Marsha Ingrao – Always Write

I met Miriam through the Eternal Traveller’s blog. She posts frequently about Australia, so I thought you might enjoy this play on names. “I’ve been everywhere, man … I’ve been to Wollongong, Geelong, Kurrajong, Mullumbimby, Mittagong, Molong, Grong Grong, Goondiwindi … Cabramatta, Parramatta, Wangaratta, Coolangatta; what’s it matter?”

So goes the classic Aussie song penned by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959.

Whilst I definitely haven’t been everywhere I’ll be working on it this year. And I can vouch for Mr. Mack’s words. Within our vast land and our Aboriginal ancestry, we have some pretty bizarre place names.

There’s a place in the Northern Territory where we’re traveling mid year called Bong Bong. Apparently, it translates in an Aboriginal dialect to “mosquitoes buzzing”.  Ah, not exactly inspiring.

We’ve traveled to some strange sounding places. But twice?  Mitta Mitta, Wagga Wagga, Baw Baw, Lang Lang, Dum Dum, Booti Booti, Colac Colac, Mundi Mundi and Nar Nar Goon. And that’s just for starters.

What’s with the double-barrelled names?

There’s even a place called Woop Woop in the outback of Western Australia. That’s our slang term for “in the middle of nowhere”.

And it’s not somewhere I want to get stranded anytime soon.

One of my favorite places is Yackandandah, known by the locals as Yack. A picturesque town in the valleys of the high country.

There’s a suburb in Perth called Innaloo.  It was originally called Njookenbooroo but was changed as no one could spell or say it right. Can you imagine if someone asked where you lived? Innaloo.

The wacky names extend beyond the towns and cities to the islands. Continued on Miriam’s blog

Source: Ripper Aussie Names

See more Name photos Weekly Photo Challenge.

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