The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of the nearby range of hills, Koolyanobbing Range, the name having been first recorded by the explorer C C Hunt in 1864. One source gives the meaning of the name as "large hard rocks".

KOORDA

Latitude 30° 50' S Longitude 117° 29' E.

The townsite of Koorda is located in the central agricultural region, 236 km north east of Perth and 45 km north of Wyalkatchem. In 1913 the government decided to construct a railway from Wyalkatchem to Mount Marshall, and the Central Cowcowing Progress Association requested that land be set aside for a townsite at the proposed siding in this area. In 1914 the Jirimbi and Mulji Progress Association again requested a townsite here, and also in 1914 the proposed siding here was named Koorda at the suggestion of J Hope, the Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department. Hope took the name from a list of words obtained from an Aboriginal in the Margaret River area, the meaning being given as a "married person". Problems regarding resumption of land for the townsite and the exact siting of the siding meant that the townsite was not gazetted until 1917.

KORRELOCKING

Latitude 31° 12' S Longitude 117° 28' E.

The townsite of Korrelocking is located in the central agricultural region, about 201 km from Perth and 10 km east of Wyalkatchem. In 1910 the government decided to establish a railway station here on the line from Dowerin to Merredin then under construction, and the Yuragin Progress Association requested the government declare a townsite at the station. The townsite was gazetted in 1911, a month before the portion of the railway Dowerin to Kununoppin was opened. Korrelocking is the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Korrelocking Well, which was first recorded by a surveyor in 1892. The meaning is unknown.

KUDARDUP

Latitude 34° 16' S Longitude 115° 07' E.

The townsite of Kudardup is located in the south west, about 8 km north north east of Augusta on the Bussell Highway. It was only gazetted a townsite in 1957, but is in fact over 100 years old. Koodardup was originally located in tall karri forest, and in 1883 M C Davies built a timber mill here that was named Coodardup Mill. The nearby caves were also recorded as Coodardup Caves from around this time. The mill moved to Karridale in 1884, and the name was rarely used again until 1925, when a siding on the railway from Busselton to Flinders Bay was opened here and named Coodardup. The spelling was changed to Kudardup a year later, this spelling being regarded as a more correct interpretation of this Aboriginal name. The railway line closed in 1960, and soon after the name was applied to the townsite.

KUKERIN

Latitude 33° 11' S Longitude 118° 05' E.

Kukerin is a town in the great southern agricultural region, 309 km south east of Perth. It is midway between Dumbleyung and Lake Grace. Like many towns in the agricultural areas, Kukerin came about as a result of railway construction. In 1912 the government opened an extension to the Wagin to Dumbleyung line, and decided to establish a townsite at the railway terminus. The name nominated by the district surveyor was Merilup, the name of a nearby soak and the proposed name for the siding here. However the Moulyinning Progress Association, the nearest community group at that time felt the soak was too far from the railway to use this name, and the government sought alternatives. Kukerin was nominated by the district surveyor, and after checking that the name had not been used elsewhere, was approved by the Minister in 1912. It was gazetted as a townsite later the same year. Kukerin is an Aboriginal name, first recorded for a soak and gully in the area by a surveyor in 1908. It was also spelt "Cookerin". The meaning of the name is not known.

KULIKUP

Latitude : 33° 50' S Longitude 116° 41' E.

The townsite of Kulikup is located in the south west 27 km east of Boyup Brook. When the government built the railway from Boyup Brook to Kojonup in 1910 a siding was established here and named "Culicup". The Upper Blackwood Road Board considered it a suitable site for a townsite, and requested the declaration of one in 1911. When the townsite was gazetted in 1912, the spelling adopted was "Kulikupp", because of an orthography used in the Lands and Surveys Department for spelling Aboriginal names. It was not amended to Kulikup until 1965. Kulikup derives its name from a nearby pool, first recorded by a surveyor as "Culicup Pool" in 1892. The meaning of the name is not known.

KULIN

Latitude 32° 40' S Longitude 118° 09' E.

The townsite of Kulin is located in the eastern agricultural area, 285 km from Perth between the towns of Corrigin and Lake Grace. Like many towns in the agricultural areas it began as a result of railway construction. The district around Kulin was already settled when the government chose to construct a railway line here in 1911, the line, from Yilliminning to Kondinin, being completed in 1915. The station here was proposed to be named "Jilakin", the name being derived from nearby "Jeelakin Lake". In 1913 the South Kulinn Progress Association petitioned the government for a townsite at the proposed station, and shortly after the government agreed and a townsite named "Jilakin" was gazetted. The residents soon objected to the name, and requested it be amended to Kulinn. The Minister for Lands agreed to the name change which was gazetted in 1914, but at the suggestion of the Under Secretary for Lands dropped the last "n" from the name. The name is Aboriginal, having been first recorded as "Coolin" by Surveyor-General Roe during exploration of the area in 1848.

KULJA

Latitude 30° 30' S Longitude : 117° 19' E

Kulja is a townsite in the central agricultural region north of Koorda. It was established as a railway station on the Ejanding North railway, which was built in the late 1920's , and in 1928 there were enough farmers in the area to warrant the declaration of a townsite. It was gazetted in October 1928. The townsite is named after the Aboriginal name of a soak in the area which was first shown on maps in 1908, but the meaning of the name is not known.

KULYALING

Latitude : 32° 28' S Longitude 117° 03' E.

The townsite of Kulyalling is located in the great southern agricultural region, midway between the towns of Brookton and Pingelly, 148 km from Perth. The government in the early 1900's opened a railway siding named "Westbrook" here, and in 1905 the Westbrook Progress Association petitioned to have a townsite declared. When the townsite was gazetted in 1906 the Lands Department sought a more suitable Aboriginal name as Westbrook had already been used elsewhere in Australia, and the surveyor surveying the townsite suggested "Nimbedilling", the name of a nearby brook. The local community objected to the name Nimbedilling, and the Mourambine Road Board suggested "Coolyaling" as an alternative, advising it was the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring and some rocks. The Lands Department changed the name to "Kulyalling" to conform to the Department's rules for spelling Aboriginal names, and the change of name was gazetted in 1907.

KUNANALLING

Latitude 30° 41' S Longitude 121° 04' E.

The townsite of Kunanilling is located in the eastern goldfields, 25 "miles" from Coolgardie . Gold was discovered here in 1895, and it was known as the "25 Mile" when the Warden for this goldfield area recommended a townsite be declared here the same year. At this time it was referred to as the "25 Mile" or "Coonanalling", but when gazetted in 1896 the Lands Department applied spelling rules that changed it to Kunanalling. The townsite is now abandoned.

KUNDANA

Latitude 30° 42' S Longitude 121° 13' E.

Kundana is an abandoned mining town in the eastern goldfields near Coolgardie. In 1896 58 miners living here petitioned the government to declare a townsite, recording the name of the place as "21 Mile" at that time. The name "Barkers Find" was also used for the place, honouring the prospector who found gold here, but when the townsite was surveyed late in 1896 the surveyor advised the name "White Flag" also applies to the area. The Deputy Surveyor-General suggested the townsite be named "Barkerton", but "White Flag" was the name most commonly used. Surveyor H.S. King suggested the Aboriginal name "Kundana", and it was this name that was used when the townsite was gazetted in 1897. King did not give a meaning for the name.

KUNDIP

Latitude 33° 41' S Longitude 120° 11' E.

The townsite of Kundip is located in the south coastal agricultural region, between the towns of Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun. In 1899 gold and copper was discovered in this area, and the government decided to set aside land for a townsite. The name "Harbour View", after one of the mines here had some local use, but Surveyor A W Canning proposed the name "Coondip" for it, and a reserve was set aside for the townsite of "Coondip" in June 1901. When it was gazetted as a townsite in 1902 the Lands Department changed the spelling to "Kundip" to conform the orthography the Department had adopted. In 1978 it was noted that Kundip no longer existed, the last buildings being shifted away in 1950 and all that remained was a heap of bricks from the old baker's oven. The meaning of the name is not known.

KUNJIN

Latitude 32° 21' S Longitude 117° 46' E.

The townsite of Kunjin is located in the great southern agricultural region, 217 km east south east of Perth, and 17 km west of Corrigin. In 1909 a deputation of settlers from the Kunjin area met with the Minister for Lands seeking the declaration of a new townsite at Kunjin. The Lands Department agreed to a townsite, but delayed gazettal due to uncertainty of the location until the position of the proposed Brookton to Kunjin railway was fixed. The line was positioned in 1913, and the townsite gazetted the following year. The railway opened in 1915. Kunjin is named after the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, first recorded as Cungin Spring. The spelling of Kunjin was adopted by the Lands Department to conform to spelling rules the Department had adopted.

KUNUNOPPIN

Latitude 31° 07' S Longitude 117° 55' E.

Kununoppin is a townsite in the eastern agricultural region, 247 km north east of Perth. Like many wheatbelt towns, Kununoppin was established because it was the site of a railway siding. The Dowerin to Merredin railway opened in 1911, and the townsite was gazetted in 1911. Kununoppin derives its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby area, first recorded as "Coonoonoppin" during surveys in 1908. The spelling Kununoppin was adopted to conform to the Royal Geographical Society orthography for recording Aboriginal place names adopted by the Lands Department.

KUNUNURRA

Latitude 15° 46' S Longitude 128° 44' E.

The townsite of Kununurra is located in the Kimberley region in the extreme north east of the state, 3214 km from Perth. When the Ord River Irrigation scheme was being planned in the 1950s a townsite was included in the proposed development. Amongst other submissions of Aboriginal names put forward for the new townsite being created in the vicinity of the Ord River Dam was "Cununurra", said to mean "black soil" and to be the Aboriginal name for the Ord River according to Mary Durack. A Mr. Lewis of the Public Works Department reported that a soil survey undertaken in 1954 had disclosed that 99% of the land to be irrigated from the dam was composed of "cununurra clay". This name was not favoured by the Postmaster-General's Department because of its similarity to place names in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. However, to compromise, that department suggested adopting the spelling, "Kununurra", this version being approved in March 1960. The townsite was gazetted in 1961.

KURNALPI

Latitude 30° 32' S Longitude 122° 14' E.

Kurnalpi is a townsite in the eastern goldfield, about 80 km east north east of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered in the area in 1894, the area being known as Kurnalpi because the "Kurnalpi Rockholes" were a feature in the district. The townsite was surveyed in 1894 and gazetted the following year. The meaning of this Aboriginal name is not known.

KURRAJONG

Latitude 28° 43' S Longitude 121° 06' E.

Kurrajong is an abandoned townsite in the eastern goldfields region, located about 40 km north west of Leonora. Gold was discovered here in the late 1890's, and the place was referred to as "Diorite King", after the name of a nearby mine. In 1897 surveyor H S King surveyed some lots for a residential area, and two years later, in 1899, a townsite was gazetted. Kurrajong is named after the Aboriginal name of a species of tree.

KURRAWANG

Latitude 30° 49' S Longitude 121° 21' E.

The townsite of Kurrawang is located in the eastern goldfields region, about 15 km south west of Kalgoorlie. The townsite was gazetted in 1910, and although in a gold bearing area, owes its existence to timber rather than gold. Kurrawang was first established as a railway station on the eastern line to Kalgoorlie in the early 1900's, and was a junction with one of the main timberlines in the area. The timberlines were used by firewood companies to reach out into the forested areas to gather firewood for burning to condense fresh water from saline and brackish water. Kurrawang is an Aboriginal word of unknown meaning, perhaps related to "Currawong" the name of a common Australian bird.

KWEDA

Latitude 32° 23' S Longitude 117° 25' E.

The townsite of Kweda is located in the great southern agricultural region, about 180 km east south east of Perth between Brookton and Corrigin. In 1913 the government planned to build a railway line between Brookton and Kunjin, and one of the proposed stations was a "Quandadine Siding", located near Quandadine Pool in the Avon River. Marshall Fox, the district surveyor proposed creating a townsite here in 1914, and land was resumed for this purpose later that year. By the time the railway line was opened in 1915 the name of the siding had been changed to Kweda, and this was the name applied when the townsite was gazetted in 1918. This name may be derived from "Queeda", an Aboriginal name for the Casuarina tree.

KWELKAN

Latitude 31° 08' S Longitude 118° 00' E.

The townsite of Kwelkan is located in the central agricultural region, 260 km east north east of Perth, between the towns of Kununoppin and Nungarin. Like many wheatbelt towns, Kwelkan was first established as a railway siding on the Dowerin to Merredin railway opened in 1911. When the railway was planned a stopping place at "Quelcan" was marked on plans in 1910, and the district surveyor suggested some town lots be surveyed and a townsite reserved. Land was reserved for a townsite in 1910, and then gazetted as Kwelkan townsite in 1912. The spelling was changed from Quelcan to Kwelkan to conform to spelling rules adopted by the Lands Department, and the townsite is named after nearby Quelcan Well, first recorded by a surveyor in 1889. The meaning of this Aboriginal name is not known, although "kwel" is an Aboriginal word for the sheoak tree in one language.

KWOBRUP

Latitude 33° 37' S Longitude 117° 59' E.

Kwobrup is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, about 340 km south east of Perth between the towns of Katanning and Nyabing. Like many wheatbelt towns, Kwobrup was first established as a railway siding on the Katanning to Nampup railway opened in 1912. The siding was named Yellanup when the line was opened, but there was concern that the name was too like Yallingup, and there was soon pressure for a name change. The district surveyor suggested "Wollakup" as an alternative, but this was regarded as too similar to Wokalup. He then suggested "Kwobrup", the Aboriginal name of a nearby swamp first recorded in 1905. This name was also recorded as Quaberup in 1876. A possible meaning of the name is "good place".

KWOLYIN

Latitude 31° 56' S Longitude 117° 46' E.

The townsite of Kwolyin is located in the central agricultural region, 204 km east of Perth between Bruce Rock and Quairading. In 1908 the Kwollyinn farmers and settlers Association requested the government declare a townsite in the Kwollyinn area on the proposed railway from Quairading to Nunagin. The proposal was supported by the government as this place was regarded as very important and the centre of a large growing area. A position at Coarin Spring on the railway was selected in 1912, and the townsite gazetted in 1913, the year the railway was opened. The station was at first named Koarin, but this was too close to Kauring, and the Minister for Lands approved it being renamed Kwollyinn. However, when the name was gazetted the Lands Department applied its spelling rules for Aboriginal names, and changed it to Kwolyin. Kwolyin is the Aboriginal name of a nearby granite hill, first recorded by the explorer C C Hunt in 1864 as Qualyin Hill. The meaning is not known.

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L

LAKE BIDDY

Latitude 33° 00' S Longitude 118° 56' E

The townsite of Lake Biddy is located in the central agricultural region, 422 km east south east of Perth and 14 km north west of Newdegate. The townsite is named after the nearby lake of the same name which was first recorded during a survey in 1920. It is said to have been named by Surveyor E T Morrow after his daughter, Christine, (nicknamed `Biddy'), who was reputed to be the survey camp cook.
Settlers in the North Sub-branch of the Newdegate Progress Association first requested the Government declare a townsite here in 1923, because of the large number of settlers in the area. Some lots were surveyed in 1924, following the fixing of the position of the railway line to Newdegate. The townsite was gazetted in 1925.

LAKE BROWN

Latitude 30° 57' S Longitude 118° 20' E

Lake Brown is a townsite in the central agricultural region, 307 km north east of Perth and 14 km east of Mukinbudin. The town derives its name from a lake of this name situated about 19 km south west. The lake was named during exploration of the area by Surveyor-General J S Roe in 1836, and it is believed to be named after Peter Brown (Broun), Colonial Secretary of Western Australia 1829-1846.
When the railway was extended from Mukinbudin in 1923, a site for a siding was selected at the 223 mile post, and the name Kalkalling, the name of a nearby prominent hill, was chosen. It was gazetted as the townsite of Kalkalling a year later in 1924. In 1926 the railway station was changed to Lake Brown, and the townsite name also changed shortly after.

LAKE CAMM

Latitude 32° 58' S Longitude 119° 36' E

The townsite of Lake Camm is located in the central agricultural region, 442 km east south east of Perth and 20 km north north west of Lake King. The townsite derives its name from the lake located a few kilometres to the west . The name of the lake was first recorded by a surveyor in 1931, and the name honours J P Camm, Surveyor-General of Western 1923-1938. In 1938 the Lake Camm Progress Association requested the declaration of a townsite, the townsite being gazetted in July 1939.

LAKE CLIFTON

Latitude 32° 49' S Longitude 115° 41' E

Lake Clifton is a townsite on the Old Coast Road 38 km south of Mandurah and 112 km south of Perth. It is adjacent to the lake of the same name, the lake being named in 1842 in honour of Marshall Walter Clifton (1787-1861), Chief Commissioner of the Western Australian Company's settlement at Australind and later a member of the Legislative Council.

The townsite at Lake Clifton came about as a result of the W A Portland Cement Co. seeking to mine a lime deposit in Lake Clifton. A railway was built from Waroona to Lake Clifton in 1920, and the Lake Clifton Progress Association sought the declaration of a townsite for the Company's employees. The townsite was gazetted as "Leschenault" in March 1921, but the name was soon seen as confusing because the name Leschenault was associated with the Bunbury area. R Cecil Clifton suggested alternative names "Fouracre" (after earliest settler), "Peppermint Grove" (after Fouracres Homestead) and "Garbanup" (a native name recorded by J S Roe). It was amended to "Garbanup" townsite in April 1921. In 1923, the Railway Department, which had purchased the railway in 1922, objected to Garbanup because of similarity to Dardanup. The name was amended to Lake Clifton in 1923. For a short time Lake Clifton was a busy company town, but the lime mining only lasted a short time, and the mine closed at the end of 1923. The railway line closed in 1924 and was removed and used in construction of the Lake Grace-Newdegate railway.

LAKE GRACE

Latitude 33° 06' S Longitude 118° 28' E

The townsite of Lake Grace is located in the central agricultural district, 347 km east south east of Perth. The area was first taken up for agriculture around 1911, and in 1913 a school was established here and named Lake Grace after the nearby lake. In 1914 the government planned to extend the railway network from Kukerin to Lake Grace, and local settlers lobbied for a townsite to be declared at the terminus. The railway was constructed in 1916, and terminated close to the site of the existing school. The townsite of Lake Grace was gazetted later in 1916.
The lake after which the townsite was named was given the name Lake Grace by Marshall Fox, the District Surveyor, in 1910. It is named after Grace Brockman, the wife of the then Surveyor-General, Frederick S Brockman. Grace Brockman became famous in 1876 when she, as Grace Bussell, and her stockman Sam Isaacs, rescued many people from the wreck of the "Georgette" near the mouth of the Margaret River.

LAKE KING

Latitude 33° 05' S Longitude 119° 42' E

The Townsite of Lake King is located in the central agricultural region, 462 km east south east of Perth. In 1935 the Lake King Progress Association requested the Government to declare a Townsite, but it was felt this was premature at the time. The Progress Association then lobbied the local member of parliament, and the Surveyor-General agreed to a Townsite being declared. It was gazetted in 1936, Lake King derives its name from the nearby lake of the same name. The lake was named by Marshall Fox, the district surveyor at Narrogin in 1922, and honours Henry Sandford King, Surveyor-General of Western Australia from 1918 to 1923. Lake King is recorded as also being known as Lake Damnosa, but nothing is known of this name.

LAKEWOOD

Latitude 30° 48' S Longitude 121° 32' E

Lakewood is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located 10 km south east of Kalgoorlie. In 1903 the area was known as Lakeside, and the Secretary of the Progress Association wrote to the Government seeking the survey of lots for residential purposes. Lakeside was then at the terminus of the railway, and close to Hannan Lake, from the proximity to which the name was derived. Lots were surveyed here in 1903, but when considering a name for the townsite Lakeside was ruled out because it was duplicated in Queensland.

The Kalgoorlie Road Board suggested the name "Gnumballa" for the new townsite but when it was gazetted in 1904 it was spelt "Ngumballa" in line with spelling rules adopted by the Department of Lands and Surveys. The name is the Aboriginal name for Hannan Lake. In spite of the gazettal of the name Ngumballa, the railway station remained as Lakeside, as did local usage , and in 1909 the name was officially changed to Lakeside. By 1938 there was another Lakeside near Wiluna, and the school and post office at Lakeside were changed to Lakewood to avoid confusion, but still retaining the lake association in the name, and linking to the firewood company which by then was the only business in the area. For nine years the place was now officially known as Lakeside, but locally Lakewood, before the Government finally accepted this name and changed the townsite to Lakewood in 1947.

LANCELIN

Latitude 31° 01' S Longitude 115° 20' E

Lancelin is a coastal town located on the west coast 127 km north north west of Perth. It derives its name from the nearby Lancelin Island which was named by the French expedition under the command of Captain Baudin in 1801. The name honours P F Lancelin, scientific writer, author of the World Map of Sciences and works on the planetary system and analyses of science.

Interest in the Lancelin Island area in the late 1940s for camping and as a port for the lobster fishery resulted in a townsite being declared in 1950. Lancelin was not considered a suitable name, and "Wangaree", an Aboriginal word for fish was chosen when the townsite was gazetted. Although the official name was Wangaree, local usage was Lancelin, and in 1953 the Gingin Road Board requested the townsite be renamed Lancelin. The name change was approved in 1953 and gazetted the following year.

LATHAM

Latitude 29° 45' S Longitude 116° 27' E

Latham is a townsite in the northern agricultural region, midway between Wubin and Perenjori, and 309 km north of Perth. It is on the railway between Wongan Hills and Mullewa which opened for service in 1915. When the railway was being planned in 1913 the Public Works Department decided that the site of Latham was appropriate for a townsite. The District Surveyor, S E Smith, agreed after inspecting the area, and nominated two possible names for the townsite, Merriedale and Latham. Latham was selected, and was also used for the name of the proposed railway station from 1913. The townsite was gazetted in 1917.

Latham derives its name from Latham Rock, a large granite rock about 3 km south east of the townsite. The rock was first recorded as Latham Rock in 1909, and honours Mr.F.A.Latham, an early pastoralist of the region and who established a watering place here for stock being droved through the district

LAVERTON

Latitude 28° 37' S Longitude 122° 24' E

The townsite of Laverton is located in the eastern goldfields 957 km north north east of Perth and 124 km ENE of Leonora. Gold was discovered near here in 1896, and one of the early promoters of gold mining in the area was Dr C W Laver, after whom the townsite is named. The "Craiggiemore" mine was one of the most successful, and by 1897 a residential and business area had been established on the west side of the mine. When the lots were surveyed in 1897 the surveyor, J H Rowe noted the Aborigines call this place "Buckanoo". The residents were unanimous in wishing the proposed place to be called "Laverton", and it was known by this name in 1898 In 1899 the Laverton Progress Committee applied to the Surveyor-General to have blocks surveyed and a townsite declared at Laverton. The original area was by then unsuitable for settlement, and the miners sought permanent tenure and a townsite about 3 km from the original lots. Lots were surveyed in July 1899, and the townsite gazetted in July 1900.

LAWLERS

Latitude 28° 05' S Longitude 120° 31' E

The townsite of Lawlers is located in the eastern goldfields, about 992 km from Perth. It is also about 32 km from Leinster. Gold was discovered here in 1894 by Patrick J Lawler ("Paddy Lawler"), a prospector who was rewarded for his discovery in 1899. In 1896 the Government decided to survey a townsite at Lawlers, the land being surveyed in April and the townsite was gazetted later that year.

LEDGE POINT

Latitude 31° 07' S Longitude 115° 22' E

Ledge Point is a fishing town located on the west coast 120 north north west of Perth. It is 17 km south of Lancelin. The townsite derives its name from Ledge Point, a coastal feature first shown on maps in 1875 from a Royal Navy hydrographic survey. The Point takes its name from rocky ledges in the vicinity.

In 1937 the Government reserved land in the area for camping and recreation following a request from the Gingin Road Board. By 1952 there were three squatters' houses in the reserve close to the beach, and when a road to Lancelin was constructed close by in 1953 there was interest from others to lease land here and build holiday cottages. The Government decided to subdivide and declare a townsite, Ledge Point being selected as the name. The townsite was gazetted in 1955.

LEEMAN

Latitude 29° 57' S Longitude 114° 59' E

Leeman is a small coastal fishing town 295 km north north west of Perth. The government decided in 1961 to subdivide land here, and the Nomenclature Advisory Committee selected the name of Leeman for the proposed townsite. It was gazetted as Leeman in June 1961. The place had previously been known as "Snag Island" after the feature of that name situated a short distance offshore.

The townsite was named after Abraham Leeman, under steersman of the Dutch ship "Waeckende Boeij" (Watchful Buoy), Captain Volkersen, which sailed the W.A. coast in 1658 in search of wreckage from the "Gilt Dragon" lost two years earlier. Leeman was in charge of a party that put ashore to search and was abandoned by the main vessel when bad weather blew up. After an epic open boat voyage lasting nearly six months, he and three of his companions reached Batavia in their small craft on 23 September 1658.

LEINSTER

Latitude 27° 55' S Longitude 120° 42' E

Leinster is a mining town in the eastern goldfields, 968 km north east of Perth and 135 km north north west of Leonora. The town was established in the late 1970s to support the Agnew nickel project, and was the subject of a special lease to Western Mining Corporation for the purpose of "Townsite" for a term of 21 years from 1977. It was gazetted a townsite in 1981.

The townsite derives its name from the Leinster Downs pastoral station within which it is located. The station is in turn named after the Leinster gold find of the 1890s. Gold was discovered here around 1892 by Julius Anderson, and the Leinster workings developed in 1899-1900 for commercial production. The main production period was 1900-1906. Leinster is a province of Ireland, and this is most likely the origin of the name.

LENNONVILLE

Latitude 27° 58' S Longitude 117° 50' E

Lennonville is an abandoned gold mining townsite in the Mount Magnet area. It is located about 13 km north of Mount Magnet and 582 km north east of Perth. Gold was discovered here in 1894 by the prospectors Lennon and Palmer, the town being named after the former. The area had rich quartz reefs, and in 1896 a request was received from the Lennonville Progress Committee for a townsite to be gazetted. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, a railway station being also opened the same year. Lennonville was a first known as the "Eight Mile", as it is eight miles from Mount Magnet.

LEONORA

Latitude 28° 53' S Longitude 121° 20' E

Leonora is a townsite in the eastern goldfields 833 km north east of Perth and 237 km north of Kalgoorlie. The townsite takes its name from nearby Mount Leonora which was named by the explorer/surveyor John Forrest in 1869. Forrest named the hill after a lady friend of his, Miss Phylis Leonora Hardey of Grove Farm on the Swan River near Perth.
Gold was discovered in the Leonora district in 1894 by a prospector named Morrissey, but further rich finds in 1895/96 resulted in rapid development and drew attention to the area. The Gwalia and Sons of Gwalia mines brought Leonora to the attention of the world. The Government sought to establish a townsite here in 1897, and following survey the townsite was gazetted in 1898, although by the time of survey and gazettal there were already many residences and businesses established. By 1902 Leonora and Gwalia were connected by a steam tramway.

LINDEN

Latitude 29° 18' S Longitude 122° 26' E

Linden is an abandoned townsite in the eastern goldfields, 75 km south of Laverton on the southern side of Lake Carey. Gold was discovered in this area in the mid 1890s, and in 1896 Warden Owen suggested a townsite be created. Owen used the name Griffithston for the place, but departmental officers in the Department of Lands and Surveys felt this name unsuitable, and suggested Linden instead. Mount Linden is located just to the south of the townsite, and has been shown on maps since 1897. It is not known who the name commemorates, although it was probably a prospector. The townsite of Linden was gazetted in 1897.

LOMOS

Latitude 32° 21' S Longitude 117° 36' E

The townsite of Lomos is located in the great southern agricultural region, about 200 km east south east of Perth between Brookton and Corrigin. In 1913 the government planned to build a railway line between Brookton and Kunjin, and one of the proposed stations was a "Lomos Siding", located near Lomos Rock. The line was opened in 1915, and in 1918 the government decided to create a small townsite at the station. Lomos townsite was gazetted in 1920. The townsite derives its name from nearby Lomos Rock Soak, first recorded by a surveyor in 1906. It is not known who or what the soak was named after.

LONDONDERRY

Latitude 31° 05' S Longitude 121° 07' E

Londonderry is a townsite in the eastern goldfields, 14 km south south west of Coolgardie, just west of the Coolgardie-Norseman railway. Gold was discovered here in early 1894 by a party of six prospectors who named the find after the home town in Northern Ireland of one of the prospectors. It was a rich find which was taken over by Lord Fingall in September 1892, but the gold soon petered out. A townsite was gazetted in 1895. The townsite is now abandoned.

LOWER KING

Latitude 34° 57' S Longitude 117° 56' E

The townsite of Lower King is located in the south coastal region, about 8 km north east of Albany. It was gazetted a townsite in 1959, although the area was settled as early as the 1830s. The towsite is on the lower reaches of the King River, hence the name. The King River is named after Captain Philip Parker King RN, who was in command of the "Mermaid" which called in here in January 1818 during a hydrographic survey of portions of the Australian coast.

LYNTON

Latitude 28° 13' S Longitude 114° 19' E

Lynton townsite is located in the northern agricultural region, near the coast 40 km north west of Northampton. It is situated near the mouth of the Hutt River. The townsite was gazetted in 1854, and it is believed it is named after a residence of this name built here for Captain H A Sanford in 1853. The origin of the name is unknown.
Lynton townsite was created at the same time as the townsite of Pakington which is located at Port Gregory, and is now named Gregory. The towns were to support the Murchison mining industry and the associated convict labour system, but very little development ever occurred.

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M

MAINLAND

Latitude 27° 35' S Longitude 117° 55' E

Mainland is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 635 km north east of Perth and 15 km south of the town of Cue. The townsite is located on the northern shore of Lake Austin, and the gold mining area was called "Mainland" to distinguish it from "The Island", a nearby mining area on an island in Lake Austin. Gold was discovered in this area in 1892, and the townsite was gazetted in 1898.

MALCOLM

Latitude 28° 56' S Longitude 121° 31' E

Malcolm is an abandoned goldfields town, 852 km north east of Perth and 20 km east of Leonora. The townsite derives its name from the nearby physical feature of the same name. The mountain was named by surveyor John Forrest during exploration of the area in 1869. The name honours Malcolm Hamersley, a settler who was with Forrest on his exploration.

Gold was discovered in the Malcolm area around 1895/6, and in November 1896 the Mount Malcolm Provisional Committee requested the government survey and declare a townsite. At that time there were 3 hotels, six stores, 2 bakeries, a butcher and other businesses established. In 1904 Malcolm had 5 hotels and a brewery and a population of 400. The townsite was gazetted in 1897.

MALLINA

Latitude 20° 53' S Longitude 118° 02' E

The townsite of Mallina is located in the Pilbara district, 1665 km from Perth, between Roebourne and Port Hedland. Now abandoned, Mallina owed its existence to gold discoveries. Gold was discovered here in 1887 when Jimmy Withnell picked up a stone to throw at a crow, and discovered it was smothered with gold. A rich reef was also discovered in 1888. The government decided to create a townsite here in 1894, surveys being made in 1895 and the townsite gazetted in 1896 .

Mallina derives its name from Mallina Pool, the Aboriginal name of pool in the Peawah River. The name of the pool has been shown on maps since 1879 when a pastoral lease was taken up here, and in 1881 N W Cooke leased the land and named his property "Mallina". The mining centre later utilised the same name. The meaning of the name is not known,

MANDIGA

Latitude 30° 48' S Longitude 117° 46' E

The townsite of Mandiga is located in the central agricultural area, 264 km north east of Perth and about 8 km west of Bencubbin. Mandiga was a railway siding on the Wyalcatchem-Mount Marshall railway when the line was opened in 1917, and when a townsite was being considered for this place in 1916 the name of the proposed siding was adopted for the townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1919, but little development ever took place here. Mandiga is an Aboriginal name chosen by the Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department in 1913. He selected the name from a list of names obtained by F S Brockman, District Surveyor Bridgetown, from an Aboriginal in the Margaret River area, probably Samuel Isaacs. The meaning of the name is given as "a young girl" (late teenage years) The listed spelling was Mandigga, but one g was dropped according to spelling rules applied by the Department.

MANDURAH

Latitude 32° 32' S Longitude 115° 43' E

Mandurah is a coastal city in the south west, 74 km south of Perth. Land was originally reserved for a townsite named "Peel" on the west side of the entrance to Peel Inlet in July 1831 but no development took place and most early settlers took up residence on the east shore, the Aboriginal name of which was "Mandurah". The name is believed to be derived from the Aboriginal word "mandjar", meaning "trading place". Thomas Peel, an early settler in the area, named his residence "Mandurah House"

In July 1855, Thomas Peel surrendered to the Crown the area now bounded by Mandurah Terrace, Peel, Sholl and Gibson Streets to settle outstanding debts. It is likely that this area would have eventually become a townsite under the Land Act, but in 1898, it was discovered that the same area was included in lands held under Certificate of Title by G.C. Knight of Fremantle. The Registrar reported that the land had passed beyond the reach of caveat and consequently the Crown was unable to regain possession. As a result, Mandurah, although a fast growing settlement worthy of government interest, was developed purely by means of private subdivisions. The area was declared a townsite under the Local Government Act in 1950

MANJIMUP

Latitude 34° 15' S Longitude 116° 09' E

The townsite of Manjimup is located in the south west, 304 km south of Perth. Manjimup is an Aboriginal name said to be derived from "Manjin", a broad leafed marsh flag with an edible root valued as an article of diet by Aborigines. These plants apparently grew prolifically below a spring in the area. The earliest white settlers in this region were Charles Rose and Frank Hall in 1859. Hall's property passed to J. Mottram who named his homestead "Manjimup House" in the 1860s. Also, in 1863 a local brook was recorded by surveyor T. Treen as Manjimup Brook.

By the late 1890s demand for quality agricultural land in Western Australia focused attention on the heavily forested areas near Manjimup. A report by surveyor Terry in 1898 identified good land on the Wilgarup River, and an Agricultural Area was declared. There was also some demand for small lots, and in 1902 lots were surveyed near Balbarrup and it was decided to declare a townsite. The Nelson Roads Board nominated Manjimup as a name, and the townsite of Manjimupp was gazetted in 1903. The double "P" spelling was used because the Lands Department had adopted spelling rules for Aboriginal names where doubling a consonant shortened the following vowel (otherwise the pronunciation could have been Manjimoop).
In 1909 the government decided to extend the railway from Bridgetown to Wilgarup. The terminus of the line was to be close to the original Manjimup homestead, which is about 5 km west of the 1903 townsite. The proposed station was named Manjimup, and a subdivision was recommended at the site. The new townsite was named Manjimupp, and gazettal took place in 1910. The original Manjimupp was renamed to Balbarrup the same year. The locally accepted spelling however was Manjimup, and the double "P" was officially changed in 1915.The railway line was opened for traffic in 1911.

MANMANNING

Latitude 30° 51' S Longitude 117° 06' E

The townsite of Manmanning is located in the central agricultural area, 202 km north east of Perth and 46 km north of Dowerin. It was originally a siding on the Ejanding Northward railway, a line built between the town now known as Amery, and Kalannie, around 1927. When it was first recommended that land be set aside for a townsite here in 1927 the Dowerin Road Board suggested it be named Darragin, a name contracted from nearby Dandarragin Soak. The railway was opened in 1927 before the townsite was gazetted, and the siding was named Manmanning. The townsite adopted the same name when gazetted in 1929. Manmanning is the Aboriginal name of a nearby soak, first shown on maps in 1907. The source and meaning of the name is not known.

MANYPEAKS

Latitude 34° 50' S Longitude 118° 10' E

Manypeaks is a townsite in the great southern region, 443 km south east of Perth and 37 km north east of Albany on the South Coast Highway. In 1949/50 the government developed the Many Peaks Land Settlement project, and decided a townsite should be established in the area. Manypeaks was selected as it was the project name, the name being derived from Mount Manypeaks located on the south coast about 10 km from Manypeaks. The townsite was gazetted in 1951.

Mount Manypeaks is a dominant feature in the area, rising to 562 metres from the adjacent coast. It is a descriptive name given by Captain Matthew Flinders in January 1802 whilst surveying the south coast region in his ship "Investigator". In his journal Flinders quotes "There are a number of small peaks upon the top of this ridge, which induced me to give it the name Mount Manypeak". The plural form has become the accepted form of spelling

MARBELUP

Latitude 34° 59' S Longitude 117° 44' E

The townsite of Marbelup is situated near the south coast, about 15 km west of Albany. The W A Land Company, who built the Great Southern Railway in the period 1886-1889, established a station named Marbellup here when the line was opened in 1889. The Company surveyed a small subdivision, but very little land had been sold when the government purchased the railway in 1896. Land was reserved for a townsite of Marbelup in 1899, and it was officially gazetted as a townsite in August 1900. Only one lot was ever sold, and the townsite is now a nature reserve. Marbelup is an Aboriginal name, first recorded in 1868 as Marblup, and then as Marbellup Creek and Marbelup Brook in 1888-1890. The meaning of the word is not known.

MARBLE BAR

Latitude 21° 10' S Longitude 119° 45' E

The townsite of Marble Bar is located in the Pilbara region, 1476 km north north east of Perth. The nearest town to Marble Bar is Nullagine, 112 km south. Marble Bar derives its name from a nearby jasper bar, known as Marble Bar, which runs across the bed of the Coongan River. The townsite was gazetted in 1893, and came about following the discovery of gold in the area in 1890. Marble Bar had a reputation as the hottest town in Australia, due to it once recording 160 consecutive days above the old fahrenheit century.

MARCHAGEE

Latitude 30° 03' S Longitude 116° 04' E

Marchagee is a townsite in the northern agricultural area, 241 km north of Perth and 23 km from Coorow. The townsite is located on the Midland Railway, and also the old north road and telegraph line. Land was set aside for a reserve for travellers here in 1876, and the name Marchagee Well recorded by a surveyor. The name is Aboriginal, but the meaning is not known at present.

In 1899 the Midland Railway Company opened a railway station here, but it received little use, as the surrounding area was little developed. Some large lots were surveyed in the area in 1906, but it was not until 1927 when a surveyor inspected the area and suggested the declaration of a townsite that any development was contemplated. The townsite was gazetted in May 1927.

MARGARET RIVER

Latitude 33° 57' S Longitude 115° 04' E

The townsite of Margaret River is located in the south west agricultural area, 277 km south south west of Perth and 48 km south south west of Busselton. It is located on the Margaret River from which it derives its name. The precise origin of the naming of the river is not known, but it was possibly named by John Bussell in honour of Margaret Wyche, a friend in England who was expected to follow the Bussell's to Australia. The name is first shown on a map of the region published in 1839.

In 1910 the Margaret River Progress Association wrote to the Minister for Lands requesting a townsite be declared at "the Upper Margaret Bridge". The reason given was that "the district is likely to be dotted with public buildings several miles apart in the near future if a townsite is not made available shortly". The District Surveyor who inspected the area preferred an area near the lower bridge on Caves Road, but this land was not available. Lots were surveyed in 1912, and the Townsite of Margaret River gazetted in 1913. In 1918 the name of the townsite was changed to "Margaret", but it was changed back to Margaret River in 1927, due to local usage of the name always being Margaret River.

MARVEL LOCH

Latitude 31° 28' S Longitude 119° 29' E

Marvel Loch is a townsite in the Yilgarn goldfield, 32 km south south east of Southern Cross and 401 km east of Perth. Gold was discovered in this area in 1906, a gold mining lease being taken up that year in the names of A.J. Markham, D.L. Doolette, J. Leneberg and T. Le Breton, and named "Marvel Loch". Another mining area nearby was named Jaccoletti's, and in 1909 it was decided to survey a townsite between the two mining areas. Marvel Loch was selected as the name of the townsite which was gazetted in 1911. Marvel Loch is named after the horse that won the 1905 Caulfield Cup.

MAUDS LANDING

Latitude 23° 06' S Longitude 113° 47' E

Mauds Landing is a coastal townsite about 1135 km north north west of Perth. It is adjacent to the popular resort town of Coral Bay. The townsite is named after the landing of the same name, which was discovered by the Captain of the schooner "Maud" about 1880. The "Maud" was owned by John Bateman of Fremantle, and named after his daughter Maud who was born in 1855. The ship was built in 1866 and wrecked in the north west in 1894. The port of Mauds Landing was surveyed in 1897 by Commander Dawson, RN.
The government considered establishing a townsite at Mauds Landing in 1896, and a townsite reserve was set aside there later that year. In 1898 the settlers of the Minilya, Yanare and Lyndon Rivers and the Bangemall Goldfields petitioned the Lands Department to declare a townsite there. Mauds Landing was becoming an important port for shipping stock, wool and gold in the late 1890s. The petitioners also asked for the townsite to be named Mervyn after Mervyn C R Bunbury, and old settler of the district who had done much to develop the port. However, there was no demand for lots there, and it was 1914 before any lots were surveyed. The townsite was gazetted in 1915 as Mauds Landing, although the district surveyor had suggested it be named Kooloobelloo, a local Aboriginal name.

MAWSON

Latitude 32° 00' S Longitude 117° 10' E

The townsite of Mawson is located in the central agricultural area, 140 km east of Perth and 26 km west of Quairading. When the Greenhills - Quairading Railway was opened in 1908 the siding at this place was named Warraling after the nearby Warraling Well. Warraling is an Aboriginal word for the crested parrot, although another interpretation is "ing" meaning 'place of' and "warra" meaning 'bad, beware, lazy'.

In 1910 the government decided to survey some lots at the Warraling Siding, and the Warraling Townsite was gazetted in 1912. In 1914 the Railways Department advised that Warraling was being confused with Naraling, and asked for one of the names to be changed. At the suggestion of the Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department, the railway siding of Warraling was changed to Mawson in 1914. The name of the townsite was also amended in 1915. The name honours Sir Douglas Mawson, the Antarctic explorer.

MAYA

Latitude 29° 53' S Longitude 116° 30' E

Maya is a townsite in the northern agricultural area, 300 km north north east of Perth, between Wubin and Latham. It is on the railway between Wongan Hills and Mullewa which opened for service in 1915. When the railway was being planned in 1913 a site for a siding was selected at "Pocanmaya", and the Lands Department decided that a townsite should also be set aside. The District Surveyor proposed the townsite be named Pocanmaya, but the Under Secretary decided to shorten the name to Maya. The townsite was gazetted in July 1913. Pocanmaya, from which the name is derived, is the Aboriginal name of a spring in the vicinity, first recorded by a surveyor in 1876.

MAYANUP

Latitude 33° 56' S Longitude 116° 27' E

Mayanup is a townsite in the south west agricultural area, 283 km south south east of Perth and 17 km south south east of Boyup Brook. In 1904 Mr M F Moulton, the Land Guide in this area asked the Lands Department to set aside land for a townsite at Scotts Brook, as "selectors were taking up all of the land in the area". Although the district surveyor felt that there was insufficient demand for a townsite, land was reserved for that purpose in 1905. As well as Scotts Brook, the area was referred to as Gnowergerup, the Aboriginal name of a nearby brook. Lots were surveyed in 1906, and the Upper Blackwood Roads Board asked to supply "a euphonius native name"for the proposed townsite. Mayanup was nominated by the Roads Board, but no meaning or source of the name were given. The townsite was gazetted in 1907

MECKERING

Latitude 31° 38' S Longitude 117° 00' E

Meckering is located in the central agricultural area, 132 km east north east of Perth and 35 km east of Northam. The railway to Southern Cross was constructed through here in 1894-95, and Meckering was selected as the site for a station. When the line opened in 1895 Meckering was the second stop east of Northam. There was sufficient demand for land in the area for the government to declare a townsite at the siding, but the name selected was Beebering, the Aboriginal name of some hills 3 km to the north. Beebering townsite was gazetted in December 1895.

Less than two years later, in 1897, the name was changed to Meckering, to agree with the railway station and because this name was locally used. Meckering is an Aboriginal name, first recorded in 1872 for a well. The meaning is unknown, although some sources give it as meaning "moon on the water" or "good hunting".

MEEKATHARRA

Latitude 26° 35' S Longitude 118° 30' E

Meekatharra is a townsite in the Murchison goldfields, 765 km north north east of Perth. The townsite is 35 km north north east of Nannine where the first goldrush on the Murchison Goldfield occurred in 1890. It was not until late 1895, when three prospectors, Meehan, Porter and Soych, pegged a claim at "Meekatharra" that the place came to the attention of the mining world. Their claim was near Meekatharra Spring, the Aboriginal name of a watering point that had appeared on maps since 1885, and it is from this spring that the townsite's name is derived. It is believed that the name means, "place of little water".

By 1900 there had been sufficient growth at Meekatharra for the Meekatharra Progress Committee to write to the government requesting a townsite be declared. A surveyor inspected the site and felt it premature, but within a year the situation had changed, and lots were surveyed and land reserved for a townsite. The formal gazettal of the townsite took place in December 1903. A railway station was opened here in 1910, and it contained a large junction station, loco depot and trainsmen's barracks. A stationmaster was there until 1978 when the line was closed.

MEENAAR

Latitude 31° 38' S Longitude 116° 54' E

Meenaar is a townsite in the central agricultural area, 122 km from Perth and 25 km east of Northam on the Great Eastern Highway. It is also on the railway from Perth to Kalgoorlie, and a siding was established at Meenaar in the late 1890s. In 1898 the government considered subdividing land for small blocks here, but it was 9 years before lots were surveyed. A townsite was gazetted in 1908. One source gives meenar as the Aboriginal word for the wild onion, and the name may be derived from this word.

MENZIES

Latitude 29° 41' S Longitude 121° 02' E

The townsite of Menzies is located in the eastern goldfields, 728 km east north east of Perth and 132 km north of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered in this area in 1894, and Mr Leslie Robert Menzies and John McDonald were the first to take up a lease here in October 1894, naming their lease the "Lady Shenton". It was a rich gold find, and the Mining Warden for the area recommended a townsite be declared in 1895, referring to the place as "Menzies" after the prospector. Menzies was an American born prospector who had sought gold in America, Africa and New Zealand, and came to Australia on behalf of a syndicate. The townsite was gazetted in August 1895.

MERREDIN

Latitude 31° 29' S Longitude 118° 17' E

The townsite of Merredin is located in the central agricultural area, 260 km east of Perth. The townsite is located on the Great Eastern Highway, and a little south of the original road to the eastern goldfields. When the Yilgarn Goldfield around Southern Cross was declared in 1888, the road to the goldfield passed just to the north of "Merreden Rock". A well at the rock made it an important stopping place, and in 1890 the Lands Department surveyed 20 lots there, and the following year, 1891, gazetted the townsite of Merriden. None of the lots ever sold, although a hotel was built just to the south of them. In 1895 the railway to Southern Cross was opened, and a station named Merredin was established a short distance south west of the original townsite. In 1903 a decision was made to establish a locomotive barracks at this station, and it was felt there would be demand for land. Lots were surveyed in 1904, and in 1906 the area around the railway station was added to the townsite of Merriden, and lots made available for sale.

In 1906 the Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department commented that Merriden was now spelt 3 ways - Merreden for the nearby state forest, Merredin for the railway station and Merriden for the townsite. It was decided to adopt the railway spelling for all names, and all plans were corrected, but it was not until 1907 that official gazettals were using the Merredin spelling. Merredin is an Aboriginal name which means "the place of merritt's", a locally abundant tree, the trunks of which were used for making spears. The name was first recorded in 1889 for Merredin Rock.

MERTONDALE

Latitude 28° 40' S Longitude 121° 32' E

Mertondale is a goldfields townsite situated 833 km north east of Perth and 30 km north east of Leonora. Gold was discovered in this area in late 1898 by Fred Merton, and when the richness of the find was realised in 1899, Archibald Burt, the Mining Warden recommended a townsite be declared. The gold mining lease was named Merton's Reward, and also referred to as Merton's Find, but when Burt recommended the townsite he nominated Mertondale as the name. The townsite was gazetted in 1899, but the gold did not last, and the place was almost deserted by 1910.

MILING

Latitude 30° 30' S Longitude 116° 22' E

The townsite of Miling is located in the northern agricultural area, 202 km north north east of Perth and 43 km north east of Moora. Land was privately subdivided in this area in 1926, following the construction of the railway to Miling from Piawaning. Miling was not gazetted as a townsite until 1949. The name is Aboriginal, and believed to be derived from a nearby spring, Dookling Marling Sand Hole. The meaning is not known.

MINGENEW

Latitude 29° 12' S Longitude 115° 26' E

The townsite of Mingenew is located in the northern agricultural area, 367 km from Perth and 54 km east of the coastal town of Dongara. The area around Mingenew, referred to as the Irwin District, after the Irwin River, was settled in the 1850s. It was an important cattle raising area, with Samuel Pole Phillips and Edward Hamersley the principle lease owners. One of the datum points for leases at this time was a "Mengenew Spring", now Mingenew Spring, and this name was first recorded in 1856. It is Aboriginal, and said to mean "place of many waters".
The Midland Railway from Walkaway to "Mingenoo Springs" was opened in August 1891, and also gold was discovered in the Murchison in 1891. The importance of the position of the Mingenew area was soon recognised, and Samuel James Phillips, son of the original leaseholder, decided to carry out a private subdivision. Lots were surveyed in 1891, and this private subdivision became the town of Mingenew. In 1906 the government subdivided adjacent land. This was gazetted as Mingenew townsite in 1906, and the following year the private subdivision was also gazetted as part of the townsite.

MINNIVALE

Latitude 31° 08' S Longitude 117° 11' E

The townsite of Minnivale is located in the central agricultural area, 180 km north east of Perth. It is situated on the railway line from Dowerin to Wyalkatchem, and was established following the opening of the line in 1911. When land was set aside in 1909 for a townsite the place was described as at the "36 Mile Post" on the Rabbit Proof Fence. Lots were surveyed in 1910, and the surveyor, when asked for a name for the townsite, advised the area was known as "Minnievale", the name of a farm north of the proposed townsite. He suggested the town name be abbreviated to just "Minni", and the railway siding was at first named Nenin, but Minnivale was the name adopted when the townsite was gazetted in 1911.

MOODIARRUP

Latitude 33° 37' S Longitude 116° 48' E

The townsite of Moodiarrup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 236 km south east of Perth and 35 km south of Darkan. The townsite was gazetted in 1909, spelt Mudiarrup, to conform with the Royal Geographical Society's system of orthography. In 1956 residents of the area requested the spelling be amended to Moodiarrup, a spelling more appropriate to the correct pronunciation. The change of spelling was gazetted in 1957. Moodiarrup is an Aboriginal word, first recorded by a surveyor in 1871. The meaning of the name is not known.

MOOJEBING

Latitude 33° 36' S Longitude 117° 30' E

The townsite of Moojebing is located in the great southern agricultural region, around 260 km south east of Perth between the towns of Woodanilling and Katanning. In the early 1890s the government opened up a lot of land in the Katanning area, including a number of townsites. Moojebing was one of these, and the townsite was gazetted in 1892. The townsite straddled the Great Southern Railway which opened in 1889, but it was also close to other townsites at Katanning, Woodanilling and Pinwernying. The demand for land was low, and in 1917 much of the townsite area was opened up for agricultural purposes.

Moojebing is an Aboriginal word, believed from Moojebup Spring, a nearby name first recorded in the area in 1874. The meaning of the name is not known, although one source gives it as the "place of moojung birds". There are no references to a "moojung" bird, and this source is dubious. It may be connected with "moodjar" or "muja", the Noongar word for the W.A. Christmas Tree, Nuytsia floribunda.

MOONIJIN

Latitude 30° 57' S Longitude 117° 05' E

The townsite of Moonijin is located in the central agricultural area, 191 km north east of Perth and 35 km north of Dowerin. It was originally a siding on the Ejanding Northward railway, a line built between the town now known as Amery, and Kalannie, around 1927. When it was first recommended that land be set aside for a townsite here in 1927 the Dowerin Road Board suggested it be named Moonijin. This is an Aboriginal place name that first appeared on maps of the area in 1907. The meaning of the name is not known. The townsite was gazetted in 1929.

MOORA

Latitude 30° 38' S Longitude 116° 00' E

The townsite of Moora is located in the northern agricultural area, 172 km north of Perth. When the Midland Railway Company railway line from Midland to Walkaway was opened in 1894, Moora was one of the original stations on the line. The government decided there was sufficient demand for land in the area to survey lots and gazette a townsite, and Moora townsite was gazetted in 1895.

Moora is the Aboriginal name of the locality, derived from "moora-moora" meaning 'good spirit'. The area of Glentromie farm to the south was known by the Aboriginal place name, "murra murra". Another source gives Moora as a word meaning "grandparent", although the location where this name was used is not known.

MOORINE ROCK

Latitude 31° 19' S Longitude 119° 08' E

Moorine Rock is located in the eastern agricultural region, 347 km east of Perth and 22 km west south west of Southern Cross. It is located on the Great Eastern Hughway and the railway line from Northam to Southern Cross. When the line was opened in 1895 a railway station was established here and named Parkers Road after a nearby road. The road led to Parker Range, an area where Mr W M Parker made a gold find in 1888. In 1923 the district surveyor for the area reported there was a need to survey some lots at Parkers Road station. The survey was carried out the following year, and in 1925 the area was gazetted as the townsite of Parker Road.
In 1926 the local member of Parliament advised the name of the townsite was causing confusion because it was too similar to Parker Range, a nearby goldmining area, and was also the name of a road in Southern Cross. He suggested the alternative name of Moorine, after Moorine Rock. This name was too similar to Moora, but was accepted with the full name Moorine Rock. The change of name of the townsite was gazetted in 1926. Moorine Rock is the Aboriginal name of some rocks near the townsite, first recorded by an explorer in 1865. The meaning of the name is not known.

MOORNAMING

Latitude 33° 34' S Longitude 118° 05' E

Moornaming is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 326 km south east of Perth and 7 km south west of Nyabing. It is situated on the railway line from Katanning to Nyabing. When the line was planned in 1910 and names sought for stations on the line the station in this place was proposed to be named Shannons, after a nearby soak. It was known by this name for a year before the Railways Department proposed it be named Badgeminnup, referred to as the Aboriginal name of the area. This name was adopted in 1912. The same year it was decided to establish a townsite here, and the suggested name of the townsite was Badjeminnup, the more correct spelling from a nearby soak. Badjeminnup townsite was gazetted in 1915.

In 1923 the Railways Department advised that Badjeminnup was being confused with Badgebup, and suggested Badjeminnup be changed. The name Moornaming, an Aboriginal name of the area was suggested by a resident of Badgebup, and the change of the name to Moornaming was gazetted in 1923. The meaning of the name is not known.

MOORUMBINE

Latitude 32° 31' S Longitude 117° 10' E

The townsite of Moorumbine is located in the great southern agricultural region, 165 km south east of Perth and 7 km east of Pingelly. A small community was developing in this area in the 1870s, and in 1873 an Anglican church was built here. The townsite was gazetted in 1884, before the survey and construction of the Great Southern Railway from Albany to Beverley. When the railway was built it was about 7 km west of Moorumbine, and a new townsite developed at Pingelly. There was little need for a townsite at Moorumbine, and the size of the townsite was reduced and most town lots were more than 1 ha. Moorumbine is the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1856. The name has sometimes been spelt Mourambine, but the meaning of the name is not known.

MORAWA

Latitude 29° 13' S Longitude 116° 01' E

Morawa is a townsite in the northern agricultural area, 370 km north of Perth. It is on the railway between Wongan Hills and Mullewa which opened for service in 1915. When the railway was being planned in 1913 Morawa was approved as the name of one of the stations, and the Lands Department decided that land should also be set aside for a townsite there. The townsite was gazetted in September 1913. In 1921 the Railways Department decided that the names Mullewa and Morawa were too similar, and suggested Morawa be renamed Wooltanar. This name was too similar to a Queensland name, and Merkanooka, a local Aboriginal name was suggested instead. The change of name to Merkanooka was gazetted in January 1922. However, the Railways Department, which had pressed for a change, did not alter the name of the railway siding from Morawa, and after local representation the name was changed back to Morawa in June 1922.

Morawa is an Aboriginal name, first shown on maps of the area for a rock hole in 1910. It is possibly derived from "Morowa" or "Morowar", the Dalgite, a small marsupial which burrows into the earth. Another possible meaning is "the place where men are made".

MOULYINNING

Latitude 33° 14' S Longitude 117° 59' E

Moulyining is a townsite in the great southern agricultural area, 291 km south east of Perth between Dumbleyung and Kukerin. In 1912 the government built an extension to the railway line from Dumbleyung to Kukerin, and established a station at Moulyinning. The Moulyinning Siding Progress Association requested the survey of lots and the declaration of a townsite in 1912, but it was 1915 before the townsite was gazetted. Moulyinning is the Aboriginal name of a nearby dam, first shown on maps in 1909. A possible meaning of the name is "place of little swamps".

MOUNT BARKER

Latitude 33° 38' S Longitude 117° 40' E

The townsite of Mount Barker is located 359 km south south east of Perth and 50 km north north west of Albany in the great southern agricultural region. Although Mount Barker is on the original road to Albany, and a military barracks was built near here in the 1830s and an Inn in 1860, it was not until the railway line from Albany to Beverley was built in the late 1880s that the place came into prominence. When the line opened in 1889, Mount Barker was one of the original stopping places. Although the W A Land Company, which built the line and received land grants in return, gazetted a townsite here in 1893, very little land was sold before the government took the line over in 1896. The townsite was resurveyed by the government, and gazetted as Mount Barker in 1899.
Mount Barker is named after the nearby hill of the same name. The first recording of the name is by the explorer Dr A Collie in May 1831, but the feature is believed to have been named by Dr T B Wilson who explored in the area in December 1829. It is named after Captain Collett Barker of the 39th Regiment and Commandant at King George Sound at the time of the exploration. Captain Barker was killed by Aborigines at the mouth of the Murray River, South Australia in 1831.

MOUNT HARDEY

Latitude 31° 54' S Longitude 116° 52' E

Mount Hardey townsite is located in the central agricultural region, 107 km east of Perth and 10 km east of York. A railway line from York to Greenhills was opened in 1898, and Mount Hardey established as one of the sidings on the railway line. It was also referred to as the Six Mile, being six miles from York. Following a request from the local member of Parliament town lots were surveyed, and the townsite of Mount Hardey gazetted in 1905.
Mount Hardey derives its name from the nearby feature of the same name. The feature name was first recorded in 1835, and honours John Wall Hardey, 1802-1885, farmer and Methodist preacher. His property at York was named Mount Hardey

MOUNT IDA

Latitude 29° 03' S Longitude 120° 30' E

Mount Ida is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 100 km east south east of Leonora. It is named after the feature of the same name located about 21 km south south west of the townsite. The hill was named by the explorer/surveyor John Forrest in 1869, most likely after a lad friend. In his journal Forrest states "Saddled up at daybreak, and steered about SE towards a high range of hills about 10 miles distant, which I named Mount Ida, from the summit of which I took a round of angles with my pocket sextant."
Gold was discovered in this area in the mid 1890s, and by June 1896 there were around 200 people in the area, resulting in the mining warden suggesting a townsite be declared. The townsite was gazetted in May 1898.

MOUNT KOKEBY

Latitude 32° 13' S Longitude 116° 58' E

The townsite of Mount Kokeby is located in the great southern agricultural region, 142 km east south east of Perth, and 12 km south of Beverley on the Great Southern Highway. The townsite is named after nearby Mount Kokeby, but the spelling of this feature is in fact a mistake. It was originally recorded as Mount Rokeby by Surveyor-General J S Roe in 1835, and appears on plans with this spelling until 1950. However, an "R" can easily be mistaken for a "K", and when a railway station on the Great Southern Railway was opened here in 1889 it was incorrectly spelt Mount Kokeby. The name of the hill was changed from Rokeby to Kokeby in 1950. The name is most likely derived from Henry Montagu, the 6th Baron Rokeby of Armagh or perhaps the 5th Baron. . In 1899 the government land agent in Beverley suggested blocks of land be made available adjacent to the station, and following survey a townsite was gazetted here in 1902.

MOUNT MAGNET

Latitude 28° 04' S Longitude 117° 51' E

Mount Magnet is a townsite in the Murchison goldfields, 569 km north east of Perth and 126 km east of Yalgoo. Gold was discovered in the Mount Magnet area in July 1891 by the prospectors George Woodley and Tom Sampey. By late 1893 there was enough interest in the area for the government to consider declaring a townsite, and the survey was carried out in 1894 and the townsite gazetted in 1895. The railway to Mount Magnet was completed in August 1897, but it was not opened until July 1898. The railway closed in May 1978.
Mount Magnet is named after the nearby hill of the same name. The hill was named by the explorer Robert Austin in 1854, in consequence of the magnetic properties of the rocks on its summit. The Aboriginal name of the hill is Warramboo.

MOUNT MARGARET

Latitude 28° 49' S Longitude 122° 10' E

Mount Margaret is an abandoned goldfields townsite located between Leonora and Laverton, about 900 km north east of Perth. The townsite derives its name from the nearby feature of the same name. The hill was named by the explorer John Forrest in 1869 after Margaret Elvire Hamersley whom he later married in 1876. The Aboriginal name for the hill is recorded as "Kalgara".

Gold was discovered in the Mount Margaret area in the mid 1880s, and by September 1896 the Mount Margaret Progress Committee were agitating for the declaration of a townsite. Lots were surveyed in early 1897, and the townsite gazetted in May 1897. At first the government were keen to use the Aboriginal name "Kalgara" for the townsite, but decided that locally used name of Mount Margaret should prevail.

MOUNT MORGANS

Latitude 28° 46' S Longitude 122° 03' E

Mount Morgans is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 900 km north east of Perth between the towns of Leonora and Laverton. Gold was discovered here in 1896 by Lilley and party, and their lease was later taken over by E A Morgans who became the Member for Coolgardie and later Premier of Western Australia. The mine developed here was the Westralia Mt Morgan mine, and in 1899 the goldfield Warden for the area requested a townsite be surveyed and declared at Mount Morgans. The townsite was gazetted in December 1899, and is named after Morgans.

Alfred Edward Morgans (1850-1933) was born in Wales, educated in England and came to Western australia in 1896 as a representative of Morgans' Syndicate Ltd. He was regarded as "the doyen of mining magnates", and was elected as the MLA for Coolgardie in 1897. He became Premier on 21 November 1901, but when three of his Ministers failed to get re-elected he was defeated in the Legislative Assembly on 23 December 1901. This is the shortest term of any Western Australian government.

MOUNT PALMER

Latitude 31° 24' S Longitude 119° 41' E

Mount Palmer is a townsite in the Yilgarn Goldfield, 415 km east of Perth and 46 km from Southern Cross. It is named after Mr A C "Daddy" Palmer who with W Colhoun and A R Pollard found gold in this area in 1934. It was referred to as "Palmer's Find" following the discovery of gold, and quickly became an important mining centre. When it came to gazetting a townsite here the names Palmer, Palmerdale and Palmerston were considered, but were all rejected because of duplication problems with other Australian towns. The Surveyor-General then suggested Mount Palmer, and this was the name used when the townsite was gazetted in 1935. The mine closed in 1944, and the town quickly ceased to exist. There is no feature named Mount Palmer in this area.

MOWEN

Latitude 33° 56' S Longitude 115° 12' E

The townsite of Mowen is located in the south west, 288 km from Perth and 11km east north east of Margaret River. It is situated in a former Group Settlement area, and was gazetted in 1925 to provide town lots for group settlers in the area. The name of the townsite is derived from the nearby Mowen River, a name which has appeared on maps since 1839, but the origin of which is unknown

MUCHEA

Latitude 31° 35' S Longitude 115° 58' E

The townsite of Muchea is located 57 km north of Perth and 13 km from Bullsbrook, the nearest town. The name of the townsite is derived from the Aboriginal word "Muchela", a name first recorded by a surveyor in 1845 when surveying a property for George Fletcher Moore. Moore was a keen student of the Aboriginal language, and although he would have obtained this name from local Aborigines, he does not record the word or its meaning in his published vocabulary.
The name Muchela is believed to have been corrupted to Muchea by Railway authorities. A railway siding was opened at Muchea between 1892 and 1898, and some accounts state the "L" was carelessly dropped when the Midland Railway authorities were preparing the timetable. The signwriter copied the timetable error onto the railway station name board, thus unwittingly naming a district. In 1903 the government surveyed some small farm lots at the siding, and the townsite of Muchea was gazetted in 1904

MUJA

Latitude 33° 24' S Longitude 116° 20' E

The townsite of Muja is located in the Collie Coalfield, 221 km from Perth and 19 km east of Collie. Land was set aside for a townsite reserve at a railway siding named Cabbage Trees in 1907, the siding being on the Collie-Darkan Railway opened in 1907. The name Muja was also being used in this area as early as 1906, and the siding was renamed Muja in November 1907. The townsite reserve was not formally made a townsite until 1973. Muja is the Aboriginal word for the "cabbage tree", more commonly known as the WA Christmas Tree ( Nuytsia floribunda). Muja became well known during the 1960s with the advent of the Muja Open Cut Mine and the Muja Power Station, situated a few kilometres to the south.

MUKINBUDIN

Latitude 30° 55' S Longitude 118° 12' E

The townsite of Mukinbudin is located in the central agricultural region, 293 km east north east of Perth. In 1920 the government decided to extend the railway from Bencubbin to the Mukinbudin area, and the district surveyor, after inspecting the area, decided that a townsite was required. He advised that the local Farmers and Settlers Association wanted the townsite named Barlbarin instead of Muckenbooding, the name by which the area was then known. Land for the townsite was resumed in 1921, and by 1922 when the townsite was gazetted, the local settlers had changed their mind, and now wanted it named Muckenbooding, although preferring a shortened spelling. The Surveyor-General, H S King, decided it should be spelt Mukinbudin, and this was the spelling used in the gazettal notice of 30 June 1922. The name is Aboriginal, and was first recorded for Muckenbooding Rock in 1889. The meaning of the name is not known.

MULGARRIE

Latitude 30° 23' S Longitude 121° 30' E

Mulgarrie is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 40 km north of Kalgoorlie. In 1896, Surveyor Beasley who was in this area, advised the Lands Department a townsite is required at "Hayes' Find" or "Hit or Miss" now known as "Mulgarrie" Lots were soon surveyed, and the townsite of Mulgarrie gazetted in 1897. Mulgarrie is a local Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is unknown.

MULLALYUP

Latitude 33° 45' S Longitude 115° 57' E

The townsite of Mullalyup is located in a fruit growing area in the south west agricultural region, 231 km south of Perth and 10 km north west of Balingup. Mullalyup was one of the original stations on the Donnybrook to Bridgetown Railway when it opened in 1898, the name being derived from nearby Mullalyup Brook. The name is Aboriginal, and was first recorded by surveyor John Forrest in 1866. It is said to mean " the place where the young men had their noses pierced".
In 1898 the District Surveyor recommended land here be subdivided and a townsite declared. Land was set aside later that year, and following the survey of lots in 1900, the townsite of Mullalyup was gazetted in 1901.

MULLEWA

Latitude 28° 32' S Longitude 115° 31' E

Mullewa townsite is located in the northern agricultural region, 450 km north of Perth and 98 km east north east of Geraldton. In 1894 the government constructed a railway from Geraldton to Mullewa, and as the land in the area was suitable for agriculture an Agricultural Area was gazetted for the area, and also a townsite gazetted in that year. Mullewa is named after Mullewa Spring, an Aboriginal name first recorded on plans of the area following settlers taking up pastoral leases in 1869 and by the surveyor John Forrest in 1873. There is much conjecture over the meaning of Mullewa, with the most accepted being "place of fog".

MULLINE

Latitude 29° 48' S Longitude 120° 31' E

Mulline is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located about 40 km west of Menzies. Gold was discovered in this area in the mid 1890s, and the numbers of miners in the area was sufficient for a townsite. Mulline was gazetted in 1897, and takes its name from Mulline Rock, an Aboriginal name recorded by Surveyor Brazier in 1894.

MULWARRIE

Latitude 30° 00' S Longitude 120° 33' E

Mulwarrie is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 55 km south west of Menzies. The area was locally known as Mt Higgins when in 1900 the Mt Higgins Progress Committee wrote to the Lands Department requesting a townsite be declared. A survey was made later that same year, and the townsite gazetted as Mulwarrie in September 1900. It is presumed the name, first used by the surveyor in 1900, is a local Aboriginal name of unknown meaning.

MUNGALUP

Latitude 33° 24' S Longitude 116° 06' E

The townsite of Mungalup is located in the south west agricultural region about 10 km south west of Collie and 212 km from Perth. It is situated within state forest, and within a large reserve known as the "Timber Hewers Concession" when in 1905 one of the sleeper cutters operating in the area enquired about land being available to settle. At that time there were 40 or 50 timber and hessian huts of timber cutters scattered through the area, and tram line from Collie to the area. Lots were surveyed in 1906 and when a name for proposed townsite was requested the surveyor advised he did not know of a local Aboriginal name, and suggested the locally used names Lucknow, or Hearnshawville after an ex local Member of Parliament. Neither name was considered suitable, and Mungalupp suggested as an alternative. The source of this name is not known. Mungalupp townsite was gazetted in 1906, and the spelling was officially changed from Mungalupp to Mungalup in 1925.

MUNGARI

Latitude 30° 51' S Longitude 121° 17' E

Mungari is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 16 km south west of Kalgoorlie on the original railway line to Coolgardie. In 1897 a number of lots were surveyed here and a hotel quickly erected. The place was sometimes spelt Mungarrie, and there was some discussion about the name being too similar to another mining town, Mulgarrie. However, when a reserve for a townsite was gazetted in December 1897 it was spelt Mungarri, as this was the name used in the railway timetables. But, when the townsite was gazetted in 1904, it was spelt Munngari, the double 'n' being used because of spelling rules adopted by the Lands Department. In 1974 the spelling was amended to the locally used original spelling, Mungari. Mungari was also the site of a military training camp during the World War I.

MUNGLINUP

Latitude 33° 43' S Longitude 120° 52' E

The townsite of Munglinup is located in the south coastal region, 622 km south east of Perth between Ravensthorpe and Esperance. When the district was being opened up for farming in the late 1950s/early 1960s the local community sought the declaration of a townsite between Esperance and Ravensthorpe. The survey of lots was carried out in 1961, and the townsite gazetted in 1962. Munglinup is a local Aboriginal word, first shown on plans in 1868, and was believed to have been recorded by the Dempster Brothers who were the first settlers in the area.

MUNTADGIN

Latitude 31° 46' S Longitude 118° 33' E

Muntadgin townsite is located in the eastern agricultural region, 293 km east of Perth. When the railway from Narembeen to Merredin was constructed Muntadgin was one of the sites selected for a siding. The district surveyor also felt the location was suitable for a townsite, and recommended lots be surveyed and a townsite declared. Following survey the townsite was gazetted in 1925. The name is Aboriginal, and derived from nearby Muntadgin Soak. This name was first recorded on maps of the area in 1912.

MURADUP

Latitude 33° 51' S Longitude 116° 59' E

Muradup is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 266 km south east of Perth and 10 km west of Kojonup. Land was reserved here for a townsite in 1899, and in 1905 the Shire of Kojonup requested lots be surveyed and made available for sale. The lots were surveyed in 1906, and in 1907 the reserve was gazetted as the townsite of Muradupp. Although named after nearby Mooradup Pool, an Aboriginal name first recorded by a surveyor in 1846, the spelling was amended to conform with rules adopted by the Lands Department. In 1915 the department decided the double "P" at the end of names was superfluous, and the name was amended to Muradup.

MURRIN MURRIN

Latitude 28° 55' S Longitude 121° 49' E

Murrin Murrin is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 50 km east of Leonora. Allotments at an existing mining settlement (corrugated iron hotel and store) known by this Aboriginal name were laid out in 1896, and the area containing these allotments was reserved for the future townsite of Murrin Murrin in November 1897. Town lots were offered for sale in 1900, but this place was by-passed when the railway to Laverton opened in 1905, Murrin Murrin railway station being situated 2 kilometres north of the original settlement. To remedy this, the boundaries were amended in 1906 to include the development by the railway (two hotels), and additional lots were also surveyed here. All of the town's development then occurred at the railway site. Murrin is an Aboriginal word for a species of Acacia Tree - Murrin Murrin refers to the abundance of these trees in the area.

MYALUP

Latitude 33° 06' S Longitude 125° 42' E

The townsite of Myalup is located on the coast 149 km south of Perth and 31 km north of Bunbury. The townsite was gazetted in 1972 following demand for beachside blocks in this area. Myalup is an Aboriginal name derived from a nearby swamp. The name was first recorded by Lt. Bunbury in 1836 as Miellup, and then in 1849 by a surveyor as Myerlup.

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N

NABAWA

Latitude 28° 30' S Longitude 114° 47' E

The townsite of Nabawa is located in the northern agricultural area, 463 km from Perth and 41 km north east of Geraldton. It is the principal town in the Shire of Chapman Valley. Nabawa derives its name from Nabawar Pool, a pool in the Chapman River first recorded by a surveyor in 1857. This Aboriginal word is said to mean "camp far away".

Although originally spelt Nabawar, the current spelling of Nabawa has been used since 1872. A schoolsite was set aside here in 1897, and the spelling Nabawah was used, but a site for a agricultural hall in the same year used the Nabawa spelling. When the Upper Chapman railway was opened in 1910, a siding was opened near the pool and named Nabawa. The railway closed in 1961, but the Shire of Chapman Valley moved its administrative headquarters to Nabawa in the mid 1960s , and in 1965 a townsite was declared.

NALKAIN

Latitude 31° 03' S Longitude 117° 25' E

The townsite of Nalkain is located in the central agricultural area, 210 km north east of Perth and 19 km north of Wyalkatchem. Like many rural towns in Western Australia Nalkain was first selected as the site for a railway siding on the Wyalkatchem to Mount Marshall railway in 1914. The district surveyor for the area suggested the same year that a townsite should be laid out at the siding, land for the townsite being resumed in 1915. Lots were surveyed in 1916 and the townsite declared in 1917, the year the railway from Wyalkatchem to Mount Marshall was opened. Nalkain is named after the Aboriginal name of a nearby well, Nalcain Well, the c being changed to a k by the Department of Lands & Surveys to conform with spelling rules adopted by the Department. The meaning of the name is unknown.

NALYA

Latitude 32° 23' S Longitude 117° 12' E

The townsite of Nalya is located in the great southern agricultural region, 158 km east south east of Perth and 20 km east of Brookton. The Government began the construction of a railway from Brookton to Kunjinn in 1913, and the settlers from the area known locally as Stoney Crossing requested a townsite be declared where the railway passed through their area. Following the fixing of the site of the railway station land was resumed in 1914, and a survey of lots made later that year. The townsite was gazetted in 1915, the same year as the railway was opened.
Although the local settlers referred to this place as Stoney Crossing, the District Surveyor, Marshall Fox, consistently used the name Nalyarin from 1913. This name is derived from Nalyaring Spring, the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source first recorded in 1848. However, when the name was declared in 1915 it was shortened to Nalya because it was felt the name was too similar to another siding named Malyalling. The meaning of the name is not known.

NANGEENAN

Latitude 31° 31' S Longitude 118° 10' E

Nangeenan townsite is located in the central agricultural region, 245 km east north east of Perth and 15 km west of Merredin. The area was opened up for farming in 1895, and a railway station on the main railway to Southern Cross established here in the late 1890s. In 1899 settlers requested the Department of Lands & Surveys make land available for a townsite, but it was 1904 before a subdivision was designed, and 1905 before lots were surveyed. The declaration of the townsite took place the same year. It is not known why this Aboriginal name was used for the railway station and the townsite, as there are no nearby features with this name. There is a Nangeen Hill, but this is over 50 km away, south of Kellerberrin. The meaning of the name is not known.

NANNINE

Latitude 26° 53' S Longitude 118° 20' E

The townsite of Nannine is located in the Murchison Goldfields region, 735 km north east of Perth and 30 km south south west of Meekatharra. Gold was discovered in the Nannine area in 1890, the area being rich with gold, and by 1891 was the site of feverish activity.

In 1892 John Forrest, the Commissioner for Crown Lands decided to have lots surveyed and a townsite declared, although Forrest referred to the place as "Annean", the name of a nearby pastoral station. When the local miners heard the auction of lots was to be in Perth 85 of them petitioned Forrest to have the auction in Geraldton. The lots were surveyed in 1892, and the townsite named Nannine, as "it is situated 10 miles from Annean Station and 3 miles from Nannine Wells", and was also the name of the proposed electoral district and adjacent gold mining lease. The townsite was gazetted in April 1893. Nannine is an Aboriginal name, "Nannine Wells" being first recorded by a surveyor in 1889. The meaning of the name is not known.

NANNUP

Latitude 33° 59' S Longitude 115° 46' E

The townsite of Nannup is located in the south west agricultural region, 282 km south of Perth and 44 km west of Bridgetown. Nannup is located on the Blackwood River, and in the late 1860s a bridge was built over the river and a police station established here. The area was referred to as Lower Blackwood Bridge. In 1885 Mr George Layman, the Member of Parliament for the district, requested that land be reserved at Lower Blackwood Bridge for a township. Land was set aside for this purpose, but it was 1889 before local settlers asked for blocks to be surveyed there. John Forrest, the Commissioner for Crown Lands promptly had the blocks surveyed, and proposed that the new townsite should be named Nannup, as it was "the only native name near". The name was approved by the Governor, and the townsite gazetted in January 1890.

The name Nannup is derived from Nannup Brook, a stream which flows north westerly into the Blackwood River just south of Nannup. It has been shown on maps since first recorded by surveyors in the 1860s. It is of Aboriginal origin, one source giving the meaning as "stopping place", and another as "place of parrots".

NANSON

Latitude 28° 34' S Longitude 114° 46' E

The townsite of Nanson is located in the Chapman Valley, 455 km north of Perth and 34 km north east of Geraldton. The district was first settled in the 1850s when Michael Morrissey established "Mt. Erin", but it was not until 1909 when the Government planned the Upper Chapman railway that there was a move for a townsite in the area. In 1909 local farmers petitioned the Minister for Lands to lay out a townsite at the "12 1/2 mile siding" on the railway. When the railway was opened in 1910 the siding was named Lauder Siding after a local farmer, but residents in the area petitioned the Minister for Lands to name the proposed townsite "Nansonville", after John Leighton Nanson MLA who was the local Member of Parliament, and also Attorney-General in 1910. The Minister agreed to the townsite being named Nanson, and it was gazetted in October 1910. The siding name was changed by the Railway Department in 1912 to Mount Erin, as this was the name locally used for the place. In 1915 confusion between the siding and townsite names resulted in the siding being renamed Nanson.

NARALING

Latitude 28° 24' S Longitude 114° 51' E

Like Nanson, Naraling is a townsite in the Chapman Valley, located about 470 km north of Perth and 40 km north east of Geraldton. By 1910 construction of the Upper Chapman Railway had reached Naraling, and the Surveyor-General decided some 1/4 acre lots should be surveyed at the place. The lots were surveyed in 1911, and in 1912 Naraling was gazetted as a townsite. The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1859. The name has at times been spelt Narralling, Naralling, Narraling, Naralying and Gnaralying. The meaning is not known.

NAREMBEEN

Latitude 32° 04' S Longitude 118° 24' E

The townsite of Narembeen is located in the central agricultural region, 282 km east of Perth and 39 km south east of Bruce Rock. The townsite derives its name from the Aboriginal name for Emu Hill.  Emu Hill was discovered and named by John Septimus Roe in 1836, the name being given because Roe's exploration party disturbed a family of emus whilst ascending the hill. In 1860 Charles Smith took up a pastoral lease in the area, and named his property "Narimbeen", which the explorer Henry Maxwell Lefroy records in 1863 is the Aboriginal name for Emu Hill. In 1865 the explorer Charles Cooke Hunt recorded the spelling as "Narembeen", and this is the spelling which became widely accepted for the place. The meaning of the name is not known.

In 1917 the railway was extended from Kondinin to Narembeen, and sidings were established at Emu Hill and Narembeen. A townsite was gazetted at Emu Hill in 1918, but as all the land near the Narembeen siding was privately held, the Government chose not to declare a townsite even when one was requested in 1921. When a hotel was built at Narembeen in 1922, the area quickly developed as a private townsite, and Emu Hill, just 5 km away, declined. A townsite was eventually declared in 1968.

NARKAL

Latitude 30° 48' S Longitude 117° 35' E

Narkal townsite is located in the central agricultural region, 247 km north east of Perth and 11 km east of Koorda. In 1913 the Government was planning a new railway from Wyalkatchem to Mount Marshall, and a siding was proposed for the Narkal area. The district surveyor proposed the siding be named Narkal after the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Narkalbuding Soak, and this name was approved in 1913. The name Budin was also suggested, derived from the latter part of Narkalbuding, but was not officially approved. A townsite reserve was surveyed here in 1916, but it was 1927 before there were any requests for lots. Lots were surveyed later that year, and a townsite gazetted in 1928. The meaning of the name is not known.

NARNGULU

Latitude 28° 49' S Longitude 114° 41' E

The townsite of Narngulu is located in the northern agricultural region, 419 km north north west of Perth and 6 km south east of the port city of Geraldton. It is located where the railway line from the Cue goldfields met the line from Geraldton southward, and in the 1890s the place was known as Mullewa Junction (the goldfields line passed through the town of Mullewa). In 1900 land was set aside for a townsite here, as it was thought the place would become important, and in 1903 it was gazetted as the townsite of Mullewa Junction. In 1905 the Commissioner of railways advised that Mullewa Junction was being confused with Mullewa, and sought to have the place renamed. The name Crowther which honours a prominent Geraldton merchant, was selected, and Mullewa Junction was renamed Crowther in 1905. However, the Postmaster General then complained that this name had already been used in New South Wales, and requested it be renamed. The Surveyor-General then stated that the only solution was to adopt Aboriginal names, and Narngulu, an Aboriginal word meaning "to remember" was selected from a list of possibilities. Crowther was renamed Narngulu in 1906.

NARRIKUP

Latitude 34° 46' S Longitude 117° 42' E

Narrikup is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 377 km south east of Perth and 18 km south east of Mount Barker. It is located on the Great Southern Railway, and when the line opened in 1889 a siding at this place was named Hay River. A reserve for a townsite was set aside here in 1891, and in 1905 the regional surveyor for the area reported that several settlers in the area were interested in acquiring land at the siding. 20 lots were surveyed, and when a townsite was gazetted two years later in 1907 it was named Narrikup, after a nearby brook. The name is Aboriginal, the derivation of which is possibly from "narrik" meaning abundance or plenty - perhaps "place of abundance".

NARROGIN

Latitude 32° 56' S Longitude 117° 11' E

The townsite of Narrogin is located in the great southern agricultural region, 192 km south east of Perth and 32 km east north east of Williams. It is located on the Great Southern Railway, and when this line was opened in 1889, Narrogin was one of the original stopping places. The railway line was a private line, and the Company that built the line declared a private townsite here in 1891. The railway was purchased by the Government in 1896, and in 1897 Narrogin was gazetted as a government townsite.

Narrogin is an Aboriginal name, having been first recorded as "Narroging" for a pool in this area in 1869. The meaning of the name is uncertain, various sources recording it as "bat camp", "plenty of everything" or derived from "gnargagin" which means "place of water".

NEEDILUP

Latitude 33° 57' S Longitude 118° 46' E

Needilup is located in the great southern agricultural region, about 440 km south west of Perth and 32 km east of Ongerup. In 1951 the local Member of Parliament requested the Lands Department to declare a townsite at Needilup, as the growth of settlement in the area had produced a demand for town lots. Following the survey of lots the townsite was gazetted in 1954.

Needilup derives its name from the nearby Needilup River. The name is Aboriginal, and was first recorded by surveyors in the area in 1901. The spelling of the river has been variously Needalup, Needleup Needelup and Needilup, with the latter being officially adopted in 1952. The meaning of the name is not known.

NEENDALING

Latitude 33° 07' S Longitude 118° 21' E

The townsite of Neendaling is located 335 km east south east of Perth and 12 km west of Lake Grace, in the great southern agricultural region. When the Kukerin to Lake Grace railway opened in 1916, a siding was established here and named Jarring, an Aboriginal word meaning "east". Land had been set aside for a townsite here in 1910, and in 1918 was gazetted as the townsite of Jarring. In 1927 the Railways Department complained that Jarring, and a nearby siding, Tarin Rock, were being confused by local residents, and requested Jarring be renamed. Despite Department of Lands & Surveys objections, the Railways persisted with the objections, and the name Neendaling was chosen as an alternative. The name is Aboriginal, of unknown meaning. Jarring was changed to Neendaling in 1928.

NEWDEGATE

Latitude 33° 06' S Longitude 119° 02' E

Newdegate is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 399 km south east of Perth and 52 km east of Lake Grace. The area was developed for agriculture in the early 1920s and when it was planned to extend the railway east from Lake Grace in 1922 the local community sought the declaration of a townsite. Doubt about the exact location of the railway resulted in a temporary development until the site was fixed in 1925. The townsite was gazetted in October 1925. Newdegate honours Sir F.A. Newdigate-Newdegate, Governor of WA from April 1920 to April 1922 and from December 1922 to June 1924.

NEWLANDS

Latitude 33° 40' S Longitude 115° 53' E

Newlands is a townsite located in an orchard area of the south west agricultural area, 223 km south of Perth between Donnybrook and Kirup. The government railway line from Donnybrook to Bridgetown was opened in 1898, and Newlands is included in the list of sidings and stations for the line in 1899. The source of the siding name is not known at present, and may have been a persons name or else referred to "new lands" being taken up in the area at that time. In 1900-01 the Imperial Jarrah Co., a sawmilling company, built a peoples hall at Newlands, and the hall was also used for a school. In 1906 the residents of the area requested secure tenure for the land on which their houses were built, and the Government decided to declare a townsite. Newlands townsite was gazetted in 1907.

NEWMAN

Latitude 23° 22' S Longitude 119° 44' E

Newman is a mining company townsite in the Pilbara region, 1184 km north east of Perth. The townsite was gazetted in 1972 after the Mount Newman Mining company developed a large iron ore mine at Mount Whaleback. The townsite is named after the nearby Mount Newman, a 1055 meter high mountain in the Ophthalmia Range.
Mount Newman was named by the surveyor W F Rudall in 1896, "in honour of our late leader". Newman was Aubrey Woodward Newman, the original leader of the survey party carrying out surveys in the neighbourhood of the Ophthalmia Range in 1896. He contracted typhoid fever at Peak Hill and, too ill to continue, was later returned to Cue where he died on May 24th, 1896.

NIAGARA

Latitude 29° 22' S Longitude 121° 26' E

Niagara is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located about 788 km east north east of Perth between Menzies and Leonora. Gold was discovered at Niagara in February 1895 by Northmore and Doolette, and by February 1896 the rapid growth of the area was such that the Niagara Progress Committee wrote to the Government requesting the declaration of a Townsite. The Niagara townsite was gazetted later that year.
Niagara derives its name from Niagara Falls, but not the falls in North America which would be the source of the name. When gold was discovered in this area one of the early prospectors named a waterfall in the area "Niagara Falls", most likely in jest at their size. The falls have a total drop of three metres, but only after heavy rain. In 1897 the Railways Department built a large concrete wall dam here, known as Niagara Dam.

NIPPERING

Latitude 33° 18' S Longitude 117° 39' E

The townsite of Nippering is located in the great southern agricultural region, 257 km south east of Perth and 9 km west of Dumbleyung. In 1906 the Government opened a railway from Wagin to Dumbleyung, and established a siding near Nippering Waterhole. The residents of the area then petitioned the Premier to declare a townsite at the siding, and the survey of lots was carried out in late 1906. The townsite was named Nippering and gazetted in 1907. It derives its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby waterhole, first recorded by a surveyor in 1887. The meaning of the name is not known.

NOGGERUP

Latitude 33° 35' S Longitude 116° 10' E

The townsite of Noggerup is located in the south west, 231 km from Perth and 30 km from Collie. When the Preston Valley railway was being planned in 1907, a request was made for land to be reserved at the proposed terminus near Sexton & Drysdale's Mill. The position was not fixed until 1908, and a townsite was then designed and surveyed. When asked to suggest a name for the townsite the surveyor suggested "Nogerup" after the name of the gully on which it was situated. The Department of Lands & Surveys amended the spelling to "Noggerupp" in accordance with spelling rules adopted by the Department, and the townsite was gazetted with this spelling in 1909. It was amended to Noggerup in 1915 when the Department decided that the double p ending was not required for Aboriginal names. The meaning of Noggerup is not known.

NOMANS LAKE

Latitude 32° 55' S Longitude 117° 31' E

The townsite of Nomans Lake is located in the great southern agricultural region, 227 km south east of Perth and 34 km east of Narrogin. Land was set aside for a townsite about 5 km south of Nomans Lake in 1907, but was not used for this purpose. When the route of the railway from Yillimining to Kondinin was determined in 1912, a name was sought for the siding at 8 miles 68 chains from Yillimining, and Nomans Lake was selected. The siding name was approved in 1914, and the name was subsequently applied to a townsite, gazetted in 1915. Nomans Lake is named after the lake situated about 8 km south of the townsite. The origin of the name is not known, having been first recorded by a surveyor in 1892. It may be the surname of an early settler, but it could also literally mean "no mans "lake

NOONGAL

Latitude 28° 11' S Longitude 116° 45' E

Noongal is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 510 km north north east of Perth and 12 km north of Yalgoo. Gold was discovered in the area in the mid 1890s, and by 1895 200 men were working the area, then known as "Melville". When it was decided to declare a townsite here in 1896 the name Melville was not available because of duplication, and Noongal, the name of a nearby rockhole was selected. Noongal townsite was gazetted in 1897. The name is Aboriginal, of unknown meaning.

NOONGAR

Latitude 31° 20' S Longitude 118° 58' E

The townsite of Noongar is located in the eastern agricultural area, about 334 km from Perth, midway between the towns of Merredin and Southern Cross. Noongar was originally a siding on the Northam-Yilgarn Railway, and is included in a list of sidings on the line in 1899. When the railway sidings were being located on this line in the late 1890s a list of Aboriginal words from the Southern Cross district was used as a source of names, and Noongar was selected from the list. It is stated to mean "a big tree near a small waterhole"

By 1924 agricultural development in the area resulted in pressure for a townsite to be declared at the siding. Lots were surveyed in April 1825, and the townsite gazetted in September the same year.

NORSEMAN

Latitude 32° 12' S Longitude 121° 47' E

The goldmining town of Norseman is located in the eastern goldfields, 724 km east of Perth and 206 km north of Esperance. Gold was discovered here in July 1894 by Lawrence Sinclair and his horse "Norseman" The gold find was named "Norsemans Find" and most records state that Sinclair named it after his horse, although Sinclair was himself of Norse descent from the Shetland Islands.

By January 1895 there were over 200 miners working the goldfields here, and the Mining Warden, Arthur Hicks, requested declare a townsite. The local progress association soon added pressure for a townsite, and lots were surveyed in April 1895. A number of names were proposed for the townsite, but local usage of Norseman resulted in the Minister for Lands selecting this name. The townsite was gazetted in May 1895. The Aboriginal name of the area is Jimberlana.

NORTH DANDALUP

Latitude 32° 31' S Longitude 115° 58' E

The townsite of North Dandalup is located in the south west, 71 km south of Perth and 16 km north east of Pinjarra. It is located adjacent to the North Dandalup River, from which it derives its name. Dandalup is an Aboriginal name, having been shown on maps of the area since 1835. The meaning of the name is not known.
The townsite is situated on the South Western Railway, and North Dandalup was included as a stopping place in timetables of 1894. Land around the siding was privately owned and subdivided, but a schoolsite was set aside in 1899, and a hall and recreation ground in 1915. In 1932 the North Dandalup Prescribed Area was declared, and then in 1972 the area was gazetted a townsite.

NORTH GREENBUSHES

Latitude 33° 50' S Longitude 116° 03' E

Located about 250 km south of Perth near the South Western Highway, North Greenbushes was originally named Greenbushes. Tin had been discovered near here by Stinton in 1888, and the district soon developed as a tin mining area. It was apparently referred to as Greenbushes because of particularly green bushes which stood out from the grey of the local Eucalypts. A townsite of Greenbushes was gazetted in 1889, but this site, about 3 km south of the present Greenbushes, was cancelled in 1893 because the land was in a mineralised area, and only one block had been sold. When the railway line from Donnybrook to Bridgetown was opened in 1898 a Greenbushes station was opened, and in 1899 a new townsite of Greenbushes surveyed and gazetted at this location. However, the main business and residential area was located about 3 km south along the main road, and later in 1899 this area was gazetted as Greenbushes and the other, at the railway station, renamed North Greenbushes.

NORTHAM

Latitude 31° 39' S Longitude 116° 40' E

Situated 97 km east north east of Perth, the townsite of Northam is located on the Avon River in the central agricultural region. The Avon River was discovered by Ensign Dale in August 1830, and following further exploration of the district by Dale in October 1830, land was made available for agricultural settlement. At the same time land was set aside for three townsites, and as early as December the northernmost of these townsites is referred to as Northam. Boundaries for the townsite were officially adopted in April 1836, but it was 1847 before any lots were surveyed, and 1849/50 before the first lots were sold.

Northam was most likely named by Governor Stirling after Northam, a village in North Devon, England, or another village now part of Southampton. The name may also relate to Northam being the most northern of the three Avon townsites, although this seems unlikely. There is no definitive information on the origin of the name.

NORTHAMPTON

Latitude 28° 21' S Longitude 114° 38' E

Northampton is located in the northern agricultural region, 474 km north north west of Perth and 50 km north of Geraldton. The townsite was gazetted in 1864 to service the surrounding mining area, copper and lead having been discovered in the area in 1848. As more ore deposits were discovered in the district demand for a town increased, resulting in the 1864 gazettal.
Northampton is probably named after the English town of the same name. The choice of name may also be connected with the fact that the townsite is north of Perth and the Governor of WA at the time it was declared was Dr J.S. Hampton.

NORTHCLIFFE

Latitude 34° 38' S Longitude 116° 07' E

The townsite of Northcliffe is located in the south west agricultural region, 366 km south of Perth and 31 km south east of Pemberton. The centre for a large Group Settlement area, it was surveyed in 1923, at the request of the Premier, James Mitchell, and was located at the terminus of the extension of the Bridgetown-Jarnadup railway. The townsite was gazetted in May 1924, the name being selected by the Premier. It honours Alfred C M Harmsworth, Viscount Northcliffe, who had died in 1922. He had been the proprietor and publisher of the London Times and the Daily Mail, and a renowned commentator on world affairs for two decades.

NUGADONG

Latitude 30 °12' S Longitude 116° 39' E

Nugadong townsite is located in the northern agricultural region, 261 km north north east of Perth and 10 km north of Dalwallinu. Nugadong was approved as the name of a proposed siding on the Wongan Hills to Mullewa Railway in 1913, the name having been selected by the District Surveyor. The railway line opened in 1915. Nugadong is an Aboriginal name derived from the name of a nearby rockhole, Nugadong Miamoon Rockhole. The meaning of the name is not known. Nugadong was gazetted a townsite in July 1914.

NUKARNI

Latitude 31° 18' S Longitude 118° 15' E

Nukarni is located 283 km east north east of Perth in the central agricultural region. It is 23 km north of Merredin It is also located on the railway line from Goomalling to Merredin, and when the Kunnoppin to Merredin extension of this line was planned in 1910, a location for a siding at "Newcarnie" was proposed. Land was also set aside for a townsite at the proposed siding, but the spelling was changed to "Nukarni" in accordance with rules for the spelling of Aboriginal names adopted by the Department of Land & Surveys. After survey a townsite was gazetted in 1912. The spelling of the siding was not changed from Newcarnie until 1924. The name is derived from Nukarni Rocks, located about 12km west of the townsite. The meaning of the name is not known.

NULLAGINE

Latitude 21° 53' S Longitude 120° 07' E

The townsite of Nullagine is located in the Pilbara region, 1364 km north north east of Perth and 297 km south east of Port Hedland. Gold was first discovered in the Nullagine area by N W Cooke in 1886, but it was the mid 1890s before there was local community pressure for a townsite to be declared. The survey of lots was made in 1897/8, and the townsite was gazetted in 1899.

The name of the townsite is derived from the Aboriginal name applied to the nearby river. This was first recorded as the Ngullagine River in the 1880s, but popular usage dropped the first "g", the current spelling being used for the goldfields. The meaning of the name is not known.

NUNGARIN

Latitude 31° 11' S Longitude 118° 06' E

The townsite of Nungarin is located in the central agricultural area, 271 km east north east of Perth and 40 km from Merredin. It is located on the railway line from Goomalling to Merredin, and when the Kunnoppin to Merredin extension of this line was planned in 1910, a location for a siding at Nungarin was proposed. Land was also set aside for a townsite at the siding, and following the survey of lots the townsite of Nungarin was gazetted in 1912. The townsite is named after Nungarin Rocks, located 4 km north north east of it. This Aboriginal name was first recorded by surveyors as Noongorin in 1864, and as Nungarin in 1889. Its meaning is not known.

NUNNGARRA

Latitude 28° 05' S Longitude 119° 15' E

Nunngarra is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 645 km north east of Perth and 14 km south of Sandstone. Gold was discovered in this area by a prospector named Howie in 1902, and the area referred to as "Howies Patch". By 1903 the name "Black Range" was used to refer to the find, and a large number of diggers were working the field. There was soon pressure for the declaration of a townsite, and following survey in 1903 a townsite was gazetted. As the name Black Range was already used elsewhere in Australia, Yallawun after a nearby pool, or Denholm after a nearby hill were proposed as alternatives. The goldfields Warden suggested the Aboriginal name for Black Range, Nungarra, be used instead, and this was amended to Nunngarra and gazetted in December 1903. .

NYABING

Latitude 33° 33' S Longitude 118° 09' E

The townsite of Nyabing is located in the great southern agricultural region, 319 km south east of Perth, and 51 km south east of Dumbleyung. When the railway from Katanning to this place was planned in 1911, the siding at the terminus was named Nampup, after the Aboriginal name of a nearby soak. The district surveyor for the region had a few lots surveyed at the siding in 1911, and the townsite of Nampup was gazetted in May 1912.

Even before Nampup was gazetted, the Railways Department was complaining that Nampup was too similar to Nannup, and an alternative name was required for the siding. The names Narrara and Wingar were suggested, before W J Rae, the District Surveyor, suggested "Naiabing", which he advised was "the old native name of Little Nampup Soak". The Department of Lands & Surveys decided that Nyabing was a simpler spelling, and in December 1912 changed the name of the townsite to Nyabing. Although the name has been variously spelt, as Niaibing, Niabing & Nyabing, none of which appear in vocabularies, it appears that the word could have been derived from the Aboriginal word "ne-yameng" which is the name applied to the everlasting flower -"Helipterum manglessii".

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O

ONGERUP

Latitude 33° 58' S Longitude 118° 29' E

The townsite of Ongerup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 410 km south east of Perth and 54 km east of Gnowangerup. Following a request by the Ongerup Progress Association the townsite of Ongerup was gazetted in 1912. The name is taken from Ongerup Rock, 10km to the north west, and which has been shown on maps of the area since 1879. The name is derived from the aboriginal word "yonger", meaning the male kangaroo, and means "place of the male kangaroo".

ONSLOW

Latitude 21° 38' S Longitude 115° 06' E

The townsite of Onslow is located on the coast of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 1386 km north of Perth. Created as a port townsite in 1885 to service the pastoral industry of the Ashburton and Yannarie River districts, the original Onslow was situated at the mouth of the Ashburton River. It is named after Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow K.B., Attorney General of Western Australia at the time.

The jetty at the original Onslow Townsite was very primitive. At low tide only vessels drawing a loaded depth of 12ft could berth and the regular coastal steamers had to anchor out in the Roads. In 1922 it was decided to establish a new deep water jetty 15 km to the north east at Beadon Point. At first it was felt Onslow could stay where it was, and be connected to the jetty by a tramway, but this was not practical, and there was considerable pressure to move the townsite. Lots were surveyed at Beadon Point in 1923, and Onslow landowners sought to be relocated in the new townsite. When the new townsite was gazetted on 10 January 1924 it was named "Beadon", but just two weeks later was renamed as part of Onslow. Most of the town moved in 1925 and the original Onslow townsite was later cancelled.

ORA BANDA

Latitude 30° 22' S Longitude 121° 03' E

The abandoned goldfields townsite of Ora Banda is situated 662 km east north east of Perth and 66 km north west of Kalgoorlie. In 1909 the Ora Banda Progress Committee requested the Government make additional business lots available, but it was 1911 before a decision was made to declare a townsite there The survey of lots was made in 1911, and the townsite gazetted in 1912. Ora Banda had a population of 2000 in 1910. The name possibly means band of gold, Ora being derived from auriferous.

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P

PANNAWONICA

Latitude 21° 38' S Longitude 116° 19' E

The townsite of Pannawonica is located in the Pilbara region, 1429 km north of Perth and 198 km south south west of Karratha. It was developed as a company mining town for the nearby iron ore deposits by Cliffs Robe River Iron Associates in the early 1970's, and was gazetted a townsite in 1972. The name of the townsite is of Aboriginal origin, derived from nearby Pannawonica Hill, a name first recorded by a surveyor in 1885. Pannawonica is said to mean "the hill that came from the sea".

PANTAPIN

Latitude 31° 57' S Longitude 117° 39' E

The townsite of Pantapin is located in the central agricultural region, 183 km east of Perth and 27 km east of Quairading. In 1912 the government planned an extension of the railway from Quairading to Nunagin (now Bruce Rock), and the siding located in this area was proposed to be named Ulakin after the nearby Ulakine Well.

The siding name was approved as Ulakain in 1913, the year the railway line opened. In 1913 the district surveyor for the area recommended a townsite be set aside, and following survey the townsite of Ulakine was gazetted in 1914. This spelling was adopted as it resulted in a more correct pronunciation of the name. In 1920 local settlers complained that the name of the place lead to mail and goods going astray, and a source of constant annoyance.

They asked for the townsite to be renamed Pantapin, and although the name is most likely Aboriginal, no origin was submitted with the request. The change of name was gazetted in 1921

PARABURDOO

Latitude 23° 12' S Longitude 117° 40' E

The townsite of Parraburdoo is located in the Pilbara region, 1536 km north of Perth and 79 km south of Tom Price. It was developed as a company mining town for the nearby iron ore deposits by Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd in the early 1970's, and was gazetted a townsite in 1972. The name is of Aboriginal origin, said to mean "feathered meat", perhaps a reference to large numbers of little corellas or flock pigeons in the area.

PARKESTON

Latitude 30° 44' S Longitude 121° 29' E

The townsite of Parkeston is a suburb of the city of Kalgoorlie, located 3 km east of the city centre. By 1900 the Hannans Brewery had established its brewing business in this area, and the government decided there would be a demand for land in the vicinity of the brewery. A scheme of subdivision was soon made, and in 1901 the Kalgoorlie Roads Board was asked to suggest a suitable name for the area.

The name the Board suggested was Parkesville, but as this was too similar to Parkerville, it was rejected. The Board then nominated Parkeston, and this was approved by the Minister for Lands in March 1901. It was gazetted a townsite in August 1904.

Parkeston is almost certainly named after Sir Henry Parkes, the "father of Australian Federation". The name was suggested by the Kalgoorlie Roads Board in February 1901, just a month after the Federation of the Australian States. The Goldfields region was a strong supporter of Federation, where much of the rest of Western Australia opposed it.

PAYNESVILLE

Latitude 28° 01' S Longitude 118° 30' E

An abandoned goldfields townsite, Paynesville is located 646 km north east of Perth and 77 km east of Mount Magnet. Gold was discovered in this area in early 1898 by Tom Payne and Waldeck, and by April 1898 the place had been inspected by a surveyor and a plan of subdivision prepared. It was at first referred to as "Paynton", and East Mount Magnet, and some records record the locality as "Fords" after another prospector.

By April 1899 local prospectors were using the name Paynesville, and it was with this name that the townsite was gazetted in 1900. It is believed to be named after Tom Payne. The railway from Mount Magnet to Black Range, passing through Paynesville, was opened in 1910.

PEAK HILL

Latitude 25° 38' S Longitude 118° 43' E

The townsite of Peak Hill is located in the Murchison Goldfield, 885 km north east of Perth and 120 km north of Meekatharra. Gold was discovered in the area by William John Wilson in 1892, and by 1896 there was sufficient population in the area for the government to decide to establish a townsite there.

The townsite of Peak Hill was gazetted in 1897. At the centre of the gold find is a peak 30 metres high, and it was believed Wilson named the find after it. However, according to other sources, including his biography, the name is derived from Peak Hill in New South Wales, an area where Wilson had prospected before coming to Western Australia.

PEMBERTON

Latitude 34° 27' S Longitude 116° 02' E

The townsite of Pemberton is located 335 km south of Perth and 31 km from Manjimup. It is located within the south west forest region, where in 1913 the state government established sawmills, the Number 2 and Number 3 State Sawmills. The area had become known as "Big Brook", but a more distinctive name was soon sought. The name Walcott was first suggested but was rejected by the Post Office, and Mr W.L.Brockman, a famer in the area, then suggested Pemberton, after Pemberton Walcott who was the first settler in the area in 1862.

The name Pemberton was used from 1916. The State Sawmills Department developed a small private town at the mills, but by 1921 there was community agitation for a government townsite to be declared. Although initially sternly resisted by the State Sawmills Department, particularly because it saw it as a way for alcohol to be introduced, community pressure eventually resulted in lots being surveyed in 1925 and the townsite of Pemberton being gazetted in October 1925.

PERENJORI

Latitude 29° 26' S Longitude 116° 17' E

Perenjori is a townsite in the northern agricultural region, 348 km north of Perth and and 39 km south east of Morawa. It is located on the Wongan Hills to Mullewa railway line which was opened in 1915. Perenjori was approved as the name of a siding in April 1913, and later that year the government later decided to establish a townsite here. Perenjori townsite was gazetted in 1916.

Perenjori is the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Perenjori Rockhole being first recorded in 1911 when land was set aside for a water reserve at the rockhole. The rockhole was sometimes spelt Perengory or Perangery, and it is believed the name may be derived from the Peranj-jiddee bush which surrounded the rockhole. The bush is similar to the Black Wattle.

PERINGILLUP

Latitude 33° 56' S Longitude 117° 38' E

The townsite of Peringillup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 316 km south east of Perth and 11 km south of Broomehill. Peringillup was originally a siding on the Great Southern Railway line, the siding first coming into use in 1907. It originally was also known by the alternative name of Wudara. In 1911 the government decided to establish a townsite at the siding, and Peringillup townsite was gazetted in 1914. The name is Aboriginal, being derived from the nearby Perringillup Well, a feature first recorded by surveyor in 1878. The meaning of the name is not known

PERTH

Latitude 31° 57' S Longitude 115° 51' E

The story of the naming of Perth begins with the instructions given to Captain Stirling, Lieutenant Governor designate of the proposed colony of Western Australia, regarding the foundation of the colony. Stirling received a letter from the Secretary for the Colonies, Sir George Murray, which read:

"Amongst your earliest duties will be that of determining the most convenient site for a Town to be erected as the future seat of Government. You will be called upon to weigh maturely the advantages which may arise from placing it on so secure a situation as may be afforded on various points of the Swan River, against those which may follow from establishing it on so fine a port for the reception of shipping as Cockburn Sound is represented to be...".

Stirling was therefore given the choice of establishing the chief town on Cockburn Sound, or "on various points on the Swan River". It has been established that Murray actually gave Stirling more explicit instructions, and advised him that failing the establishment of the town at Cockburn Sound, he was to fix the site for it at the confluence of the two rivers, the Swan and the Canning, or in other words, at Point Heathcote. Stirling had good reasons to disobey Murray, but briefly they were that it was that the Perth site was "decidely preferable in building materials, streams of water, and facility of communication".

Stirling did however gladly comply with Sir George Murray's command that the new town be called Perth. Murray's reasons for choosing the name, Perth, were purely sentimental and quite understandable, for he was both a Perthshire man and represented his birthplace in the House of Commons. The choice suited Stirling, himself a Scotsman, although it is recorded that at least one early settler, William Leake complained to the Home Office about the name. August 12, 1829, marked the day of the founding of the town, when Mrs Helen Dance cut down a tree. August 12 was also the King's (George 4th) birthday.

PIAWANING

Latitude 30° 50' S Longitude 116° 23' E

The townsite of Piawaning is located in the nothern agricultural region, 160 km north east of Perth and 28 km north east of New Norcia. A northward extension of the railway line from Toodyay to Bolgart was planned in 1913, and was to terminate near Piawaning Spring. When the exact route of the line was settled in 1919 the government decided to set aside land for a townsite at the terminus. Piawaning, the nearest Aboriginal name was selected, and the townsite was gazetted in 1920. Piawaning Spring has been shown on maps of the area since 1877 when recorded by a surveyor, but the meaning of the name is not known.

PICKERING BROOK

Latitude 32° 02' S Longitude 116° 07' E

The townsite of Pickering Brook is located in the Darling Range, 28 km east of Perth. A townsite named "Carilla" was gazetted in this location in 1958 (another Carilla having been previously gazetted nearby in 1952, and then cancelled). The name was said to be an Aboriginal word for "running water". By January 1973, Carilla was encompassed by the locality of Pickering Brook, and this led to a request from the Shire of Kalamunda to rename the townsite as Pickering Brook. Thechange of name was gazetted in December 1979.

PIESSEVILLE

Latitude 33° 11' S Longitude 117° 17' E

Piesseville is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 233 km south east of Perth and 15 km north of Wagin. A siding named "Buchanan River" was established here when the Great Southern Railway opened in 1889, although the siding is also recorded as Buchanan in some records. In 1897 the government set aside land at Buchanan Siding for future subdivision, and in 1903 the Government Land Agent at Katanning reported there was considerable interest in town lots there. Following the survey of lots the townsite of Buchanan was gazetted in December 1903.

In 1904 the Lands Department advised that Buchanan would have to be renamed because "a promise had been given to the Federal Government in naming new towns in this state care would be taken to avoid the duplication of names already existing in the other states". There was a town of Buchanan in New South Wales, so it was suggested a suitable Aboriginal name be sought. The Aboriginal name of the place was Toomanning, but a more euphonious name was sought, and the local committee suggested Barton, after Sir Edmund Barton, Australia's first Prime Minister. The change of name to Barton was gazetted in March 1905.

Following completion of the Trans Australian Railway in 1917, the Commonwealth government decided to use the names of Prime Ministers for railway stations on the line, and chose Barton for a station on the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia. By 1918 this choice of name was causing confusion with the townsite of Barton, and the Western Australian government was asked to change the name. This request caused much distress to the local residents who petitioned the government not to change the name yet again, but it was to no avail.

At first Buchanan was again suggested, but was quickly rejected because of the NSW Buchanan, and the names Piesse, "after the late messrs F & C Piesse and who have been associated with the public life of the Great Southern Districts for so long", and Hordern were proposed. The change of name to Piesse was gazetted in December 1918. In 1923 Mr A E Piesse advised the town name was being confused with his farm name, and asked for it to be renamed to Piesseville. The change of name to Piesseville was gazetted in December 1923.

PINDAR

Latitude 28° 28' S Longitude 115° 47' E

The townsite of Pindar is located in the northern agricultural region, 481 km north of Perth and 29 km east of Mullewa. It was originally a siding on the Mullewa to Cue Railway when the line opened in 1898, the government deciding in 1899 to set aside land for a townsite here. The townsite was gazetted in 1901, and derives its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Pindar Well. The meaning of the name is not known.

PINGARING

Latitude 32° 45' S Longitude 118° 37' E

The townsite of Pingaring is located in the great southern agricultural region, 341 km east south east of Perth and 49 km north north east of Lake Grace. Pingaring was originally a siding on the Lake Grace-Hyden railway, the position of the line and siding being determined in 1930. It was gazetted a townsite in 1963. The name is Aboriginal, being derived from the name of a nearby spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1926.

PINGELLY

Latitude 32° 32' S Longitude 117° 05' E

The townsite of Pingelly is located in the great southern agricultural region, 158 km east south east of Perth and 20 km south south east of Brookton. The townsite is located on the Great Southern Railway, a private railway built by the Western Australian Land Company and opened in 1889. Pingelly was one of the original sidings on the rail line when it opened, and the same year the company had a town designed and land made available. In 1896 the Western Australian government purchased the rail line and land, and after resurvey had Pingelly gazetted as a government townsite in 1898.

The name of Pingelly is derived from "Pingeculling Rocks", the Aboriginal name of some rocks about 13 km north of Pingelly. The name was first recorded in 1873 when land was leased in the area. Apparently settlers referred to the place as Pingegully for some years before the railway arrived, and the Pingelly spelling was first used following construction of the railway.

PINGRUP

Latitude 33° 32' S Longitude 118° 30' E

Pingrup is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 359 km south east of Perth and 40 km east of Nyabing. In 1923 the railway line was extended easterly from Nyabing to Pingrup, and the district surveyor had land surveyed for a townsite at the railway terminus. When the name of the railway station was being decided the railways department thought Pingrup was too similar to Tingerup, and suggested "Geina" a name used for the area around 1900.

This name was not acceptable to local settlers who proposed Lake Pingrup as an alternative. However, the Lands Department decided that Pingrup was a more desirable name, and not that similar to Tingerup. The townsite of Pingerup was gazetted in 1924. It is named after nearby Lake Pingrup, an Aboriginal name first shown on maps of the area around 1873. The meaning of the name is most likely taken from A.A. Hassell of Jerramungup (1894) recording of Pingrup (bingerup) meaning place where digging.

PINJARRA

Latitude 32° 37' S Longitude 115° 52' E

The townsite of Pinjarra is located in the south west agricultural region, 87 km south of Perth and 21 km south east of Mandurah. It is located near a ford over the Murray River, and land was reserved for a townsite here in 1831. Surveys were carried out in 1836 and land allocated to settlers in 1837. The name was often shown spelt "Pinjarrup" on early maps, and the accepted spelling for many years was "Pinjarrah". There are conflicting theories regarding the meaningof this Aboriginal name. It is usually said to mean "place of a swamp", but it is more likely named after the "Pindjarup" tribe, the Aboriginal group that frequented this area.

PINTHARUKA

Latitude 29° 05' S Longitude 115° 58' E

The townsite of Pintharuka is located in the northern agricultural region, 386 km north of Perth and 13 km north of Morawa. It is on the railway line between Wongan Hills and Mullewa which opened for service in 1915. When the railway was being planned in 1912, the North Morawa Pintharuka Progress Association asked for a townsite to be surveyed at the site of the proposed Pintharuka siding. The site of the railway siding named Pintharuka was fixed in 1913, and later that year a townsite named Pintharuka was also gazetted. The name is Aboriginal, derived from nearby Pintharuka Well, a feature first recorded by a surveyor in 1910. The meaning of the name is not known at present.

PINWERNYING

Latitude 33° 39' S Longitude 117° 32' E

The townsite of Pinwernying is located in the great southern agricultural region, adjacent to the town of Katanning and 292 km south east of Perth. Katanning was a private townsite, owned by the Western Australian Land Company around 1890, but the government had land reserved nearby at Pinwernying. Demand for government land soon resulted in a subdivision of small agricultural lots, and gazettal of the Pinwernying townsite in 1892. The townsite is named after Pinwernying Soak, the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source first recorded by a surveyor in 1887. The meaning of the name is not known.

PITHARA

Latitude 30° 23' S Longitude 116° 40' E

The townsite of Pithara is located in the northern agricultural region, 240 km north north east of Perth and 12 km south of Dalwallinu. It is located on the Wongan Hills to Mullewa railway line which was opened in 1915. Pithara was approved as the name of a siding in April 1913, but before the railway line was opened the name was changed to Hettie, after "the lady from whom the government resumed land for the townsite". When the government gazetted a townsite in 1914 it also was named Hettie. Locals soon objected to the name Hettie, and Pithara was reinstated as the name of the townsite in December 1914. Pithara is an Aboriginal name, derived from a nearby well, first shown on maps of the area in 1907.

POINT SAMSON

Latitude 20° 37' S Longitude 117° 11' E

The townsite of Point Samson is located on the Pilbara coast, 1579 km north of Perth and 18 km north of Roebourne. By around 1900 the nearby port of Cossack was beginning to silt up and was inconvenient for the shipping of stock. In 1902/03 the government erected a jetty into deeper water at Point Samson, and this was proposed to be the port for the area. There was soon demand for lots at Point Samson, a tramline was erected to the jetty from Roebourne, but the survey and selling of lots was delayed because of the impact of Point Samson replacing Cossack. The townsite was finally gazetted as Point Sampson in 1909.

The name Point Samson honours Mr Michael Samson, a member of a prominent Fremantle family. The point was named during Walter Padbury's expedition to Nicol Bay in 1863. Mr Samson was the second officer of their ship, the "Tien Tsin". The point was misspelled on maps as Sampson, and this error persisted for many years, including being used when the townsite was gazetted in 1909. The error was brought to the governments attention by Michael samson's widow in 1918, and both the point and the townsite were corrected to Point Samson in April 1918.

POOTENUP

Latitude 34° 14' S Longitude 117° 38' E

The townsite of Pootenup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 332 km south south east of Perth and 10 km from Cranbrook. Pootenup is one of the original stations on the Great Southern Railway, being in use from when the line opened in 1889. In 1907 the government decided there was enough demand for land in the area to warrant declaring a townsite, and following the survey of lots the townsite of Pootenup was gazetted in 1908. Pootenup is an Aboriginal place name, first recorded by a surveyor in 1851. The meaning of the name is not known.

POPANYINNING

Latitude 32° 39' S Longitude 117° 07' E

The townsite of Popanyinning is located in the great southern agricultural region, 174 km south east of Perth and 17 km south south east of Pingelly. The townsite is located on the Great Southern Railway, a private railway built by the Western Australian Land Company and opened in 1889. Popanyinning was one of the original sidings on the rail line when it opened. In 1896 the Western Australian government purchased the rail line and land, and in 1903 decided to have a few lots surveyed at the Popanyinning siding to meet the requirements of the local settlers. After survey the townsite of Popanyinning was gazetted in 1904.

Popanyinning is an Aboriginal name, first recorded by the surveyor John Forrest in 1869, for a pool in the Hotham River. Some records spell the place Popanying, or Popanyining, but these appear to just be misspellings of the original name. The meaning of Popanyinning is not known.

PORLELL

Latitude 26° 56' S Longitude 118° 36' E

Porlell is an abandoned townsite in the Murchison Goldfields, 725 km north north east of Perth and 23 km east of Nannine. Gold was discovered in this area in the mid 1890's, the find being named "Star of the East". By 1899 there was sufficient development for the government to decide to declare a townsite, and as "Starof the East" was not considered suitable, the name Porlelle, after a small nearby lake was suggested. The spelling was amended to Porlell for unknown reasons, and the townsite of Porlell was gazetted in November 1899. Porlelle Lake was first shown on maps of the area in 1886, but the source and meaning of the name are not known. The lake has also now been re-spelt Porlell.

PORT DENISON

Latitude 29° 16' S Longitude 114° 55' E

The coastal townsite of Port Denison is located in the northern agricultural region, 365 km north north west of Perth and 3 km from Dongara. The area was referred to as Irwin Port (being near the mouth of the Irwin River) in 1866, but when officially named and gazetted the following year later it became Denison. It is believed named after Sir William Denison, Governor of Tasmania, who visited Western Australia in 1851 in connection with the transportation of convicts to the state. The name was changed to Port Denison in 1973 at the request of the Shire of Irwin, as this was the name by which the town was locally known.

PORT HEDLAND

Latitude 20° 18' S Longitude 118° 35' E

Port Hedland is a port town in the Pilbara region, 1638 km north of Perth and 202 km east north east of Roebourne. In 1895 the government commenced survey work for a port to service the pastoral industry in the region, and there was also demand in the area for a townsite. Following the survey of lots the townsite of Port Hedland was gazetted in 1896.

Port Hedland is named after the natural harbour of the same name on which it is situated. This was named during explorations of the area in 1863 after Captain Peter Hedland, master of the cutter "Mystery", who discovered the entrance to the harbour. Hedland was a Dutchman who sailed the north west coastal region supplying settlers in the 1860's.

PRESTON

Latitude 33° 32' S Longitude 116° 00' E

The townsite of Preston is located in the south west agricultural region, 228 km south of Perth and 18 km from Donnybrook in the Preston River valley. It derives its name from the river on which it is located, which was named in honour of Lieutenant William Preston RN, its discoverer along with Dr Alexander Collie in November 1829.

The area of this townsite was known as the "Upper Preston" when the government set aside land for a townsite in 1892. Community interest in the acquisition of land in the area resulted in lots being surveyed in 1899, and a townsite gazetted. The District Surveyor nominated the name Preston for the townsite in preference to Upper Preston. The railway line from Donnybrook to Preston opened in 1908

PRESTON BEACH

Latitude 32° 52' S Longitude 115° 39' E

Preston Beach is a coastal townsite in the south west region, 134 km south of Perth and 38 km west of Waroona. The townsite was originally a private development in 1959 known as "Preston Beach Estate". Another private estate in the area was named "Lakeside Estate", and in 1972 the area was named the locality of Yalgorup at the request of the local government.

When it was gazetted a townsite in 1975 the name Yalgorup, an Aboriginal word said to mean "place of waters or lakes" was again used. In 1989 the name was changed to Preston Beach at the request of the Shire of Waroona, as this was the name by which the area was locally known. The name Preston is derived from the nearby Lake Preston, which is named after Lieutenant William Preston RN who discovered the lake in 1829.

PREVELLY

Latitude 33° 58' S Longitude 114° 58' E

Prevelly is a coastal townsite in the south west region, 287 km south south west of Perth and 9 km west of Margaret River. The area was privately subdivided around 1960, and named Prevelly Park by the developers. In 1977 the Shire of Augusta_Margaret River requested the development be declared a townsite, and the townsite of Prevelly was gazetted in 1978.

The naming of Prevelly is dedicated to the Monastery of Prevelli on the island of Crete. A Greek style chapel that was built at Prevelly as a tribute to the Greek community on Crete during the world war was officially opened 4th June 1979. Mr. E.G. Edwards, who sponsored the building of the chapel built the holiday village of Prevelly and named it after the Monastery of Prevelli on Crete. He built the chapel to commemorate the courage of Cretan villagers who helped him and other servicemen after they escaped from the Germans.

PRINCESS ROYAL

Latitude 32° 07' S Longitude 121° 48' E

Princess Royal is an abandoned townsite in the Dundas Goldfield, 721 km east of Perth and 10 km north north east of Norseman. The townsite derives its name from the Princess Royal Gold Mine discovered here in the late 1890's. A residential area had developed near the mine by 1900, and in 1904 was gazetted a townsite. The mine and townsite are most likely named after the Princess Royal, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa (1840-1901), the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria.

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Q

QUAIRADING

Latitude 32° 01' S Longitude 117° 24' E

Quarading is a townsite in the central agricultural area, 166 km east of Perth. It is situated 69 km from York on the road between York and Bruce Rock. Quairading derives its name from the nearby Quairading Spring, an Aboriginal name first recorded by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1872. The meaning of this name may be related to "Quairit", an Aboriginal word for the eldest girl of a family, although another source gives it as "home of the bush kangaroo"- "quara".

In 1907 the government decided to build a railway from Greenhills (near York) to Quairading, and also decided to declare a townsite at the terminus. As the Quairading Spring was nearby this was selected as the name, but the district surveyor thought it should be spelt "Kwerading", a more correct spelling pronounced "kwera ding". Local usage of the Q spelling ensured the adoption of this name, and Quairading was gazetted a townsite in late 1907.

QUALEUP

Latitude 33° 50' S Longitude 116° 48' E

The townsite of Qualeup is located in the great southern agricultural region, 291 km south south east of Perth and 35 km west of Kojonup. It is located on the railway line from Boyup Brook to Kojonup, and was one of the original sidings when the line opened in 1912. Land was also set aside here in 1910 for a future townsite, and by 1921 there was enough interest in the area for the government to consider a scheme of subdivision. Lots were surveyed in 1924, and the townsite of Qualeup gazetted in October 1924. The name of Qualeup is derived from nearby Lake Qualeup, an Aboriginal name the Aboriginal name of a nearby lake first recorded by a surveyor in 1907. The name was spelt Qualeupp on some early plans.

QUIGUP

Latitude 33° 58' S Longitude 115° 42' E

The townsite of Quigup is located in the south west forest region, 289 km south of Perth and 7 km west north west of Nannup. Lots at Quigup were surveyed in 1909, to provide for employees of Bartman & Son's new sawmill in the area, and it was proposed to name the town St Johns Brook after a nearby stream. As this name had been used elsewhere in Australia it was not suitable, and the Greenbushes Road Board proposed the name Quigupp as an alternative. The townsite was gazetted as Quigup in January 1911. Quigup is an Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is not known.

QUINDALUP

Latitude 33° 32' S Longitude 116° 00' E

The townsite of Quindalup is located on Geographe Bay, 250 km west south west of Perth and 21 km west of Busselton. The Quindalup area is the site of one of the state's earliest timber industries, and a timber mill was built here and timber exported through a jetty on the coast in the early 1860's. McGibbon and Yelverton used the name Quindalup in referring to their mill in the 1860's, and in the 1870's the government reserved land here. In 1899 a number of local fishermen in the area requested the Minister for Lands to subdivide the beachfront land. The Minister approved the subdivision, surveys of "working mens blocks" were made, and the townsite of Quindalup gazetted in 1899.

Quindalup is an Aboriginal name meaning "the place of quenda's". The Quenda is a small bandicoot common in the area.

QUINDANNING

Latitude 33° 03' S Longitude 116° 34' E

The townsite of Quindanning is located in the great southern agricultural region, 157 km south south east of Perth and 35 km west of Williams. The area to the east of Quindanning was settled for agriculture in the 1830's, but it was not until around 1900 when closer settlement in the area resulted in demand for small lots. In 1906 the government considered a subdivision, as there was already a school and racecourse in the area. Lots were surveyed in 1907, and the townsite of Quindanning gazetted in October 1907. The townsite derives its name from nearby Quindaning Pool, an Aboriginal name first recorded by a surveyor in 1835. The meaning of the name is not known.

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R

RANFORD

Latitude 32° 48' S Longitude 116° 29' E

The Townsite of Ranford is located 125 km south east of Perth and 3 km north east of Boddington. In 1936 it was proposed to develop a townsite here to serve the Industrial Extracts Ltd. Factory (the company produced tanning extracts). Amongst names proposed were "Darnminning" (after a nearby pool), "Mertan" (after the company's product), "Pollard" (after the first settler in the immediate area) and Ranford, after the late Henry Samuel Ranford, a surveyor who had traversed the Hotham River and marked out the first holdings in this vicinity in 1874. The name Ranford was adopted, and the townsite was gazetted in May 1936.

RAVENSTHORPE

Latitude 33° 35' S Longitude 120° 03' E

The townsite of Ravensthorpe is located in the south coastal region, 541 km east south east of Perth and 50 km north north west of the coastal town of Hopetoun. The Ravensthorpe region was first settled by the Dunn brothers in the 1860's, and it was James Dunn who first found gold in the area in 1899. Gold mining in the area was not very productive until a new find in 1900 resulted in rapid growth. The Ravensthorpe area soon had a population of over 1000, and a strong demand for residential land.

Ravensthorpe was gazetted a townsite in January 1901, the name having been suggested by surveyor A.W. Canning after the nearby Ravensthorpe Range. The Ravensthorpe Range was named by Surveyor-General J.S. Roe in 1848 in honour of Bishop Augustus Short who, prior to becoming Bishop of WA & SA in 1847, had been the Vicar of Ravensthorpe in Northamptonshire (England) from June 1835. Bishop Short is also commemorated by Mt Short, a hill in the Ravensthorpe Range.

RAVENSWOOD

Latitude 32° 35' S Longitude 115° 50' E

The townsite of Ravenswood is located in the south west region, 83 km south of Perth and 8 km south east of Mandurah. It is located on a bend in the Murray River, and was originally the name of a property taken up in this area by Adam Armstrong in the 1840's. Armstrong's property was known as "Ravenswood Farm". Ravenswood was known as a locality as early as 1895, and following private subdivision in the area in the 1960's the Shire of Murray requested the declaration of a townsite. The townsite of Ravenswood was gazetted in 1970.

RED LAKE

Latitude 33° 09' S Longitude 121° 43' E

The townsite of Red Lake is located in the south coastal agricultural region, 817 km east south east of Perth and 86 km north of Esperance. The townsite is located on the railway line from Esperance to Norseman, and was selected as the site for a siding in 1916. The name Windich, after Tommy Windich, an Aboriginal companion of John Forrest was at first proposed for the siding and a proposed townsite. However, the area was locally known as Red Lake after a nearby lake, and when the townsite was gazetted in 1922 it was named Red Lake. The name is descriptive, being first officially recorded in 1910.

REDMOND

Latitude 34° 53' S Longitude 117° 41' E

The townsite of Redmond is located in the great southern agricultural region, 381 km south south east of Perth and 28 km north west of Albany. In 1912 the government opened a railway siding here named Mulikupp, but changed the name the same year to Redmond. The following year the District Surveyor for the region advised there was settler demand for blocks in the area, and proposed a scheme of subdivision. A school was soon built at the siding, and in 1916 the townsite of Redmond was gazetted. The reason for selection of the name Redmond, first for the station, and then the townsite, is not known at present, but it is believed to honour John Edward Redmond (1856-1918), Irish nationalist leader and the leader of Irish Home Rule in the British Parliament.

REEDY

Latitude 27° 08' S Longitude 118° 17' E

The abandoned goldfields townsite of Reedy is located in the Murchison Goldfields, 721 km north north east of Perth and 70 km north east of Cue. Gold discoveries in the area in the early 1930's resulted in mining development, and a 1933 request from Cue-Day Dawn Road Board for a townsite to be surveyed and declared. Following survey of lots a name was sought for the townsite, and Mathers and Triton were suggested, with Reedy being another choice. Reedy was selected, and the townsite gazetted in 1934. The name is derived from "Reedy's Well", a nearby water source shown on maps from 1908. It is believed to be named after H Reed who discovered gold in the area around 1899-1900.

REGANS FORD

Latitude 30° 59' S Longitude 115° 42' E

The townsite of Regans Ford is located in the northern agricultural region, 135 km north of Perth and 40 km east of Lancelin. It is located at a ford of the same name over the Moore River, the ford being named after Edward Regan. Edward Regan was the supervisor of James Clinch's flocks of sheep on the Moore River in the 1860's, and acquired land near this ford in the 1870's. The name has been shown on plans since 1880. Land was reserved as a watering place for travellers and stock here in 1880, and in 1968 it was recommended that this land be utilised as a townsite. This decision followed the planned construction of a new road from Gingin to Eneabba, crossing the Moore River at Regans Ford. The road was later extended to Dongara, and in 1976 was named Brand Highway.

ROCKINGHAM

Latitude 32° 17' S Longitude 115° 44' E

The townsite of Rockingham, located 47 km south of Perth, received its name from the ship, "Rockingham", which ran aground on the beach which fronts the present day suburb. The "Rockingham" was a 423 tonne vessel, and was the last of three ships to bring Thomas Peel's settlers from London to the new Colony. The "Rockingham" arrived at Cockburn Sound in May 1830. The ship grounded on the beach when coming in to shore. Although initially salvaged, attempts to repair the ship on Garden Island failed. The site for the townsite of Rockingham was identified in 1846 by the Surveyor-General J.S. Roe, and a townsite surveyed by Alfred Hillman in 1847. It was gazetted in June 1847. The Aboriginal name for the area is "Mooriburdup".

ROCKY GULLY

Latitude 34° 31' S Longitude 117° 02' E

The townsite of Rocky Gully is situated on the Muirs Highway 65 kilometres west of Mount Barker and 354 km south south east of Perth. Land in this area was subdivided in the 1930's, and a site selected for a townsite to be named Rocky Gully. However, it was not until 1951 that a small farming community was established here as part of the War Service Land Settlement Scheme. By May 1951 there were 220 people living in the area, and later that year lots were surveyed and the townsite of Rocky Gully gazetted.

The name Rocky Gully is presumed to be descriptive and was apparently coined by local travellers. A 1907 proposal from the Plantagenet Roads Board was "to have 320 acres of land reserved for travelling stock on the Mount Barker-Blackwood Road about 6 miles East of the Frankland River at a place known as Rocky Gully". No doubt, the spot where the road crossed the gully was of a rocky nature, giving rise to the descriptive name.

ROEBOURNE

Latitude 20° 46' S Longitude 117° 09' E

The townsite of Roebourne is located in the Pilbara region, 1563 km north of Perth and 40 km east of Karratha. The Pilbara region was first explored by F T Gregory in 1861, the area being regarded by Gregory as highly suitable for pastoral settlement. The first settlers arrived in the Roebourne area in 1863, and in 1866 the townsite of Roebourne was gazetted. The name of the townsite honours John Septimus Roe, western Australia's first Surveyor-General.

John Septimus Roe(1797-1878) was a naval officer, surveyor and explorer. He was born on 8 May 1797 in Berkshire, England, becoming a midshipman in the Royal Navy in 1813. In 1817 Roe was posted as a Master's Mate to the surveying service in NSW and took part in numerous coastal surveys. He became a Lieutenant in 1823. In June 1829 he arrived in WA to take up the position of Surveyor-General (which he held for the next 40 years). Roe was influential in Western Australia's development. Records of 16 journeys of exploration by Roe exist. He was responsible for inspiring the likes of John and Alexander Forrest and the Gregory brothers. He retired in 1870 and died on 28 May 1878.

ROELANDS

Latitude 33° 17' S Longitude 115° 49' E

The townsite of Roelands is located in the south west agricultural region, 166 km south of Perth and 20 km east of Bunbury. It is named after a property of the same name granted to the Colony's first Surveyor-General in 1830, John Septimus Roe. In 1893 when the railway line from Pinjarra to Picton Junction was opened, a railway station was established at Roelands, but named Collie, after the nearby Collie River. It was changed to Roelands in 1899, because it was confused with the new town in the coalfields (now Collie). In 1909 a school was established at Roelands, and in 1916 a private subdivision was undertaken surrounding the schoolsite. In 1963 the subdivision was gazetted a townsite at the request of the Shire of Harvey.

ROTHSAY

Latitude 29° 17' S Longitude 116° 53' E

The abandoned goldfields townsite of Rothsay is located 427 km north north east of Perth and about 70 km east north east of Perenjori. Gold was discovered in this area by George Woodley in 1894, and the area was at first known as "Woodley's Find". Woodley sold his claim to a Scottish company in 1895, and the name of the townsite most likely came from this company. Following a request fro a townsite from the local Progress Association in 1897, lots were surveyed and the townsite gazetted in 1898.

This townsite is almost certainly named after the Scottish town of Rothesay on the island of Bute off the Scottish west coast. There has been some doubt about the spelling of the name. The Progress Association used the spelling Rothesay in May 1897, and this spelling was used consistently for 18 months until just before the townsite was gazetted, when the Minister for Lands approved the spelling as Rothsay. This was most likely an error. It was gazetted as Rothsay, and has retained this spelling ever since.

RUABON

Latitude 33° 39' S Longitude 115° 29' E

The townsite of Ruabon is located in the south west agricultural region, about 14 km east of Busselton. In 1906 the government opened a railway line from Wonnerup to Jarrahwood, and in 1914 a new stopping place named Abba River was established in the area of this townsite. The stopping place was named after the nearby river, an Aboriginal name first recorded in 1834. "Abba" is a word of friendly salutation among the Aboriginals about Augusta.

In 1924 a request was received for land at the siding, and after the survey of lots a townsite named Abba River was gazetted in 1925. In 1928 the Abba River District Progress Association requested the Abba River siding be renamed Ruabon, the reason given being "the Ruabon Post Office practically adjoins the townsite, the Abba River Post Office being 2.5 miles distant from the siding". The siding and the townsite were renamed in November 1928. Ruabon is the name of a small Welsh town, and the choice may have been influenced by group settlers of Welsh descent in the area.

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S

SALMON GUMS

Latitude 32° 58' S Longitude 121° 38' E

The townsite of Salmon Gums is located in the Esperance agricultural region, 817 km from Perth and 106 km north of Esperance. It is on the main road and railway routes between Esperance and the goldfields. A railway between Esperance and Norseman was proposed in 1910, and in 1912 land for a future townsite was set aside here, as it was considered a likely watering place for the railway. In 1916 the District Surveyor recommended the townsite be named Salmon Gums, and the name was also selected for the proposed railway station. The railway however, was not built until the mid 1920's, the Esperance to Salmon Gums section opening in 1925, and the townsite of Salmon Gums was also gazetted the same year.

This townsite derives its name from a prominent belt of Salmon Gums which was a landmark for travellers to the goldfields in the 1890's. In 1910 a surveyor reported "extending NNE for about 5 miles by about one mile and a belt known as "Salmon Gums". The tree is Eucalyptus Salmonophloia, a beautiful erect and branching tree of the semi arid regions growing to a height of 25 metres with a spread of 5 metres. It is so named because of its smooth salmon coloured bark.

SANDSTONE

Latitude 27° 59' S Longitude 119° 17' E

The goldfields townsite of Sandstone is located 660 km north east of Perth and 158 km east of Mount Magnet. Gold was discovered in this area in the early 1900's, and by 1905 there were enough miners in the area for the government to be requested to declare a townsite. Correspondence in 1905 refers to the area as "Hans Irvine's Find, also known as Sandstone" and that a large amount of money had been spent on Hotels, Banks, Stores etc. When the townsite was gazetted in 1906 the name of Sandstone was approved, based on the recommendation of Warden Lawlers who reported "I have since been to Black Range, but could not get the native name of the locality, and cannot suggest a suitable native name. I would recommend the town be called 'Sandstone' or 'Sandhurst'. The place is now well known as Sandstone but a small change such as to Sandhurst would not take the public long to get into the way of calling the town by the correct name, but I would prefer the name 'Sandstone'."

SCADDAN

Latitude 33° 26' S Longitude 121° 43' E

Scaddan is a townsite on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway between Norseman and Esperance. It is located 783 km east south east of Perth and 52 km north north west of Esperance. The area of Scaddan was originally known as the "Thirty Mile", due to its distance from Esperance, but as early as 1914 residents in the area were using the name Scaddan for the place. They sought the declaration of a townsite in that year, but the government deferred such action until after the position of the Esperance-Norseman railway line was fixed. In 1915 the Post Office changed the name from Thirty Mile to Scaddan, and in 1916 sites for a school, hotel and hall were established. Despite continued pressure for a townsite, it was not until 1924 that the townsite of Scaddan was officially gazetted.

Scaddan is named after John Scaddan, CMG, Premier of Western Australia from 1911 to 1916. Known as "Happy Jack", Scaddan was born in South Australia in 1876, educated in Victoria and married in Boulder in 1900. He was elected to Parliament in 1904, and from then until 1933 represented 3 different electorates and served in many different roles in Parliament. He also served on the Perth Roads Board from 1926 to 1934, and was Chairman from 1931 to 1934.

SEABIRD

Latitude 31° 16' S Longitude 115° 26' E

The coastal townsite of Seabird is located 100 km north north west of Perth between Guilderton and Ledge Point. It is 18 km by road north of Guilderton. Like many similar coastal townsites in this region north west of Perth, the area was first settled by squatters. When this was reported on in 1965, a decision was taken to form a townsite, and the name "Chalon" after Chalon-sur-saone in France where the French botanist Leschenault was born. Pressure from the Shire of Gingin and local residents resulted in the name Seabird being adopted in 1968, the name being derived from the pastoral property within which it is located. The property name is named after the schooner "Seabird" which was stranded with a gaping hole in her port side in this area in 1874. The townsite was gazetted in March 1968.

SERPENTINE

Latitude 33° 22' S Longitude 115° 59' E

The townsite of Serpentine is located 55 km south south east of Perth and 7 km south of Mundijong. Serpentine is located on the South Western Railway between Perth and Bunbury, and was one of the original stations when the line was opened in 1893. In 1891 the government had opened up land in the area by declaring the Serpentine Agricultural Area, and in 1893 decided there was sufficient demand for town lots by gazetting the Townsite of Serpentine in December 1893. The townsite derives its name from the nearby Serpentine River. The name is descriptive, derived from the "serpentine" nature of the river in its lower reaches where it was discovered and named in the early 1830's.

SHACKLETON

Latitude 31° 56' S Longitude 117° 50' E

The townsite of Shackleton is located in the central agricultural region, 209 km east of Perth and 32 km west of Bruce Rock. It is located on the railway line from Quairading to Bruce Rock, and was approved as a siding in 1913,the year the railway line opened. A townsite was gazetted at the siding in 1951, the area having been privately developed some years earlier. There is a nearby hill named Mount Shackleton,and both the hill and townsite are named after the Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.

SHARK LAKE

Latitude 33° 47' S Longitude 121° 52' E

The townsite of Shark Lake is located in the south coastal region, 741 km east south east of Perth and 10 km north of Esperance. Land for a Common Reserve was set aside at Shark Lake in 1898, the area being a well used stopping place on the road from Esperance to the Dundas Goldfields. The area was also adjacent to the Esperance to Norseman railway which opened in the mid 1920's, but it was 1955 before a siding was opened at Shark Lake. Demand for industrial land in the 1960's resulted in the area being subdivided and a townsite gazetted in 1967. The townsite derives its name from the nearby feature Shark Lake, this name having been first recorded in 1894. It is not known why a small freshwater lake should be named Shark Lake. It was also often referred to as Shark's Lake.

SHAY GAP

Latitude 20° 31' S Longitude 120° 08' E

Shay Gap is an iron ore mining town in the Pilbara region, 1574 km north north east of Perth and 188 km east of Port Hedland. It is a company town, developed by Goldsworthy Mining Limited in the 1960's for the mining of iron ore from nearby deposits, and was gazetted in 1972. Shay Gap derives its name from a pass of the same name in the nearby hills. The name has been shown on maps since 1957, and it is believed named after a pearler named Robert Shea who, along with his companion Samuel Miller, was murdered by Aboriginals on the De Grey River in 1873.

SHELLBOROUGH

Latitude 20° 00' S Longitude 119° 22' E

The townsite of Shellborough is located in the Pilbara region, 1755 km north north east of Perth and 137 km east of Port Hedland. The early 1870's was a period of rapid growth in pearling in Western Australia, and the townsite of Shellborough was established in support of this industry. It was first surveyed in 1872, and was referred to as "Condong". However, when gazetted in 1872, the notice referred to "allotments at Condong" which will from this date be known as Shellborough. It was referred to "Condon" in the late 1870's, and has been more often known by this name than the official Shellborough. The population of the town peaked at about 200 in 1898 and decreased to about 12 in 1905. The telegraph station was abandoned in 1927.

Shellborough is located at Condon Landing on Condon Creek, hence the alternative name. This name may have some connection with Daniel Congdon (1838-1907), brother-in-law of Robert Fairbairn but the townsite was never gazetted as either Condon or Condong. The fact that the aborigines bartered shells with early visitors to this area or simply the fact that so many varieties of shells and pearl shell could be collected here may have led to the choosing of the name.

SHOTTS

Latitude 33° 23' S Longitude 116° 16' E

The townsite of Shotts is located in the south west agricultural region, 214 km south south east of Perth and 12 km south south east of Collie. It is located on the railway line from Collie to Narrogin (now closed), and opened as a siding named Benelaking in 1911. Later in 1911 the siding was renamed Shotts. The siding was in the Collie coalfields area, and Premier Coal Mining Company operated a mine at Shotts. In 1913 the Company suggested establishing a townsite there, a move supported by the Collie Road Board. The townsite was gazetted in 1917. Shotts is most likely named after the Scottish coal mining town of the same name, located approximately 30 km east of Glasgow.

SIBERIA

Latitude 30° 15' S Longitude 120° 57' E

Siberia is an abandoned goldfields townsite, located 655 km east north east of Perth and 86 km north west of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered here by the prospectors Billy Frost and Bob Bonner in the late 1890's, and the influx of miners into the area soon created demand for a townsite. Lots were surveyed and land for a townsite to be named Siberia was set aside in 1898, but when it came to gazetting the townsite the Chairman of the local Progress Committee suggested it be named Waverley, after one of the mines in the area. Waverley townsite was gazetted in October 1898.

In 1911 the Postmaster General's Department raised concern with the government about town names which were duplicated in other states, Waverley being one of these. Siberia was suggested as an alternative name, as was Wongi, derived from nearby Wongine Soak. The majority of the residents preferred Siberia, and the name change was gazetted in November 1914. Siberia derives its name from Siberia Tank, a nearby water supply for the area. The origin of the name is uncertain, but in a book on the goldfields by Duke Stewart the author wrote that J S Christie told him how Siberia was named. "A swagman struck the track near the Carnage and cut on a tree the words: To Hell or Siberia".

SIR SAMUEL

Latitude 27° 38' S Longitude 120° 33' E

The abandoned goldfields townsite of Sir Samuel is located 1011 km north east of Perth and about 40 km north north west of Leinster. Gold was first discovered in this area around 1895, and by 1896 it was regarded as likely to become an important mining centre, and a request was made to survey a townsite. Following the selection of a site for the townsite, the Mining Warden for the area, A G Clifton suggested 3 possible names, Clifton after himself; Herberton after Herberts the original finder of gold in the area and Newmanton, after A W Newman, the surveyor. The Lands Department felt that the area was already too well known as Mt Sir Samuel, but the Mt. could be dropped from the name. This was agreed to, and the townsite of Sir Samuel was gazetted in 1897.

The townsite takes it's name from the nearby feature of Mount Sir Samuel, which was named by the explorer Lawrence Wells in February 1892. Wells was the surveyor in the Elder Exploring Expedition which had left from Adelaide the previous year, and he named Mount Sir Samuel after Sir Samuel James Way, Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of South Australia.

SOUTH BOULDER

Latitude 30° 48' S Longitude 121° 30' E

The townsite of South Boulder is located in the eastern goldfields region, 595 km east north east of Perth. It is within the Kalgoorlie-Boulder urban area. Gold was discovered in this area in 1893, and the townsite of Boulder gazetted in 1896. As the area grew demand for land increased, and in 1898 the Ivanhoe Suburban Area was gazetted south of Boulder. In 1906 the Postmaster General's Department decided to establish a post office at Ivanhoe, but first requested the name be changed because of two established towns of this name in the eastern states. Local authorities suggested South Boulder as an alternative, and the South Boulder townsite was gazetted in August 1906. South Boulder derives its name from its location south of Boulder. Boulder in turn derives its name from a mine named "The Boulder" at Dashwoods Gully in South Australia.

SOUTH KUMMININ

Latitude 32° 12' S Longitude 118° 20' E

The townsite of South Kumminin is located in the central agricultural region, 281 km east of Perth and 19 km south of Narembeen. It is located on the railway line from Kondinin to Merredin, and when the Kondinin to Narembeen section was opened in 1917,the siding here was named Arrowsmith after nearby Mt Arrowsmith. However, it was soon confused with Harrismith siding, and in June 1917 was changed to South Kumminin. Lots were surveyed here in 1918, but it was 1921 before the townsite of South Kumminin was officially gazetted. Kumminin is an Aboriginal word of uncertain meaning.

SOUTH STIRLING

Latitude 34° 35' S Longitude 118° 12' E

The townsite of South Stirling is located in the great southern agricultural region, 423 km south east of Perth and 68 km east of Mount Barker. It is located about 20 km south of the Stirling Range, hence the name. In the early 1950's the government opened up land in this area, and it was known as the "South Stirlings War Service Land Settlement Scheme. In 1954 the local member of Parliament lobbied the Lands Department to establish a townsite, The establishment of a townsite was delayed until sufficient settlers had moved into the area, and it was not gazetted until 1959. In 1957 the name Stirling was considered unsuitable for the townsite because of duplication in another state, and other names were considered. Eventually Moirton, after the pioneering Moir family was selected and approved by the Minister for Lands, but was soon subject to a local protest. After lengthy debate on the selection of the name, South Stirling was supported in 1959, and was the name used when the townsite was gazetted. The Stirling Range, from which the townsite derives its name, was named in 1835 after the then Governor of Western Australia, Sir James Stirling.

SOUTHERN CROSS

Latitude 31° 14' S Longitude 119° 20' E

The townsite of Southern Cross is located in the central agricultural region, 369 km east north east of Perth and 109 km east north east of Merredin. Although now in an agricultural region, Southern Cross began as a gold mining town, gold having been discovered here in 1888. The original prospecting party to find gold here named the area after the Southern Cross constellation they had used at when travelling at night. Further rich finds of gold in the area resulted in Southern Cross booming, almost over night, and the townsite was gazetted in 1890.

STRACHAN

Latitude 34° 24' S Longitude 116° 28' E

The townsite of Strachan is located in the south west about 50 km east south east of Manjimup. The area was the site of the Tone River Mill, when in 1952 the government decided to design a new townsite here. The design was carried out by the State Housing Commission, as the housing to be developed here was to be State Housing for the mill employees. When it came to gazette the townsite in 1957 the Surveyor-General suggested it be named Twakerup, the local Aboriginal name for the area, but local residents did not favour this name. The name Strachan (pronounced Strawn) in commemoration of two old pioneers of the district, a brother and sister, was suggested by the Forests Department, and this name gazetted in July 1957. There has been little public acceptance of the name Strachan, and the area is still referred to as Tone River. There is another townsite about 30 km north east on the Tone River named Tonebridge.

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T

TAMBELLUP

Latitude 34° 03' S Longitude 117° 38' E

The townsite of Tambellup is located in the Great Southern Agricultural region, 317 km south east of Perth and 23 km south of Broomehill. The area around Tambellup was first settled by pastoralists in the late 1840's, and in 1849 the Surveyor-General, John Septimus Roe, when passing through the area, referred to Morrison's south west station at "Tambul-yillup". The area was later settled by the Norrish family, and the spelling commonly used for the place then was "Tambellelup". When the Great Southern Railway was opened in 1889 a station was established at Tambellup, and it appears that the shortened version of the name was created by the railway, as the timetable in 1889 uses the Tambellup spelling. Tambellup was gazetted a townsite in 1899. The meaning of this Aboriginal name is not known, although one source gives it as "place of thunder"(from Toombellanup).

TAMMIN

Latitude 31° 39' S Longitude 117° 29' E

The townsite of Tammin is located in the central agricultural region, 179 km east of Perth and midway between the towns of Cunderdin and Kellerberrin on the Great Eastern Highway. The railway to Southern Cross was constructed through here in 1894-95, and Tammin was one of the original stations when the line opened in 1895. As the surrounding area developed for agriculture,there was sufficient demand for land in the area for the government to declare a townsite, and Tammin townsite was gazetted in 1899. Tammin is an Aboriginal name derived from the nearby Tammin Rock, a name first recorded by the explorer C C Hunt in 1864. The rock possibly derives its name from the "Tammar", the Aboriginal name of the "Black Gloved Wallaby" which was once found in this area. Another source records it as possibly meaning "a grandmother or a grandfather".

TAMPA

Latitude 29° 13' S Longitude 121° 27' E

Tampais an abandoned goldfields townsite located 805 km east north east of Perth and about 55 km south of Leonora. Gold was discovered in the Tampa area in the late 1890's, and by 1896 there was enough demand for land for the government to survey a townsite. Following survey the townsite of Tampa was gazetted in 1897. Little is known about the reason why this name was chosen for the townsite, but it may be derived from the city of Tampa in Florida, USA. The nearest townsite to Tampa is Niagara, also an American name. Tampa USA is an Indian name recorded by the Spanish from before 1600, and believed derived from the Indian word itimpi, meaning "near it".

TARDUN

Latitude 28° 47' S Longitude 115° 45' E

Tardun is a townsite in the northern agricultural region, 427 km north of Perth and 41 km south east of Mullewa. When the route of the Mullewa-Wongan Hills Railway was determined in 1913 the District Surveyor for the region advised that the site of the proposed siding at 61 miles 52 chains from Wongan Hills was a suitable for a townsite. He proposed it be named Undanooka after the Aboriginal name of a nearby well. Undatarra, after a nearby spring, was selected as the name of the proposed siding, and when the townsite was gazetted in 1913 it also was named Undatarra. In 1925 the Secretary for Railways advised that the name of Undatarra was too similar to another siding, Utakarra, and the name Tardun was suggested as an alternative. No origin was given for the name, although it may be a rearrangement of some of the letters in Undatarra. The local Road Board suggested Undanooka,but this was regarded as too close to Yandanooka, and the siding and townsite were changed to Tardun in 1925. There was no development at Tardun before 1927 when the first lots in the townsite were surveyed.

TENINDEWA

Latitude 28° 37' S Longitude 115° 22' E

The townsite of Tenindewa is located in the northern agricultural region, 464 km north of Perth and 15 km west south west of Mullewa. A railway line from geraldton to Mullewa was constructed in 1894, and passed the location of this townsite. However, it was 1908 before a station was opened here, the name "55 Mile Siding" being first used for the feature. This was changed to Kockatea after the Aboriginal name of a nearby gully in September 1908, and almost a year later was changed again, this time to Tenindewa. The townsite of Tenindewa was gazetted in 1913. Tenindewa is an Aboriginal name of unknown origin.

TENTERDEN

Latitude 34° 22' S Longitude 117° 34' E

The townsite of Tenterden is located in the great southern agricultural region, 328 km south east of Perth and 11 km south of Cranbrook. It is located on the Great Southern Railway, and although not one of the original sidings when the line was opened in 1889, a siding had been established here by 1891. Also in 1891 the government opened up agricultural land adjacent to the siding, by declaring the Tenterden Agricultural Area, and in 1893 part of this land was gazetted as the townsite of Tenterden. Both Tenterden and nearby Cranbrook are named after towns of the same name in Kent, England. They are believed to have been named by Mr J A Wright, who was manager of the Western Australian Land Company which built the railway. Mr Wright was educated at Queen Elizabeth School in Cranbrook.

THREE SPRINGS

Latitude 29° 32' S Longitude 115° 46' E

The townsite of Three Springs is located in the northern agricultural region, 316 km north of Perth and 23 km north west of Carnamah. Land in this region was taken up for pastoral leasing in the 1860's, but it was the construction of the Midland Railway through the area that opened it up. When this section of the railway was opened in 1895, Three Springs was one of the new stations on the line. The Midland railway Company was granted the land on the eastern side of the railway, but land on the western side remained in government hands. Demand from settlers resulted in the government opening up land, and the Kadathinni Agricultural Area was declared in 1905. In 1907 the government decided to declare a townsite adjacent to the Three Springs Station, and following the survey of lots, Kadathinni townsite was gazetted in 1908. It was also intended to change the name of the station when the townsite was named, but this was overlooked, and it remained Three Springs. The townsite was also locally known as Three Springs, and in 1946 Kadathinni was changed to Three Springs to conform with local usage.

Three Springs derives its name from nearby springs of this name, first recorded in the 1870's. The name is descriptive.

TINCURRIN

Latitude 32° 59' S Longitude 117° 46' E

In 1911 the government decided to construct a railway line from Yillimining to Kondinin, the proposed route for the line passing through the Tincurrin area. When the site for a siding in this area was selected the Aboriginal names suggested by the district surveyor were "Kwonyonding" with Tinkurring as alternative. The name Tinkurrin was approved for the siding in 1914. Land near the siding was set aside for a future townsite in 1915, and in 1922 the townsite of Tincurrin was gazetted. Tincurrin is an Aboriginal name derived from the nearby Tincurring Spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1892. The meaning of the name is unknown.

TOM PRICE

Latitude 22° 42' S Longitude 117° 48' E

Tom Price is an iron mining town in the Pilbara region, 1458 km north north east of Perth and 89 km north of Paraburdoo. Following the discovery and development of the iron mining industry in this area in the 1960's, a private townsite named Tom Price was established by Rio Tinto Southern Pty Ltd. It was officially named Tom Price Townsite in 1967, but was not a gazetted townsite until 1985. The townsite derives its name from Mount Tom Price, a mountain in the Hamersley Range named in 1962. The name Mount Tom Price was proposed by Rio Tinto Southern Pty Ltd after the late Mr Tom Price, a colleague of theirs who was involved in iron ore negotiations with the Premier of Western Australia in 1961. Mr Price was highly regarded and played an important role in the eraly development of the iron mining industry in the Pilbara.

TONEBRIDGE

Latitude 34° 14' S Longitude 116° 42' E

The townsite of Tonebridge is located in the south west agricultural region 330 km south south east of Perth and 61 km south east of Boyup Brook. It is a descriptive name, derived from its location adjacent to the bridge where the Boyup Brook-Cranbrook Road crosses the Tone River. The Tone River was named by the explorer Lieutenant Crossman in 1853, probably after Tone in Somerset, England, which is a small river which rises in the hills to the west of Taunton, a corruption of Tone Town. The townsite was gazetted in 1961.

TOODYAY

Latitude 31° 33' S Longitude 116° 28' E

The townsite of Toodyay is located on the Avon River in the central agricultural region, 86 km north east of Perth and 26 km north west of Northam. It is one of the earliest inland towns in the state, and was surveyed in 1833 following the settlement of the Avon region. However, the townsite's location on the Avon was subject to flooding, and in 1860 an alternative site about 5 km higher up the Avon was gazetted as a townsite and named Newcastle (probably named after the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State 1853). The focus of development in the area then became Newcastle.

In 1909 the Prime Minister wrote to the state government requesting consideration be given to changing the name of Newcastle because of duplication with Newcastle in New South Wales. The Prime Minister suggested the name Toodyay be considered. The Newcastle Municipality at first opposed the change, but following a referendum of residents the name change to Toodyay was supported. The change was gazetted in May 1910, and at the same time the Toodyay townsite was renamed West Toodyay. Toodyay is an Aboriginal name of uncertain meaning. In 1836 the name was referred to as "Duidgee", and some references refer to it as possibly named after the Aboriginal Toodyeep who was the wife of the Coondebung who accompanied Moore & Dale in exploring the area in 1831.

Another origin for Duidgee is that Duidgee most likely mimics a birdcall whose song once reflected the rich seasonal habitat of the bulrush-fringed pools and creek-lines of the Toodyay Valley. Next time you walk along the river or creek after the first rains of autumn and you see the acrobatic and energetic movements of the Restless Flycatcher as it hawks its insect prey, keep your ears open and you might hear the familiar sound of duigee-duigee, especially towards sundown'.
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TOOLIBIN

Latitude 32° 57' S Longitude 117° 37' E

The townsite of Toolibin is located in the great southern agricultural region, 236 km south east of Perth and 44 km east of Narrogin. In 1911 the government decided to construct a railway line from Yillimining to Kondinin, the proposed route for the line passing just to the south of Toolibin Lake. Toolibin was selected as the name of the siding nearest the lake in 1913. In 1912 the farmers in the area petitioned the government to also declare a townsite at Toolibin, and after inspection of the site and survey of lots a townsite was gazetted in May 1914. Toolibin is an Aboriginal name, derived from the name of the nearby lake. The lake name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1892.

TORBAY

Latitude 35° 01' S Longitude 117° 38' E

The townsite of Torbay is located in the great southern agricultural region, not far from the south coast 430 km south south east of Perth and 20 km west of Albany. In 1889 a railway line was constructed through this area by Millars Karri and Jarrah Forests Ltd to transport timber from sawmills in the Torbay area, one of the stations on the line being named Torbay. Millars also held the land around the railway, and in 1899 when the good timber had been removed the land was acquired by the government. It was subdivided and released for agriculture 1900, but land near the old station was reserved for future subdivision as a townsite. This area was gazetted as the townsite of Torbay in 1910.

Torbay derives its name from the Bay of the same name located on the coast just south of the townsite. The bay was named in 1831 by Governor Stirling whilst exploring the area with Surveyor-General Roe. It is most likely named after Tor Bay on the coast of Devon, England. A Tor is an isolated mass of rock, usually granite.

TRAFALGAR

Latitude 30° 47' S Longitude 121° 31' E

The townsite of Trafalgar is located in the goldfields region, 598 km east north east of Perth and 3 km east of Boulder. As demand for land increased in the Kalgoorlie area in the late 1890's, the government set aside an area named the "Lake View Suburban Area", this name being gazetted in 1899. In August 1899 the residents of the area met and formed the "Trafalgar Square Progress Committee", preferring this name to Lake View. In 1900 the name was shortened to Trafalgar Progress Committee, and in 1901 the Lake View Suburban Area was renamed Trafalgar Townsite. In 1904 it was changed back to Lake View, because there was another Trafalgar in Victoria. Local usage however remained Trafalgar, as did the railway station and post office, and in 1923 it was changed back to Trafalgar. The reason for the choice of name is not known, but it is obviously named after London's Trafalgar Square.

TRAYNING

Latitude 31° 07' S Longitude 117° 48' E

The townsite of Trayning is located in the central agricultural region, 236 km east north east of Perth and 44 km east of Wyalkatchem. When the Dowerin to Merredin railway was planned in 1910 Trayning was selected as the site for a siding. Land was set aside for a townsite to be named Trayning Siding in 1910, but when it was surveyed and gazetted in 1912 it was named Trayning. The townsite is named after Trayning Well, the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source located on an old road from Goomalling to the eastern goldfields. It was first recorded by a surveyor in 1892

TUCKANARRA

Latitude 27° 07' S Longitude 118° 05' E

The abandoned goldfields townsite of Tuckanarra is located in the Murchison Goldfield, 692 km north north east of Perth and 41 km north north east of Cue on the Great Northern Highway. Gold was discovered here by Boyle and Moore early in 1897, and for a time the place was known as Boyle's Find. In early 1898 the government proposed to erect a battery here, and the Tuckanarra Progress Committee requested a townsite be declared. After some debate about the exact location of the townsite, lots were surveyed in late 1898 and the townsite gazetted in February 1899. Tuckanarra is an Aboriginal name, first recorded for a nearby hill in 1889. One expert in seeking to derive a meaning for the name has suggested that the meaning for the Aboriginal word "dtuka"is the coolaman or wooden dish and "gnurra"is camp or mia mia. Therefore the probable meaning of this name is "camp of the wooden dish".

TUNNEY

Latitude 34° 07' S Longitude 117° 22' E

The townsite of Tunney is located on the Albany Highway in the great southern agricultural region, 295 km south south east of Perth and 27 km north west of Cranbrook. In 1909 Mr A J Aitcheson, a new settler, wrote on behalf of residents in the district seeking support for a school and other facilities, and the declaration of a townsite. After inspection of the area by the government land agent land was set aside for a townsite, at a place near Slab Hut Gully. The area was also locally known as Paul Valley, and the Aboriginal name of the area was Teulungup. Lots were surveyed in the townsite in 1910, and the name Tulungup was at first proposed, but was rejected by the Minister for Lands. The local residents unanimously supported it be named Tunney, after the oldest resident in the area, Mr J T Tunney, but the Minister was keen to use an Aboriginal name. From a selection of names in the district he chose Nymbupp, but there was strong local opposition to this name. Eventually local feeling prevailed, and the Minister for Lands agreed to the name being Tunney. The townsite was gazetted in 1912.

The name honours Mr James Tunney, the son of Sgt John Tunney, a former Enrolled Pensioner Guard who first settled in this district in the 1860's. James Tunney owned land around this townsite from the 1880's.

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V

VARLEY

Latitude 32° 48' S Longitude 119° 30' E

The townsite of Varley is located in the eastern agricultural region, 422 km east south east of Perth and 41 km north north west of Lake King. The area was opened up for agriculture in the 1930's, and in 1938 the local progress association sought the help of their member of Parliament to have a townsite declared. Approval was given in late 1938, and following survey the townsite of Varley was gazetted in 1939. Although local usage of the name was Lake Varley, the Varley form was favoured by the Nomenclature Advisory Committee, and Varley became the gazetted name. The townsite is named after nearby Lake Varley and Varley Rock. They were both named by the explorer Frank Hann in 1901, and although Hann does not specify the person he intended to honour by this name, it most likely honours Gustavus Varley, a public servant in the Mines Department in 1897, and appointed to the Lands and Surveys Department in 1904 as a Government Land Agent.

VASSE

Latitude 33° 41' S Longitude 115° 17' E

The townsite of Vasse is located in the south west, 240 km south south west of Perth and 11 km south west of Busselton. The townsite is named after the nearby Vasse River and Vasse Estuary, both of which are named after a French seaman, Thomas Timothee Vasse who was believed to have drowned here in June 1801. Vasse was a helmsman on the Naturaliste, a ship which was part of a French scientific expedition to Australia in 1801-03. He was washed overboard and lost, and the river was consequently named in his honour. In 1838, G.F. Moore interviewed the aboriginals about Vasse and noted in his diary that Vasse had not been drowned but died later from anxiety, exposure and poor diet.

Vasse townsite was formerly part of the Busselton Commonage reserve, an area set aside in 1879 for the common use of Busselton residents. In 1898 the land was inspected by the Department of Agriculture, and was proposed as suitable for subdivision into 5 and 10 acre blocks for dairying in support of the soon to open Busselton butter factory. The good land in the area was swamp land, and release of lots was delayed pending drainage. When subdivision was finalised in 1906, the surveyor suggested the area be named Vasse after the river, and the townsite of Vasse was then gazetted in 1907. The townsite is very elongated and covers three separate areas. Vasse Siding on the Busselton-Margaret River Railway was named in 1923.

VIVIEN

Latitude 27° 59' S Longitude 120° 34' E

Vivien is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 967 km north east of Perth and 14 km south west of Leinster. In 1905 the local progress association, calling itself the Progress Committee of Harris or Vivien requested the mining warden to arrange for lots to be made available. Development of Harris around 1903 was followed by an extension in 1905, commonly referred to as Vivien. The Vivien Gold Mine and the Vivien Gem Reef were located here. When the Lands and Surveys Department considered the gazettal of a townsite, both names were regarded as unsuitable and the Warden was asked to suggest an alternative name. He replied with strong support for Vivien, and Vivien townsite was gazetted in 1906. It is believed it may be named after the author May Vivienne whose book on travels in the Western Australian goldfields was published in 1902.

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W

WADDERIN

Latitude 32° 00' S Longitude 118° 27' E

The townsite of Wadderin is located in the central agricultural region, 290 km east of Perth and 10 km north east of Narembeen. It is located on the Narembeen to Merredin railway, and when the line was opened in 1924, Wadderin Hill was one of the original sidings. Land was set aside at the siding for a future townsite, and following a request for land, lots were surveyed and the townsite of Wadderin gazetted in 1925. The name of the townsite is derived from nearby Wadderin Hill, an Aboriginal name first recorded by an explorer in 1865. The word is similar to another Aboriginal word which means the "doe kangaroo".

WAGERUP

Latitude 32° 57' S Longitude 115° 54' E

The townsite of Wagerup is located in the south west agricultural region, 124 km south of Perth and 12 km south of Waroona. It was gazetted a townsite in 1899, taking its name from the railway station of the same name and nearby Wagerup Brook. The brook was first spelt Waigeerup by a surveyor in 1853 and the same spelling was used when the railway station opened in 1896. However, by 1899 it was spelt Wagerup. A local story has it that the man who originally painted the sign on the railway platform misspelt the name as Wagerup, and this spelling has been in use ever since. Wagerup is an Aboriginal name said to mean "Place of Emus" (Waitch).

WAGIN

Longitude 33° 19' S Longitude 117° 21' E

The townsite of Wagin is located in the great southern agricultural region, 229 km south east of Perth and 49 km south south east of Narrogin. When the Great Southern Railway from Albany to Beverley was completed in 1889 one of the original stations on the line was "Wagin Lake". The company that built the line, the W A land Company, developed a private town at the station, gazetting the town as Wagin Lake in 1891. In 1896 the government purchased the line and the land owned by the company, and soon after considered expanding the townsite to the southward, in an area referred to as "Wagin Bank", as it was on the bank of Wagin Lake. The townsite was resurveyed, and when it came to gazetting the townsite in 1897 the Surveyor-General decided it should be renamed Wagin, as "I think the word lake is superfluous, and by its omission the name is more euphonious".

Wagin derives its name from Wagin Lake, a usually dry salt lake south of the town. The name Wagin is Aboriginal, having been first recorded for the lake by a surveyor in 1869-72. The meaning of the name is "place of Emu's".

WALGOOLAN

Latitude 31° 23' S Longitude 118° 34' E

The townsite of Walgoolan is located in the eastern agricultural region, 290 km east north east of Perth and 8 km east of Burracoppin. Located on the main eastern railway, Walgoolan was established as a siding between 1895 and 1899. Land was set aside for a townsite here in 1913, and in 1922 lots were surveyed, and the townsite of Walgoolan gazetted in 1923. In a report on Aboriginal names of the Southern Cross district compiled around 1900 the meaning of Walgoolan is given as "a place where short bushes grow".

WALPOLE

Latitude 34° 59' S Longitude 116° 44' E

The townsite of Walpole is located on the south coast, 423 km south south east of Perth and 66 km west of Denmark. It derives its name from Walpole Inlet, being located on the shore of the inlet. Walpole Inlet takes its name from the river flowing into it discovered by Captain Thomas Bannister in 1831, and named by Governor Stirling after Captain W Walpole with whom he served on the "Warspite" in 1808.

In 1910 the government set aside land in the Walpole area as a national park, and in the following years and in the 1920's the area became a popular tourist destination. In 1929 the railway line reached Nornalup, 13 km east of Walpole, and in 1930 the Nornalup Reserves Board proposed the development of an area for small suburban lots for holiday cottages on Nornalup Inlet. A site was selected for a townsite in 1932 and lots surveyed in 1933. When the townsite was gazetted in 1933 the name Walpole was preferred, but it was named Nornalup, as it was believed the name Walpole had already been used in Tasmania. Confusion soon arose, as the name Nornalup related more to the railway terminus 13 km east on the Frankland River. A number of renaming options were considered before the Post Office confirmed that there wasn't a Walpole in Tasmania, and so in 1934 Nornalup was renamed Walpole.

WANDERING

Latitude 32° 41' S Longitude 116° 41' E

Wandering townsite is located in the great southern agricultural region, 120 km south east of Perth and 32 km north east of Boddington. Settlers first moved into the Wandering area around 1860, and by 1877 there was sufficient population in the area for the government to set aside land for a school. By 1911 demand for building lots in the area resulted in the government surveying a lots, and in 1912 gazetting the townsite of Wandering. The name is derived from Wandering Brook, the name first being recorded in 1859 as Wandelring Brook. It was recorded as Wandering Brook in 1866. It is an Aboriginal name, one account of the origin contending that an early settler coined the name after learning that the aboriginal name for the area was "Wandooin" after the Wandoo or White Gum tree that is prevalent there.

WANNAMAL

Latitude 31° 10' S Longitude 116° 03' E

The townsite of Wannamal is located in the central agricultural region, 115 km north north east of Perth and 31 km north of Bindoon. Land in the area was first taken up for grazing leases in the 1850's, although it was the 1870's before there was any permanent settlement in the area. In 1892 the Midland Railway reached the Wannamal area, and in 1895 a Wannamal siding was opened on the line. Increasing settlement of the district and the growing importance of the area prompted the government to decide to declare a townsite at Wannamal, and following the survey of lots Wannamal was gazetted a townsite in 1908. The townsite derives its name from nearby Wannamal Lake, an Aboriginal name first recorded in 1853 as Wannamal Swamp. The meaning of the name is uncertain, although one source gives it as meaning "lake".

WANNOO

Latitude 26° 49' S Longitude 114° 38' E

The townsite of Wannoo is located on the North West Coastal Highway, 657 km north north west of Perth and 180 km north of Northampton. It is more often known as Billabong, being the site of the Billabong Roadhouse. The townsite was gazetted in 1963 following a request by Tourist Authorities for land to be set aside for a roadhouse and motel development. The name Wannoo is Aboriginal, being the name of a variety of wattle found in the district which is a valuable stock food.

WAROONA

Latitude 32° 51' S Longitude 115° 55' E

Waroona townsite is located in the south west agricultural region, 112 km south of Perth and 25 km south of Pinjarra. When the Pinjarra to Picton railway line opened in 1893 a station named Drake's Brook was opened here, the name being derived from the nearby brook named after W H Drake, an original land holder in the area. In 1895 the government decided to declare a townsite at the station, and following the survey of lots Drake's Brook townsite was gazetted in March 1895. In 1896 the Surveyor-General suggested that Drake's Brook should be named Drakesbrook, "as it is more euphonious and would look better on the plan". The change of name was supported, and the name Drakesbrook was adopted forthwith.

In 1895 Joseph McDowell built a timber mill about 2 kilometres north of the initial Drakesbrook subdivision, but still within the townsite. A siding was soon built near the mill, and by 1896 there was a demand for lots near the mill and siding. Only two lots had sold in the first subdivision, so lots were surveyed near the mill, and by 1897 the siding, which had at first been named McDowell's, was referred to as Waroona. All further development was concentrated near McDowell's Waroona mill and the siding, and this soon came to be the name by which the place was known. However, it was not until 1946 that Drakesbrook was officially renamed Waroona. McDowell is said to have come from a " Werroona" in Victoria, and it is believed the name Waroona is a misspelling of the Victorian name.

WARRACHUPPIN

Latitude 31° 01' S Longitude 118° 42' E

The townsite of Warrachuppin is located 342 km east north east of Perth and 41 km west of Bullfinch. Warrachuppin was first established as a siding when the Lake Brown - Bullfinch railway line was opened in 1928, but land was soon set aside for a townsite at the siding. Following the survey of lots Warrachuppin was gazetted as a townsite in 1931. Warrachuppin is an Aboriginal name of unknown meaning, first recorded for a rock by a surveyor in 1889. It was also recorded in 1864 with the spelling Warradgebin.

WARRALAKIN

Latitude 31° 01' S Longitude 118° 36' E

The townsite of Warralakin is located in the eastern agricultural region, 333 km east north east of Perth and 45 km east south east of Mukinbudin. In 1926 the Geelakin Progress Association sought to have the district officially named, and the name Geelakin, after the Aboriginal name of a hill and well, was proposed. The Post Office opposed this name as it sounded too much like Jilakin near Kulin. "Warralakin" was suggested as an alternative by the Geelakin Progress Association, and this name was approved in August 1927. No information on the name was provided, but it is believed to be a combination of Warrachuppin and Geelakin, the Aboriginal names of two wells in the district.

After the railway was extended to this point in 1928 a petition from 80 landholders for a townsite there was presented to the Surveyor-General. Following the survey of lots the townsite of Warralakin was gazetted in 1929.

WATEROUS

Latitude 32° 54' S Longitude 115° 59' E

Waterous is a now abandonded former timber milling town, located in the south west jarrah forest region about 10 km south east of Waroona. The townsite was created in 1907 to provide blocks for working men from the nearby Waterous Mill of the Millars Karri and Jarrah Co. The townsite takes its name from the sawmill which was named after the huge single cylinder steam engine that drove it, an engine made by the Waterous Company of England. The mill commenced operation in October 1897.

WATHEROO

Latitude 30° 18' S Longitude 116° 04' E

The townsite of Watheroo is located in the northern agricultural region, 214 km north of Perth and 40 km north of Moora. When the Midland Railway Company railway line from Midland to Walkaway was opened in 1894, Watheroo was one of the original stations on the line. By 1907 the government decided there was enough interest in the area to declare a townsite, and Watheroo was gazetted in October 1907. The townsite derives its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Watheroo Spring. Land around the spring was taken up by James Oliver in 1851, although the first record of the name by a surveyor is in 1873.

WELBUNGIN

Latitude 30° 50' S Longitude 117° 59' E

The townsite of Welbungin is located in the eastern agricultural region, 287 km east north east of Perth and 13 km east of Bencubbin. Land for a community hall was reserved here in 1915, and in 1921 the location of the Mount Marshall to Lake Brown extension of the railway was determined to pass close by. A site for a station was fixed, and the local branch of the Primary Producers Association requested the declaration of a townsite. Welbungin was used as the address of the Association, but the locality was also referred to as Polkinghorne's Corner. When the townsite was gazetted in 1923 it was named Welbunging after the Aboriginal name of a nearby hill first recorded in 1889, but the local spelling remained Welbungin. Welbunging was officially amended to Welbungin in 1944.

WELLSTEAD

Latitude 34° 30' S Longitude 118° 36' E

The townsite of Wellstead is located in the great southern agricultural region, 476 km south east of Perth and 21 km south west of Boxwood Hill. Farmland in this area was opened up in the early 1960's, and as the population of the area increased there was demand for the government to set aside land for a townsite. A telephone exchange was established in 1965 and named Wellstead at the request of the Postmaster-General's Department. When a townsite was gazetted later the same year it was also named Wellstead. The name commemorates the Wellstead family (John and Ann) who settled in the district around 1860 and held extensive lands between Cape Riche and Bremer Bay.

WEST TOODYAY

Latitude 31° 32' S Longitude 116° 26' E

The townsite of West Toodyay Toodyay is located on the Avon River in the central agricultural region, about 90 km north east of Perth and 5 km north west of Toodyay. It was formerly named Toodyay, and is one of the earliest inland towns in the state. It was surveyed in 1833 following the settlement of the Avon region. However, the townsite's location on the Avon was subject to flooding, and in 1860 an alternative site about 5 km higher up the Avon was gazetted as a townsite and named Newcastle (probably named after the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State 1853). The focus of development in the area then became Newcastle.

In 1909 the Prime Minister wrote to the state government requesting consideration be given to changing the name of Newcastle because of duplication with Newcastle in New South Wales. The Prime Minister suggested the name Toodyay be considered. The Newcastle Municipality at first opposed the change, but following a referendum of residents the name change to Toodyay was supported. The change was gazetted in May 1910, and at the same time the Toodyay townsite was renamed West Toodyay. Toodyay is an Aboriginal name of uncertain meaning. In 1836 the name was referred to as "Duidgee", and some references refer to it as possibly named after the Aboriginal Toodyeep who was the wife of the Coondebung who accompanied Moore & Dale in exploring the area in 1831.

WESTDALE

Latitude 32° 19' S Longitude 116° 37' E

The townsite of Westdale is located in the central agricultural region, 93 km east south east of Perth and 44 km south west of Beverley. The surrounding area was taken up for farming early in the 1900's, and in 1906 the Dale Progress Association asked the government to set aside an area of land for a future townsite. The area was referred to as " West Dale" at that time, and although the government agreed to the request and reserved an area for a future townsite, it was felt there was little likelihood of development unless a proposed railway was constructed in the area. The railway did not eventuate, and for many years the townsite land was used for grazing stock. In 1967 a school was erected, and the Shire of Beverley reported some interest in land in the area. This resulted in the area being gazetted as the townsite of Westdale in 1971. There has been very little development in this townsite. Westdale derives its name from its location west of the Dale River. The Dale River is named after its discoverer, Ensign Robert Dale who discovered it in September 1831.

WESTONIA

Latitude 31° 18' S Longitude 118° 42' E

The townsite of Westonia is located in the eastern agricultural region, 310 km north east of Perth and 28 km east north east of Burracoppin. Gold was discovered in this area near Bodallin Soak by A D Weston in 1910, and as a result the area became known as Weston's Reward. The area was referred to as "Westons" and some lots were surveyed in 1913 for a business and residence area, but for many years the government and residents resisted declaring the area a townsite. By 1914 the population was 550, and locals had changed the name and formed the Westonia Progress Association. It was to be another 12 years before the area was finally gazetted a townsite in February 1926.

WHARTON

Latitude 33° 55' S Longitude 122° 35' E

The townsite of Wharton is located on the south coast, 821 km east south east of Perth and 90 km east of Esperance. It is located on the picturesque Duke of Orleans Bay, and in 1882 land for a reserve for recreation was set aside here. The area of the reserve was enlarged in 1903, and in the late 1950's, following the opening up of the district to agriculture it was decided to lay out a townsite in the reserve. Following the design and survey the townsite of Wharton was gazetted in 1964, although development in the townsite has been limited to a caravan park, golf course and camping area. The townsite is named after nearby Wharton Island which was named during a hydrographic survey in 1900 after Admiral Sir Wm. J.L.Wharton Rear Admiral, Hydrographer in the Royal Navy 1887.

WHEATLEY

Latitude 34° 06' S Longitude 115° 59' E

The townsite of Wheatley is located in the south west forests region, 300 km south of Perth and 28 km north west of Manjimup. A sawmill was established here by Mr Thomas Wheatley around 1912, and the mill was later taken over by Bunning Brothers, and referred to as the Donnelly River mill. In 1950 the State Housing Commission financed the erection of houses for the mill employees, and requested the area be declared a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in 1956, and named Wheatley after Mr Tom Wheatley at the request of the Forests Department. Tom Wheatley (1865-1943) was formerly a Policeman, and settled in the Bridgetown area in the late 1880's. Wheatley is more commonly known locally and in the tourism industry as Donnelly River or Donnelly River Mill.

WIALKI

Latitude 30° 29' S Longitude 118° 07' E

The townsite of Wialki is located in the eastern agricultural region, 341 km north east of Perth and 25 km east of Beacon. An extension to the railway was planned to pass through this area in 1929, and the district surveyor suggested the proposed station be named Datjoin after a nearby Aboriginal soak. However, the Railways Department opposed this name, and Wialki, after another nearby Aboriginal soak was chosen for the station in 1930. Wialki was gazetted a townsite in 1933. The meaning of the name is not known.

WICKEPIN

Latitude 32° 47' S Longitude 117° 30' E

The townsite of Wickepin is located in the great southern agricultural region, 213 km east south east of Perth and 38 km north east of Narrogin. The planned extension of the railway system from Narrogin to Wickepin in 1908 resulted in requests for land at the terminus of the line. This was planned to be near Yarling Well, and for a time the proposed townsite was referred to as Yarling. Lots were surveyed in 1908, and when it came to gazette the townsite in June the Surveyor-General, H F Johnston, decided it should be named Wickepin in preference to Yarling. Land in this area was declared the Wickepin Agricultural Area in 1891, and the name was commonly used for the area. Wickepin is an Aboriginal name, first recorded for a spring by a surveyor in 1881, although the area around the spring was first leased in the early 1870's.

WICKHAM

Latitude 20° 41' S Longitude 117° 08' E

Wickham is a townsite in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, located 1572 km north of Perth and 13 km north of Roebourne. The town was announced in 1970 to provide housing and support facilities for the Cliffs Western Australia Mining Company Pty Ltd developments at the nearby port of Cape Lambert. It was gazetted in 1971.

Wickham is named after John Clements Wickham RN, of HMS "Beagle". The choice of name recognises Wickham's work in surveying the intertropical coasts of Australia from 1838 to 1840, including the north west coast in the vicinity of Wickham. Wickham was born in Scotland in 1798, and joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman in 1812. From 1831 to 1836 he sailed on the Beagle's voyage around the world as second in charge under Captain Robert FitzRoy. Wickham was then appointed commander of the expedition to survey the coast of Australia on the "Beagle", with John Lort Stokes his second in charge. Wickham later settled in Australia, and died in France in 1864.

WIDGIEMOOLTHA

Latitude 31° 30' S Longitude 121° 35' E

Widgiemooltha is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 631 km east of Perth and 41 km south of Kambalda. Gold was discovered in this area in the mid 1890's, and by 1897 the government had decided to survey and gazette a townsite here. Following the survey the townsite was gazetted as "Widgemooltha" in December 1897. The spelling was amended to the current form, Widgiemooltha, in 1944.

There was much doubt about the spelling of this Aboriginal name, which was derived from a nearby hill and rockhole. It was spelt variously as "Wagiemoola", "Woodgiemoola", "Wedgemula" or "Widgemooltha" in early documents from 1893. The meaning of this name appears to be related to the beak of an emu.

WILGA

Latitude 33° 42' S Longitude 116° 14' E

The townsite of Wilga is located in the south west forest region about 250 km south south west of Perth and 25 km north west of Boyup Brook. It is located on the railway from Donnybrook to Boyup Brook, and when this section of the line was opened in 1909, Wilga was one of the sidings. The siding serviced the Adelaide Timber Company which worked the timber industry in the area, and the government reserved land for a townsite at the siding. In 1912 the local Member of Parliament advised there was interest in lots at the siding and a surveyor was sent to investigate. Following the survey of lots the townsite of Wilga was gazetted in 1915.

The name is Aboriginal, and may be related to the nearby Wilgee Spring which has been shown on maps of the area since 1894. Wilgee is the Aboriginal name for the red ochre or pigment worn for ceremonies. A unique feature of the sawmilling industry in this area was a mill named Woop Woop about 10 km north west of Wilga. It was established in 1925, and it is believed the name is derived from the sound made by frogs common in the area.

WILLIAMS

Latitude 33° 01' S Longitude 116° 54' E

The townsite of Willams is located in the great southern agricultural region, 160 km south east of Perth and 32 km west south west of Narrogin. Land in the vicinity of Williams was settled in the 1830's, but the area only slowly developed in the 1830's and 40's. In the early 1850's the arrival of convicts in WA resulted in the road from Kelmscott to Albany being developed, and a bridge built over the Williams River. An Inn was built near the bridge, and in 1869 a Police Station was built on the south side of the river.

As most of the land in the area was privately owned, settlers in the area petitioned the government in 1894 to purchase private land on the north side of the Williams River adjacent to the Albany Road Bridge to create a townsite. After negotiations 140 acres were purchased from Mr E Hamersley, survey of lots made, and the townsite of Williams gazetted in 1897. Although only costing 5 pounds per acre, attempts to recover the cost by selling blocks was unsuccessful, and the costs had to be reduced in 1899 before blocks would sell.

In 1902 farm land south of Williams was subdivided by the government and sold as Marjidin Estate. Portion of the land was reserved for government purposes, and when the route of the new Narrogin to Darkan railway was decided in 1905, a subdivisional scheme of 1/4 acre blocks was surveyed and in 1906 was gazetted as the townsite of Marjidin. The Williams railway station was in the townsite, and December 1906 the name of the station was altered to Marjidin. This action so upset the Williams community that 6 months later the name was changed back to Williams, and soon after the Marjidin townsite was renamed as an extension of Williams.

Williams derives its name from the Williams River which flows through the townsite. The river was discovered by the explorer Thomas Bannister in 1831,and first shown named on an 1833 map. It is believed named by Governor Stirling in 1832, most likely after King William IV who ascended the throne in 1831. The name has been shown on maps as William's River and William River.

WILROY

Latitude 28° 38' S Longitude 115° 38' E

The townsite of Wilroy is located in the northern agricultural region, 447 km north of Perth and 41 km south east of Mullewa. When the route of the Wongan Hills-Mullewa railway was planned in 1910, the site of Wilroy was identified as requiring a future townsite. In 1913 the Works Department was asked to provide a siding at this site, and a townsite was gazetted and named Onteru after a nearby spring. The siding was also named Onteru, but in 1915 the Mullewa Road Board requested that it be renamed Kockatea, as the name Onteru was misleading. Kockatea is the name of a nearby gully, and both the siding and townsite were then changed to Kockatea. In 1921 the Railways Department asked to change the name to Wilroy, advising that local people had petitioned the Mullewa Road Board for a change of name because Kockatea was being confused with a pastoral station of the same name. The reason for the choice of name was not given by the Railways Department, and it is believed it is most likely a made up name comprising two Christian names. (These were probably William and Roy Duncan, settlers in the area before WW1.) No lots were ever surveyed at Wilroy, and the townsite is now a nature reserve.

WILUNA

Latitude 26° 36' S Longitude 120° 14' E

The gold mining town of Wiluna is located in the Murchison Goldfield, 947 km north east of Perth and 182 km east of Meekatharra. The area was first discovered by the explorer L A Wells in 1892, and in his report Wells reported seeing promising auriferous country in the area. Gold was discovered at nearby Lake Way in 1896, and within months there were over 300 diggers in the area. The government soon decided to survey and gazette a townsite, the Mining Warden for the area suggesting it be called "Weeloona" which he advised was "the native name of the place". The spelling was amended by the Department of Lands & Surveys according to rules it had adopted for spelling Aboriginal names, and it was gazetted as Wiluna townsite in 1898. The generally accepted meaning is "place of winds", although Katherine Prichard's book, "Golden Miles" suggests that the name was derived from the cry of the curlew. The area was also locally known as "Lake Way" after the nearby lake for a time.

WINDANYA

Latitude 30° 22' S Longitude 121° 15' E

Windanya is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 643 km east of Perth and 48 km north north west of Kalgoorlie on the road to Menzies. Gold was discovered in the area in the mid 1890's, and when the Australasia mines were established in 1897 the government decided to declare a townsite. The name Windanya was suggested by surveyor H S King, who stated it to be " the native name of some place in the vicinity of Broad Arrow". Windanya townsite was gazetted in October 1897.

WITCHCLIFFE

Latitude 34° 02' S Longitude 115° 06' E

The townsite of Witchcliffe is located in the south west agricultural region, 286 km south south west of Perth and 9 km south of Margaret River. In 1924 the government extended the railway to Witchcliffe, and at first selected the name Newralingup for the siding, but the name Narawary was approved. However, a Post Office named Witchcliffe had already been opened when the railway siding was named, and Narawary siding was renamed Witchcliffe in February 1925. Also in 1924 interest was shown in blocks of land at Witchcliffe Siding, and after investigation a scheme of subdivision was planned, lots surveyed, and a townsite gazetted in 1926.

The name Witchcliffe was first used in this district for Witchliffe Cave, the name being recorded by a surveyor in 1900. The name was probably given by the Bussell family who settled near here in the 1850's, naming their property "Wallcliffe House". Both the homestead and the cave are in an area of coastal cliffs, hence the "cliffe" part of the name.

WITTENOOM

The former townsite of Wittenoom is heavily contaminated with blue asbestos and travelling to Wittenoom presents an unacceptable public health risk. Even brief exposure to the fibres can result in mesothelioma or lung cancer. Travellers are urged to avoid the area. Further information on Wittenoom is at www.wa.gov.au/wittenoom .

The abolished townsite of Wittenoom was located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Blue asbestos had been mined in the Wittenoom Gorge area by Lang Hancock from 1937, and in 1943 the industry was taken over by C.S.R. By the late 1940's there was a need for a government townsite near the mine, and the Mines Department recommended it be named Wittenoom, advising that adoption of this name was strongly urged by the local people. The name was approved in 1948, but it was 1950 before the townsite was officially gazetted. In 1951 the name was changed to Wittenoom Gorge at the request of the mining company, and in 1974 it was changed back to Wittenoom. The mine closed in 1966, and the townsite was officially abolished by gazettal in March 2007.

Wittenoom is named after Mr Frank Wittenoom. Wittenoom was in partnership with Lang's father, Mr George Hancock, in the nearby Mulga Downs Station, and the gorge was named by Hancock after his partner.

WOGARL

Latitude 31° 54' S Longitude 118° 32' E

The townsite of Wogarl is located in the central agricultural region, 304 km east of Perth and 24 km north east of Narembeen. It is located on the Narembeen to Merredin railway, and when the line was opened in 1924, Wogarl was one of the original sidings. Land was set aside at the siding for a future townsite, and following a request for land, lots were surveyed and the townsite of Wogarl gazetted in 1931. When the siding was named in 1924 there were no named features nearby, and a list of Aboriginal words for the South West was consulted. The name chosen, Wogarl, means "Carpet Snake", and is from a list of names supplied by Sam Isaacs to F S Brockman.

WOKALUP

Latitude 33° 07' S Longitude 115° 53' E

The townsite of Wokalup is located 144 km south of Perth and 4 km south of Harvey. A railway siding of this name was opened in the late 1890's, and a small private town developed. This was gazetted a townsite in 1963 at the request of the Shire of Harvey. The meaning of the name is not known although one humorous source gives it as "the confusion experienced by nocturnal animals during an eclipse".

WONGAN HILLS

Latitude 30° 54' S Longitude 116° 43' E

The townsite of Wongan Hills is located in the northern agricultural region, 182 km north east of Perth and 39 km north east of Calingiri. Following a request from local settlers, land in this area was first set aside for a townsite in 1907, although this was located near Lake Hinds about 16 km west north west of the present townsite. In 1910 a further request from settlers sought a townsite at the terminus of the proposed railway from Goomalling. The proposed townsite was referred to as Wongan Hills by the settlers. Following the survey of lots the townsite was gazetted in 1911, the year the railway line opened.

Wongan Hills derives its name from a nearby range of hills, first recorded by Surveyor-General J S Roe in 1836. Wongan is an Aboriginal name, the name being variously recorded as "wangan-katta", "wankan" and "woongan". The meaning of the name may be derived from "Kwongan", an Aboriginal word meaning sand plain, although one source describes wongan as meaning "wispering", and wongan katta would then mean "wispering hills" (katta is a word for hill).

WONNERUP

Latitude 33° 38' S Longitude 115° 25' E

The townsite of Wonnerup is located 219 km south of Perth and 10 km east of Busselton. It was gazetted a townsite in 1856, deriving its name from the nearby Wonnerup Inlet. The name is Aboriginal, having been shown on maps of the region since 1839. A possible meaning of the name is "place of the Aboriginal woman's
digging or fighting stick" or it may be related to Peppermint Trees common in the area.

WOODANILLING

Latitude 33° 34' S Longitude 117° 26' E

The townsite of Woodanilling is located in the great southern agricultural region, 254 km south east of Perth and 24 km north west of Katanning. The townsite is located on the Great Southern Railway, and following the opening of the line in 1889 a siding named Round Pool was opened at what is now Woodanilling. The siding was renamed Yarabin in 1895, and then changed to Woodanilling after the government took over the railway line in 1896.

Land adjoining the railway was opened up by the government for settlers in 1892, and a townsite named Woodanilling was gazetted in February 1892. Lots were surveyed and made available, but there were few sales. In 1897 the Government Land Agent, H S Ranford, recommended enlarging the townsite and surveying more lots, as he considered this would be an important town in the near future. There was considerable growth in the townsite in the 1898-99 period.

Woodanilling is an Aboriginal name, first recorded as the alternative name of Round Pool in 1874. Two possible meanings for the name are "place where the bronzewing pigeon nests" and "lot of minnows".

WOODARRA

Latitude 27° 56' S Longitude 121° 18' E

Woodarra is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 945 km north east of Perth and 80 km west of Leinster. Gold was discovered in this area in the mid 1890's, the area at the time being referred to as Lake Darlot after a nearby lake. In 1895 the Lake Darlot Progress Committee requested the government declare a townsite, and lots were surveyed there in 1896. Also in 1896 the Progress Committee wrote requesting that the townsite be named Woodarra, "the name given by the Natives to the adjacent Granite rocks from which a supply of water for the residents has so long been derived, and besides being euphonious the name seems therefore quite appropriate". The townsite was gazetted in 1898.

WOOROLOO

Latitude 31° 48' S Longitude 116° 19' E

The townsite of Wooroloo is located in the Darling Range 60 km east north east of Perth and 26 km north east of Mundaring. Land was first set aside for a future townsite in this area in 1841, and was referred to as Worriloo, but the land was never used for a townsite. The area was first settled by the Byfield brothers in the 1870's and in 1893 a railway stopping place named Byfield's Mill was opened to service the sawmilling industry in the area. A school was established in 1896, and named Wooroloo, and in 1897 the railway station was renamed Wooroloo. Following the establishment of other community facilities in the area, and the opening of the Wooroloo Sanatorium in 1912, the government surveyed blocks and gazetted the townsite of Wooroloo in 1913.

Wooroloo derives its name from the nearby Wooroloo Brook, first discovered by explorers in 1830. The brook was at first recorded as the "Gatta" and then the "Goodmich River", although some pools in were referred to as "Worrilow" in 1834. The current spelling was used from around 1896.

WORSLEY

Latitude 33° 18' S Longitude 116° 00' E

The townsite of Worsley is located in the south west forest region, 189 km south south east of Perth and 13 km north west of Collie. A Worsley Siding was opened near here in the late 1890's to service timber mills in the area, and a post office and store later established. In 1906 the Minister for Lands decided a townsite should also be created, and although local sawmill owners objected, lots were surveyed in 1907 and the townsite of Worsley gazetted in 1909.

Worsley is named after the nearby Worsley River, a tributary of the Brunswick. The name was first recorded during surveys of the area in 1845. "Worsley"is a family name of the Clifton family, and the most likely origin of this name. The 1845 survey was of land for the West Australian Co., of which Marshall Waller Clifton was Chief Commissioner. The name "Worsley"is used as the middle name of one of his sons, Leonard Worsley, and is also used by other branches of the Clifton family. Another river in this area, also recorded during the 1845 survey is the Gervase River, and Gervase Clifton is another of Clifton's children.

WUBIN

Latitude 30° 06' S Longitude 116° 38' E

The townsite of Wubin is located in the northern agricultural region, 273 km north north east of Perth and 21 km north of Dalwallinu. Wubin was originally approved as a siding name on the proposed Wongan Hills to Mullewa railway line in April 1913, land also being set aside and a townsite gazetted the same year. The first lots in the townsite were sold in June 1914, and the railway line opened in 1915. Wubin derives its name from the Aboriginal name for a nearby water source, Woobin Well, first recorded by a surveyor in 1907. The spelling Wubin was adopted to conform with spelling rules for Aboriginal names adopted by the Lands & Surveys Department.

WUNDOWIE

Latitude 31° 46' S Longitude 116° 23' E

The townsite of Wundowie is located in the Darling Range 72 km east north east of Perth and 31 km west south west of Northam. It is located adjacent to the original railway track from Perth to Northam, and in 1907 the Railways Department applied for a name for a newly constructed siding at the 53 Mile between Werribee and Karrijine. The name Wundowing was suggested by the Lands Department, and this was shortened to Wundowi by the Surveyor-General.

In 1943 the government decided to commence preliminary work for a blast furnace and wood distillation plant at Wundowie, and to develop a townsite for the workers. Following the survey of lots in 1946 the townsite of Wundowie was gazetted in 1947. Wundowie derives its name from Woondowing Spring, an Aboriginal name for a nearby spring first recorded in 1874. The spelling for the siding was changed according to rules for spelling Aboriginal names adopted by the Lands Department. The meaning of the name is not known, but it has been suggested it may be derived from Ngwundow, meaning "to lie down".

WYALKATCHEM

Latitude 31° 11' S Longitude 117° 23' E

Wyalkatchem townsite is located in the central agricultural region, 192 km east north east of Perth and 35 km east of Dowerin. When the extension of the railway east from Dowerin was planned in 1908 land was set aside for a future townsite in the area of Wyalcatchem Tank. The route of the railway and site for a station was not fixed until 1910, and action followed to then fix the position of the townsite and survey town lots. Following the survey of the lots the townsite was gazetted spelt Wyalkatchem in 1911.

Wyalkatchem is an Aboriginal name first recorded for a waterhole spelt Walkatching in the 1870's. The spelling Walcatching was used in 1881 when the Toodyay Road Board referred to a tank to be built there, and when the road from Northam to the Yilgarn Goldfield was surveyed in 1892 the spelling Wyalcatchem was used for the tank. The Walkatching spelling is probably the most accurate, as Aboriginal names in this region rarely end
in em. The change of spelling from Wyalcatchem to Wyalkatchem in 1911 was done by the Department of Lands & Surveys according to rules the Department had adopted for spelling Aboriginal names. (the letter K should always be used for the hard c). The meaning of the name is not known.

WYENING

Latitude 31° 11' S Longitude 116° 29' E

The townsite of Wyening is located in the central agricultural region, 136 km north east of Perth and 10 km north north west of Bolgart. It is located on the Bolgart North railway line, and when the line was planned in 1915 Wyening was selected as the site for a siding. The railway line opened in 1917, and following the survey of lots the townsite was gazetted in 1921. Wyening is an Aboriginal name derived from the nearby Wyening Spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1858. In the late 1870's Bishop Salvado took up land in this area and established a Mission outpost at first spelt Wyaning, but later changed to Wyening. The meaning of the name is recorded as "place of dread" or "place of the dreaded snake".

WYNDHAM

Latitude 15° 29' S Longitude 128° 07' E

The most distant town in the state from Perth, Wyndham is located in the Kimberley region, 3216 km north north east of Perth and 100 km north west of Kununurra. In 1885 gold was discovered in the Kimberley, and in March 1886 John Forrest was sent to the Kimberley to select a site for a townsite to service the goldfield. Governor Broome decided it would be named Wyndham, and the townsite was gazetted in September 1886. The town grew rapidly as a port for the Kimberley goldfields, and although the goldfield soon declined, Wyndham remained as a port for the growing pastoral industry of the region.

Wyndham is named after Major Walter George Wyndham (b 1857), the younger son by her first marriage of Mary Anne Broome, wife of the Governor of Western Australia 1883-1890. Wyndham was the son of Mary Anne and Captain George Robert Barker of the Royal Artillery, and changed his name to Crole-Wyndham because of an inheritance.

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X

XANTIPPE

Latitude 30° 17' S Longitude 117° 02' E

Xantippe is not a townsite but a rural locality and homestead in the Shire of Dalwallinu, 281 km north north east of Perth and 10 km north west of Kalannie. It has been included as it is one of the few places in Australia starting with an X. The dictionary definition of Xantippe is a scolding woman or shrew; the name originating with Xanthippe (flourished late 5th century BC), ancient Athenian matron, wife of the philosopher Socrates, to whom she bore three sons. She is said to have been highly temperamental, and although little reliable evidence exists to support the conclusion, her name has become synonymous with an ill-tempered, nagging wife, or shrew.

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Y

YALGOO

Latitude 28° 20' S Longitude 116° 41' E

The townsite of Yalgoo is located in the Murchison region, 499 km north north east of Perth and 118 km east north east of Mullewa. Gold was discovered in the area in the early 1890's, and by 1895 there were 120 men working the diggings and buildings being erected. The goldfield warden asked for a townsite to be surveyed and gazetted, and following survey the townsite of Yalgu was gazetted in January 1896. The spelling Yalgu was used because of spelling rules for Aboriginal names adopted by the Lands & Surveys Department (the letter u best representing the "oo" sound). Within a month the Lands & Surveys had decided reluctantly to use the original Yalgoo spelling, and this spelling has been used ever since. Some doubt about the spelling being officially changed resulted in an amendment from Yalgu to Yalgoo being gazetted in 1938.

Yalgoo is an Aboriginal name first recorded for Yalgoo Peak by the surveyor John Forrest in 1876. The name is said to mean "blood" or "place of blood", derived from the word "Yalguru". An alternative view is that it is derived from the Yalguru bush which abounds in the area, and has blood red sap.

YALUP BROOK

Latitude 32° 54' S Longitude 115° 54' E

The townsite of Yalup Brook is located in the south west agricultural region, 120 km south of Perth and 8 km south of Waroona on the South Western Highway. It is located on the Perth to Bunbury Railway line which opened in 1893, and a Yalup Brook station was established in the late 1890's. A small townsite to meet the needs of nearby settlers was gazetted in 1912, but there has been little development in the townsite due to its proximity to Waroona and Wagerup. The townsite derives its name from the nearby brook of the same name, an Aboriginal name first recorded by a surveyor in 1889. It also appears to be the same name as Yorlup, a name recorded in this area in 1833.

YANDANOOKA

Latitude 29° 19' S Longitude 115° 34' E

The townsite of Yandanooka is located in the northern agricultural region, 348 km north of Perth and 20 km south east of Mingenew. The area was first settled by Thomas Whitfield in the 1850's, and was also on the route of the Midland Railway when it opened in 1895. A Yandanooka siding was established following the opening of the railway line, but was moved 4 kilometres south in 1902. When the siding was moved the government decided the new site was suitable for a future townsite, and land was set aside in 1903. Townsite lots were surveyed in 1913, and the townsite gazetted in 1919. Yandanooka is the Aboriginal name of a nearby water source, Yandanooka Spring. It is said to mean "plenty of hilly country in sight" from "Yanda" (coming) and "Nooka" (hills). The spring name has also been spelt Yendenooka.

YANMAH

Latitude 34° 11' S Longitude 116° 01' E

Located in the forested area of the south west, Yanmah is situated 320 km south of Perth and 20 km west north west of Manjimup. It is located in the midst of an area taken up for the Group Settlement Scheme in the 1920's, and was conceived in 1922 following interest from people wishing to erect stores to supply the needs of the group settlers. A subdivision scheme was developed by Surveyor W Hepple Brown, and the name "Janninup", the Aboriginal name of the area, was suggested by him for the townsite. The alternative name of "Mitchelldean", after the then Premier was also suggested, but Surveyor Brown then nominated the name Yanmah, an Aboriginal word meaning "go ahead" or "go quickly"(Brown had obtained the word from Aborigines whilst working in the Kimberley). The townsite was gazetted as Yanmah in January 1923.

YARDING

Latitude 31° 56' S Longitude 117° 59' E

The townsite of Yarding is located in the central agricultural region, 225 km east of Perth and 20 km west of Bruce Rock. It is located on the railway line from Quairading to Bruce Rock, and when the location of the line was fixed in 1912, Yarding was identified as one of the original station sites. The station was originally suggested to be named Yardyarding, but this was considered too long, and was shortened to Yarding. It was also named Mokami after a nearby spring for a short while before Yarding was approved in 1913. Land was set aside for a townsite in 1913, and in 1914 it was gazetted as the townsite of Yarding. The name is of Aboriginal origin, being derived from Yard Yarding Spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1879.

YARLOOP

Latitude 32° 57' S Longitude 115° 54' E

The townsite of Yarloop is located in the south west agricultural region, 126 km south of Perth and 16 km north of Harvey. The townsite began as a timber siding on the Perth-Bunbury Railway in 1896, but spelt Yailoup, and later Yarloup, before being spelt Yarloop in 1899. Yarloop was an important timber town, mainly as a rail centre, in the late 1890's, and there is still a timber mill operating in the townsite. It was also a private town, and was not gazetted a townsite until 1962.

The name Yarloop is said to have originated from the words "yard loop"; the rail loop
into the timber yard there. However, the name is more likely Aboriginal in origin. Yalup Brook is situated only about 5km north of Yarloop and there is similarity in pronunciation of the word and the early spelling variations of the siding support it being Aboriginal. .

YARRI

Latitude 29° 47' S Longitude 122° 22' E

Yarri is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 753 km east north east of Perth and 158 km north east of Kalgoorlie. Gold was discovered in this area in 1902, the area being referred to as "New Edjudina" for a while. The Mines Department requested a townsite be surveyed as there were new residences and businesses springing up, and a surveyor suggested the townsite be named "Yarrie", as this was the Aboriginal name of the place. Applying spelling rules for Aboriginal names, the Lands Department changed it to Yarri, and the townsite was gazetted in January 1903. However, no lots were sold in the townsite, and it was cancelled in 1904. A new townsite was surveyed and gazetted in 1908.

YEALERING

Latitude 32° 36' S Longitude 117° 38' E

The townsite of Yealering is located in the great southern agricultural region, 220 km east south east of Perth and 30 km north north east of Wickepin. In 1910 the government decided to construct a railway line from Wickepin to Merredin, the proposed route of the line passing close to Yealering Lake. The Yealering Lake Progress Association wrote to the government regarding the location of the proposed siding and also suggesting a townsite be declared. Land was set aside for a townsite in 1911, and following the survey of lots the Townsite of Yearlering was gazetted in October 1912. This spelling was a printers error, and it was corrected to Yealering a month later. Yealering is an Aboriginal name derived from the nearby lake, the first recorded use of this name being in 1870 when the area was taken up as a grazing lease. The meaning of the name is not known.

YELBENI

Latitude 31° 10' S Longitude 117° 40' E

Located in the central agricultural region 222 km east north east of Perth and 14 km west south west of Trayning, Yelbeni is one of many country towns built around a railway line. When the Dowerin to Merredin railway was planned in 1910 Yelbeni was selected as the site for a siding. Land was set aside for a townsite to be named Yelbene in 1910, but when it was surveyed and gazetted in 1912 it was spelt Yelbeni. The changed spelling most likely reflects a more correct pronunciation according to spelling rules for Aboriginal names adopted by the Lands & Surveys Department. Yelbeni derives its name from Yelbene Well, a watering point on an old road to the goldfields noted during a 1892 survey of the road. The meaning of the name is not known.

YELLOWDINE

Latitude 31° 18' S Longitude 119° 39' E

The townsite of Yellowdine is located in the goldfields region, 402 km east of Perth and 33 km east of Southern Cross. It is located on the Southern Cross to Coolgardie railway which opened in 1896, although the Yellowdine Railway Siding is included in a July 1895 list of stations and sidings. Gold was discovered at a number of locations from 9 to 30 kilometres south of Yellowdine Siding in 1934, and as Yellowdine was the nearest rail point, the government decided to develop a townsite at the siding. At first a new townsite at the nearest gold find was to be named Yellowdine, and this townsite Duladgin, but when the gold field townsite was named Mount Palmer, Yellowdine became available. Yellowdine townsite was gazetted in April 1935. The name is most likely Aboriginal, and the onetime misspelling of Yelladine may be a more authentic spelling. One of the earliest industries in the town was a plaster works built there in 1934. The meaning or source of the name is not known, as it does not appear to be a local Aboriginal name.

YERECOIN

Latitude 30° 55' S Longitude 116° 23' E

The townsite of Yerecoin is located in the northern agricultural region, 156 km north north east of Perth and 21 km north north west of Calingiri. The extension of the railway north from Bolgart was approved in 1914, the line to Calingiri being opened in 1917, and the section from Calingiri to Piawaning in 1919. Yerecoin was one of the stations on the latter section of line, but the surrounding land was owned by the Midland Railway Company, and was not subdivided by the Company until 1925. The Company also set aside 200 acres for a townsite at Yerecoin, but the land was sold to one owner, and development of the townsite area was slow. A school was opened in 1927, and was followed by other community buildings. Yerecoin was gazetted a townsite in 1966. Yerecoin is an Aboriginal name derived from a nearby well. The name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1879

YERILLA

Latitude 29° 29' S Longitude 121° 50' E

Yerilla is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 830 km east north east of Perth and 105 km east north east of Menzies. Gold was discovered in the area in the mid 1890's, and the miners soon formed a progress committee, and in 1896 requested the declaration of a townsite. The townsite was gazetted in November 1896.

YILLIMINNING

Latitude 32° 54' S Longitude 117° 22' E

Yilliminning is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, 212 km south east of Perth and 20 km east north east of Narrogin. In 1906 the Minister for Lands visited the area, and local settlers sought his support for the declaration of a townsite. Land was set aside for a townsite, a hallsite surveyed and hall erected, and then lots were surveyed in late 1906. The townsite of Yillimining was gazetted in July 1907, but no lots were sold due to doubts about the future of the townsite because it wasn't on the route of a proposed new railway.

In 1909 the government constructed a new railway line from Narrogin to Wickepin, the line passing to the west of Yillimining townsite. A siding named Yillimining was established 5 km west of the townsite, and there was soon demand for a townsite to be declared. Following the survey of lots a new townsite of Yillimining was gazetted in 1910, and the old townsite further east cancelled. After years of confusion over the spelling, the form of this name was amended to Yilliminning in 1944. The townsite name is Aboriginal, being derived from a rock, pool and river of this name nearby. The names were first recorded by a surveyor in 1892.

YORK

Latitude 31° 53' S Longitude 116° 46' E

Located 96 km east of Perth, York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia. Land was set aside for a townsite at York in 1830, soon after the discovery of the district by Robert Dale. The townsite was not gazetted, but its boundaries were adopted by the Executive Council and signed by the Governor 19th April 1836. It is named after York in England, the name having been suggested by two Yorkshire members of Robert Dale's exploration party of October 1830. The Aboriginal name of the area is Balladong.

YORNANING

Latitude 32° 44' S Longitude 117° 10' E

The townsite of Yornaning is located in the great southern agricultural region, 184 km south east of Perth and 22 km north of Narrogin. It is located on the Great Southern Railway, and in the late 1890's a siding was established here named simply as "Water Tank". When the name of the siding was changed in 1903/4 the name Yornaning was suggested, but in line with a common practice with siding names was shortened to Yornan. At the request of the Railways Department this was changed to Yornaning in 1905. A townsite was gazetted adjacent to the siding in 1907. Yornaning is an Aboriginal name derived from "Yornanmunging", an Aboriginal place name recorded in this area by John Forrest in 1869. It has also been spelt "Yornanunging" and "Yernanunging". The meaning of the name is not known.

YOTING

Latitude 31° 58' S Longitude 117° 36' E

The townsite of Yoting is located in the central agricultural region, 183 km east of Perth and 19 km east of Quairading. It is located on the railway line from Quairading to Bruce Rock, and when the location of the line was fixed in 1912, Yoting was identified as one of the original station sites. Following the survey of lots at the siding the townsite of Yoting was gazetted in 1914. The name is Aboriginal, being derived from the name of the nearby Yoting Well or spring which was first recorded in 1873. Bruce Leake, an early settler, wrote in 1938 that "Yot" means two women who have quarreled, hitting each other with "wannas" or digging sticks about five feet long used only by the Aboriginal women.

YOUANMI

Latitude 28° 37' S Longitude 118° 50' E

Youanmi is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 570 km north east of Perth and 90 km south west of Sandstone. Gold was discovered in the area in 1896, but was of insufficient richness to warrant being developed. The area was rediscovered in 1908, and by 1910 there were sufficient miners in the area for the "Youanme Progress Committee" to request a townsite be declared. Following the survey of lots the townsite was gazetted in August 1910, but was spelt "Yuani". This spelling was adopted because it was regarded as the correct spelling of this Aboriginal name, and Youanme was a local corruption. However, it was soon realised that the gazetted spelling would lead to the name being mispronounced, and in December 1910 it was changed to the current spelling, Youanmi. The "mi" at the end of the name is pronounced as in "me". Another spelling recorded for the name is "Euanni", and "Coorang" is also recorded as an alternative Aboriginal name for the area.

The name was first recorded for a spring in the area by a surveyor in 1887, the name having been given to the surveyor by an old Aboriginal accompanying him. The meaning of the name is uncertain, one source advising it actually means "you and me", although this is unlikely. Other sources suggest it relates to a type of mulga trees located around the spring or the bob tailed goanna, the Aboriginal name of which is "Youan" or "Uan".

YOUNDEGIN

Latitude 31° 47' S Longitude 117° 20' E

The townsite of Youndegin is located in the central agricultural region, 154 km east north east of Perth and 20 km south south east of Corrigin. It is located on the early main track to the eastern pastoral region, established by C C hunt in 1864, and in 1876 the government set aside land here for police purposes. With the discovery of gold in the late 1880's the track attracted more traffic, and by 1891 an inn named the "Youndegin Arms" had been built here. The government then decided to sell lots, and following a subdivision the townsite of Youndegin was gazetted in 1892. The construction of the railway lines away from Youndegin, and a new route for the main road to the goldfields meant there was no demand for land at Youndegin, and very little development ever took place. The name is Aboriginal, being derived from the nearby Youndegin Hill recorded by C C Hunt in 1864.

YOUNGS SIDING

Latitude 35° 01' S Longitude 117° 31' E

The townsite of Youngs Siding is located in the south coastal region, 440 km south south east of Perth and 34 km west of Albany. In 1889 Millars Karri and Jarrah Forests Ltd constructed a railway line from Torbay Junction (now Elleker) to Torbay, and in the mid 1890's Millars extended the line to Denmark. One of the sidings on the extended line was named Young's, and in 1903 the government set aside land at "Young's Siding" for a future townsite. In 1911 the "Young's Siding and Lake Saidie Progress Association" requested the government make land available at Young's Siding. The land was very wet and low lying, and it was 1916 before any lots were surveyed. The townsite of Youngs was gazetted in 1917, the siding being dropped from the name by a government decision. Although officially Youngs, local usage remained Youngs Siding, and in 1999 the name of the townsite was amended to Youngs Siding. The name honours David Young 1825-1918, a farmer who took up land in the area in the 1850's and later farmed at Marbelup.

YOWERAGABBIE

Latitude 28° 14' S Longitude 117° 38' E

Yoweragabbie is a townsite in the Murchison region, 576 km north north east of Perth and 28 km south west of Mount Magnet. When the Mullewa-Cue railway line opened for traffic on 1 July 1898 Yoweragabbie was one of the original sidings on the line. The siding serviced the surrounding pastoral properties, and in 1913/14 land was set aside for a commonage at the siding, and also for a townsite. The townsite of Yoweragabbie was gazetted in April 1914, but very little development ever took place there. The name is Aboriginal, being derived from the name of a nearby well recorded by a surveyor in 1886.

YUNA

Latitude 28° 20' S Longitude 115° 00' E

The townsite of Yuna is located in the northern agricultural region, 503 km north north west of Perth and 37 km north east of Nabawah. In 1910 the Yuna Farmers Association requested the government survey some town lots at Yuna. At the time of the request an extension of the Upper Chapman Railway to Yuna was contemplated, and surveying lots and declaring a townsite was deferred until the railway route and terminus had been determined. There was also local differences about the most desirable site, and two locations, one near Yuna Spring and one about 6 km east of this where the railway was proposed to terminate, were in contention. The eastern site was selected as the location for a townsite to be named Yuna in 1912, and a siding named West Yuna was established near the spring. Lots were also surveyed at the West Yuna siding, and this was gazetted as West Yuna townsite in 1913, and was changed to Whelarra in 1918 before being cancelled in 1968.

Because of the West Yuna townsite development at Yuna was at first opposed by the government, and some of the land was mined for pottery clay. By 1927 a school had been erected at Yuna, and the government decided to develop a townsite there. Following the survey of lots the townsite of Yuna was gazetted in 1929. Yuna is an Aboriginal name first recorded as Younah Spring in 1863. One source refers to it as meaning bad or rotten meat.

YUNDAMINDERA

Latitude 29° 07' S Longitude 122° 02' E

Yundamindera is an abandoned goldfields townsite located about 865 km east north east of Perth and 70 km east north east of Kookynie. The area was referred to as "The Granites" when gold was discovered here in the late 1890's, and by 1901 there was sufficient population and development for the government to gazette Yundamindera as a townsite. The name Yundamindera was proposed by the Goldfield Warden who advised that the locals had informed him that this was the Aboriginal name of the place. The meaning of the name is not recorded.

YUNDERUP

Latitude 32° 35' S Longitude 115° 48' E

The townsite of Yunderup is located on the islands in the delta at the mouth of the Murray River, 94 km south of Perth and 12 km west north west of Pinjarra. There are eight separate islands in the townsite, although not all have townsite lots on them. A scheme of subdivision was proposed and surveys carried out in 1897. The original names suggested for the townsite were "Isleworth" (after an island in the Thames), "The Delta" and "Venice". Later the names "Murray" (after the river) and "Yoondooroop" (after one of the islands comprising the townsite) were suggested. Approval was given for the use of the Aboriginal, name and Surveyor-General H.F. Johnston recommended that it be spelt "Yundurup" to conform with spelling rules for Aboriginal names adopted by the government. The townsite was gazetted as "Yundurup" in 1898, but over the years common usage converted the pronunciation to "Yunderup", with the "u's" pronounced as in "cup", and this spelling was adopted in 1973.

The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of one of the islands, first recorded as Yoondooroop Island by a surveyor in 1897. This island was also referred to as "Long Island" in 1893 and in 1926 as "Goat Island" because it was over run with goats. The name possibly refers to the short tailed lizard or bobtail, the Aboriginal word for which is Yoorna, Yorna or Yun. However, the name is also used in more than one place to refer to estuarine features, and the meaning may be related to this type of place.

YUNNDAGA

Latitude 29° 45' S Longitude 121° 03' E

Yunndaga is an abandoned goldfields townsite located 718 km east north east of Perth and 7 km south of Menzies. Gold was discovered in the area in the mid 1890's, and in 1898 a business and residence subdivision was laid out at what was then referred to as Woolgar. Business and residence subdivisions were very temporary, and gave no secure tenure to the inhabitants. By 1904 there was a feel of permanency about Woolgar, and the mining warden advised it was time to gazette the place as a townsite. As there was already a place in Queensland with this name and alternative name was required, and the mining warden suggested 3 names, one of which was Yundagar. The Department of Lands and Surveys then applied spelling rules it had adopted for Aboriginal names, and the townsite of Yunndaga was gazetted in March 1904.

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Z

ZANTHUS

Latitude 31° 04' S Longitude 123° 34' E

There are no townsites in Western Australia starting with the letter Z, so the railway station of Zanthus has been included. The station is located 797 km east of Perth and 202 km east of Kalgoorlie on the Trans-Australian rail line. The name was applied by the Commonwealth Railways when the line opened in 1917. It is derived from the latter part of the genus name for the Kangaroo Paw, Anigozanthus. Anigozanthus manglesii is the Western Australian floral emblem.

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