Search place names

ACTON

Acton, a town in Denbighshire, UK

The name given to the locality by Lieutenant Arthur Jeffreys, RN in 1843.

Named before individual themes were adopted

AINSLIE

James Ainslie

(1787–1844)

First overseer of 'Duntroon Station'.

Pioneers, legislators

AMAROO

Aboriginal language

An Aboriginal word translating in English as 'beautiful place'.

Australian rivers and lakes

ARANDA

Aboriginal cultural group

Name of an Aboriginal cultural group of Central Australia, also known as Arunta.

Names of Aboriginal cultural groups

BANKS

Sir Joseph Banks

Bart KCB PC

(1743–1820)

Botanist.

Botanists, things botanical or relating to natural history

BARTON

Right Honourable Sir Edmund Barton,
PC GCMG KC

(1849–1920)

Australia's first Prime Minister, 1901-1903.

Governors

BEARD

Timothy Beard

(1763–1848)

Ex-convict who settled by Molonglo River in 1828 on property he named Quinbean.

Australian geological resources

BELCONNEN

‘Belconnen’

Name associated with the locality since the days of the early settlers.

Lord mayors and mayors

BONNER

Neville Thomas Bonner AO

(1922–1999)

First Aboriginal person elected to Federal Parliament.

Indigenous leaders and their supporters

BONYTHON

Sir John Langdon Bonython

CMG KCMG

(1848–1939)

Newspaper owner, politician and philanthropist.

Notable South Australians, particularly journalists, and South Australian place names

BRADDON

Sir Edward Braddon

PC KCMG

(1829–1904)

Premier of Tasmania 1894-1899. Legislator, federalist and one of the founders of the Constitution.

Aboriginal words; legislators and pioneers

BRUCE

Stanley Melbourne Bruce

PC CH MC

(1883–1967)

Prime Minister 1923–1929.

Australian tertiary education

CALWELL

Rt Hon Arthur Calwell PC

(1896–1973)

Leader of the Opposition 1960–1967.

Victorian politicians

CAMPBELL

Robert Campbell

(1769–1846)

Pioneer of Canberra.

Defence personnel

CANBERRA AIRPORT

Canberra Airport

Canberra Airport site.

Roads named by Canberra Airport and NCA

CAPITAL HILL

Capital Hill

Symbolising Canberra as the capital of Australia.

Monarchs and constitutional references

CASEY

Lord Richard Gardiner Casey (1890-1976)

Governor General of Australia 1965–1969.

Diplomats, public servants and administrators

CHAPMAN

Sir Austin Chapman, KCMG

(1864 – 1926)

Minister for Defence 1903–1904.

Australian film industry

CHARNWOOD

Homestead name

The name of a former homestead in the Belconnen District.

NSW pioneers

CHIFLEY

Joseph Chifley PC (1885 – 1951)

Prime Minister 1945–1949.

Scientists and educationalists

CHISHOLM

Caroline Chisholm (1808 – 1877)

Philanthropist and social worker.

Notable women

CITY

City

Commercial centre of Canberra.

Aboriginal words; pioneers and capital cities

CONDER

Charles Conder

(1868 – 1909)

Painter.

Members of the Heidelberg School; towns associated with the Heidelberg School; directors and trustees of state and national galleries, patrons and benefactors and other artists

COOK

Captain James Cook, RN (1728 – 1779)

The Rt Hon Joseph Cook GCMG

(1860 – 1947)

Captain James Cook, RN Navigator.

The Right Honourable Joseph Cook GCMG, Prime Minister, 1913–1914.

Notable women

COOMBS

Dr Herbert Cole ‘Nugget’ Coombs

(1906 – 1997)

One of Australia's most outstanding and influential public servants.

Notable public service

CRACE

Edward Kendall Crace (1844 – 1892)

Early European settler in the Gungahlin district.

Parishes and land divisions

CURTIN

John Joseph Curtin (1885 – 1945)

Prime Minister 1941–1945.

State Premiers

DEAKIN

Alfred Deakin

(1856 – 1919)

Prime Minister, three terms.

Governors and Governors-General and diplomats

DENMAN PROSPECT

Lady Gertrude Mary (Trudie) Denman GBE (1884 – 1954)

Lord Thomas Denman GCMG KCVO PC

(1874 – 1954)

On 12 March 1913 Lady Denman pronounced, “I name the capital of Australia – Canberra”

Governor-General of Australia, 1911–1914.

Activism and reform

DICKSON

Sir James Dickson, KCMG

(1832 – 1901)

Premier of Queensland 1898–1899, Founder of the Constitution.

No specific theme

DOWNER

Sir John Downer

(1843 – 1915)

Premier of South Australia.

No specific theme

DUFFY

Sir Charles Duffy, KCMG

(1816 – 1903)

Prominent Federalist.

Australian dams and reservoirs

DUNLOP

Colonel Sir Ernest Edward "Weary" Dunlop

AC CMG OBE

(1907 – 1993)

Doctor and war hero.

Inventors and inventions; artists

EVATT

Herbert Evatt

(1894 – 1965)

NSW MLA, Justice of the High Court of Australia; MHR, Deputy Prime Minister.

Legal profession

FADDEN

Rt Hon Sir Arthur Fadden, PC GCMG (1894 – 1973)

Prime Minister 29 August to 7 October 1941.

Queensland politicians

FARRER

William Farrer

(1845 – 1906)

Pioneer of scientific wheat-breeding.

Agriculturalists

FISHER

Andrew Fisher PC (1862 – 1928)

Prime Minister three times.

Australian mines and mining towns

FLOREY

Professor Sir Howard Walter (Baron) Florey OM
(1898 – 1968)

Scientist; shared Nobel Prize for work in Penicillin.

Scientists

FLYNN

John Flynn OBE

(1880 – 1951)

John Flynn, OBE (1880-1951) Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.

Flying doctor service and inland missions

FORDE

Francis Michael Forde

(1890 – 1983)

Deputy Prime Minister; Prime Minister
6 – 13 July 1945.

Community Service

FORREST

Rt Hon John Forrest, PC GCMG LLD

(1847 – 1918)

Alexander Forrest CMG (1849 – 1901)

Legislator, Federalist, and one of the Founders of the Constitution, Premier of Western Australia.

Legislator, surveyor, explorer.

Explorers and governors

FRANKLIN

Stella Maria Franklin (1879 – 1954)

Novelist known as Miles Franklin.

Writers, particularly women

FRASER

James (Jim) Fraser

(1908 – 1970)

Member of the ACT Advisory Council 1949–1951, Member of the House of representatives for the ACT 1951-1970.

Early ACT residents

FYSHWICK

Hon Sir Philip Fysh, KCMG (1835 – 1919)

Hon Sir Philip Fysh, KCMG (1835-1919) Legislator, Federalist and one of the Founders of the Constitution; Premier of Tasmania.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land use; industrial locations

GARRAN

Sir Robert Garran, GCMG (1867 – 1957)

Prominent in the campaign for Federation.

Writers

GILMORE

Dame Mary Gilmore, DBE (1865 – 1962)

Writer.

Journalists, particularly women

GIRALANG

From the language of the Wiradjuri cultural group

From the language of the Wiradjuri cultural group of the central west of New South Wales, translating in English to mean ‘star’.

Aboriginal words for stars, astronomers and constellations seen from the southern hemisphere

GORDON

Adam Lindsay Gordon
(1833 – 1870)

Poet and horseman.

Sportsmen and sportswomen

GOWRIE

First Earl of Gowrie (Brigadier-General Alexander Hore-Ruthven), VC PCGCMG CB DSO (1872 – 1955)

Governor of South Australia 1928-1934; Governor of New South Wales 1935-1936; Governor-General 1936-1944.

Armed Service personnel

GREENWAY

Francis Howard Greenway

(1777 – 1837)

Colonial architect.

Architects

GRIFFITH

Sir Samuel Griffith, PCGCMG

(1845 – 1920)

Premier of Queensland, inaugural Chief Justice of the High Court.

Explorers

GUNGAHLIN

Gungahlin Homestead

Gungahlin Homestead, built in 1862; sold to Edward Kendall Crace in 1877 and remained in the Crace family until it was resumed by the Commonwealth for the Federal Territory.

Industrialists, aspects of industry, and Gungahlin district pioneers

HACKETT

Sir John Winthrop Hackett KCMG
(1848 – 1916)

Legislator; Editor of the West Australian newspaper and public benefactor.

Mainly scientists

HALL

Henry Hall

(c1802 – 1880)

Pioneer of the Canberra region.

No specific theme

HARRISON

Peter Harrison

(1918 – 1990)

Chief Planner of the National Capital Development Commission.

Natural geographic features of Australia

HAWKER

Charles Allan Seymour Hawker (1894 – 1938)

Soldier, pastoralist and politician.

NT pastoral stations

HIGGINS

Henry Bournes Higgins KC
(1851 – 1929)

Politician, Justice of High Court 1906–1929.

Judges

HOLDER

Sir Frederick William Holder, KCMG

(1850 – 1909)

Member of the House of Assembly, South Australia.

Surveyors

HOLT

Harold Edward Holt, CH QC (1908 – 1967)

Prime Minister 1966–1967.

Sportsmen and sportswomen

HUGHES

William Morris Hughes CH QC
(1862 – 1952)

Prime Minister, 1915-1916; 1916-1917; 1917-1923.

World War I armed services personnel and contemporaries of William Hughes

HUME

Hamilton Hume

(1797 – 1873)

Explorer.

Industry and business

ISAACS

Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs, PCGCB GCMG (1855 – 1948)

Member, Legislative Assembly Victoria 1892-1901; Governor-General, 1931–1936.

Educationalists

ISABELLA PLAINS

Isabella Maria Brisbane
(1821 – 1849)

Daughter of Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales 1821-1825. Isabella’s Plain location named by explorers.

NSW parish names

JACKA

Albert Jacka VC MC & Bar

(1893 –1932)

Soldier and mayor.

Valour and community service

KALEEN

From the language of the Wiradjuri cultural group

From the language of the Wiradjuri cultural group of the central-west of New South Wales, translating in English to mean `water’.

Australian rivers

KAMBAH

Kambah Homestead

Kambah Homestead.

Interstate pioneers; theme in Gleneagles estate is Australian golfers and golf courses

KENNY

Elizabeth Kenny

(1880 –1952)

Nurse, health administrator.

Nurses and health administrators

KINGSTON

Right Honourable Charles Cameron Kingston, KC

(1850 – 1908)

Premier South Australia 1893-1899; represented South Australia at the Federal Council Meeting 1889.

Explorers, local pioneers (history) and Australian flora

LATHAM

Sir John Greig Latham, PCGCMG KC

(1877 – 1964)

Accompanied Prime Minister William Hughes to London to attend the Peace Conference 1919; Attorney-General 1925-1929; Leader of the Opposition 1929-1931.

Judges

LAWSON

Henry Lawson

(1867 – 1922)

Short story writer and poet.

Henry Lawson’s Australia

LYNEHAM

Sir William Lyne, KCMG

(1844 – 1913)

Legislator; Premier of New South Wales, Federalist and one of the Founders of the Constitution.

Mainly artists and people associated with the development of early Canberra

LYONS

Joseph Aloysius Lyons, PC CH
(1879 – 1939)

Prime Minister 1932–1939.

Tasmanian towns and place names

MACARTHUR

John Macarthur

(1767 – 1834)

Army officer and pastoralist.

Names associated with the wool industry

MACGREGOR

Sir William Macgregor, PCGCMG CB

(1846 – 1919)

Governor of Queensland, 1909–1914.

Medical profession

MACNAMARA

Dame Annie Jean Macnamara DBE

(1899 – 1968)

Medical scientist; significant contribution to the study of poliomyelitis (and the health and welfare of children) and the introduction of myxomatosis; passionate about Australia’s rural heritage.

Science and Technology

MACQUARIE

Governor Lachlan Macquarie

(1762 –1824)

Governor of New South Wales, 1810–1821.

Contemporaries of Governor Macquarie

McKELLAR

Gerald Colin McKellar

(1903 – 1970)

Member of the Senate, 1958-1970.

Journalists

MAWSON

Sir Douglas Mawson, OBE (1882 – 1958)

Antarctic explorer.

Antarctic exploration

MELBA

Dame Nellie Melba, GBE (1861 – 1931)

World famous coloratura soprano.

Musicians

MITCHELL

Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (1792 – 1855)

Explorer and Surveyor-General.

Industrialists

MOLONGLO

Molonglo

Associated with the locality; the word Molonglo has cultural and heritage significance in this locality.

Ornithology (Birds)

MONASH

General Sir John Monash, GCMG KCB VD

(1865 – 1931)

Outstanding Australian Army Commander of World War I; distinguished engineer and scholar.

Engineers

MONCRIEFF

Gladys Lillian Moncrieff OBE
(1892 – 1976)

Star of musical comedies and operettas.

Musicians and those associated with the field of music

NARRABUNDAH

Aboriginal place name

An Aboriginal place name, having a meaning in English of 'small hawk', associated with the locality since the days of the early settlers.

Indigenous names; explorers and pioneers

NGUNNAWAL

Name of a local Aboriginal cultural group

Name of a local Aboriginal cultural group.

Notable Aboriginal people and Aboriginal words

NICHOLLS

Sir Douglas Ralph Nicholls KCVO OBE

(1906 – 1988)

Prominent Aboriginal leader, Governor of South Australia, footballer, pastor, activist.

Sportsmen and sportswomen; theme for pond side Promenade estate is Australian fauna

OAKS ESTATE

The Oaks

The name Oaks Estate is derived from ‘The Oaks’, originally part of a land grant made to Robert Campbell in 1837.

No specific theme

O’CONNOR

Richard Edward O'Connor, QC

(1851 – 1912)

Legislator, federalist and one of the founders of the Constitution. Senator and High Court Judge.

Australian flora, legislators, pioneers, explorers

O’MALLEY

King O'Malley

(c1854 – 1953)

Member of House of Assembly, SA 1896-1899, Federal Minister for Home Affairs when Canberra was named in 1913.

Aboriginal words

OXLEY

John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (c1783 – 1828)

Explorer and surveyor.

Social reformers

PAGE

Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page

PC GCMG CH

(1880 – 1961)

Prime Minister for 19 days in 1939.

Scientists

PALMERSTON

George Thomas Palmer

(1784 – 1854)

European landholder in the Gungahlin district.

Mountains of Australia

PARKES

Sir Henry Parkes GCMG

(1815 – 1896)

Premier of NSW five times, legislator, federalist and one of the founders of the Constitution.

Monarchs and constitutional references

PEARCE

Sir George (Foster) Pearce PC KCVO

(1870 – 1952)

Western Australian Member of Senate 1901-1938; Minister for Defence.

Contemporaries of Sir George Pearce

PHILLIP

Arthur Phillip, RN (Captain, afterwards Admiral)

(1738 – 1814)

Landed First Fleet at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson. First Governor of NSW.

Names associated with the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Fleets; theme for the streets in the area of Swinger Hill is architects

PIALLIGO

Aboriginal place name associated with the foundation European settlement in Canberra

Aboriginal place name associated with the foundation European settlement in Canberra. The name first appeared on Surveyor Robert Dixon's map of 1829.

Aboriginal words

RED HILL

Name associated with the geographical feature

Name associated with the hill since the time of the early settlers, probably suggested by the red soil of the area.

Ships and explorers

REID

Right Honourable Sir George Reid, PC GCB GCMG KC

(1845 – 1918)

Prime Minister 1904–1905 (321 days).

Aboriginal words

RICHARDSON

Henry Handel Richardson (Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson)

(1870 – 1946)

Novelist.

Notable women, particularly writers

RIVETT

Sir (Albert Cherbury) David Rivett KCMG (1885 – 1961)

Rhodes Scholar 1907; Professor of Chemistry.

Australian flora

RUSSELL

Russell

Name associated with the locality for many years; the name was given to an adjacent trigonometrical station by Surveyor Scrivener in c. 1910.

Armed services personnel

SCULLIN

James Henry Scullin, PC (1876 – 1953)

Prime Minister 1929–1932.

Aviators

SPENCE

William Guthrie Spence

(1846 – 1926)

Catherine Helen Spence

(1825–1910)

Miner, trade union leader and politician.

Social and political reformer, feminist, suffragette, educationist, journalist and novelist.

Trade unionists

STIRLING

Sir James Stirling (1791 – 1865)

First Governor of Western Australia.

WA pioneers

STRATHNAIRN

Property name associated with the locality

Property name associated with the locality.

Primary Industry and Regional Service

SYMONSTON

Honourable Sir Josiah Henry Symon, KCMG KC
(1846 – 1934)

Legislator, federalist and one of the founders of the Constitution.

Industry and business

TAYLOR

Florence Mary Taylor, OBE

(1879 – 1969)

Australia's first female architect.

Architecture, town planning and urban design

THARWA

Name of Aboriginal origin

Tharwa, name of Aboriginal origin, associated with the district since the early days of European settlement. Tharwa was an Aboriginal name for Mount Tennent.

No specific theme

THEODORE

Honourable Edward Granville Theodore (1884 – 1950)

Member of Parliament and businessman, Premier of Queensland 1919 to 1925.

Civilian war effort during WWI and WWII

THROSBY

Dr Charles Throsby

(1777 – 1828)

Ship’s surgeon, settler and explorer.

Native fauna

TORRENS

Sir Robert (Richard) Torrens GCMG

(1814 – 1884)

Member Legislative Council South Australia.

Contemporaries of Sir Robert Torrens;  SA pioneers and politicians

TURNER

Rt Hon Sir George Turner PC KCMG

(1851 – 1916)

Victorian Premier, legislator, federalist and one of the founders of the Constitution.

Mainly writers, pioneers and legislators

URIARRA VILLAGE

Uriarra Forestry Settlement

The Uriarra Forestry Settlement was established in this location in 1928 to permanently house forestry workers on site, reflecting their dual role as forestry workers and also as fire surveillance officers.

Names associated with the Uriarra community

WANNIASSA

Wanniassa estate

Wanniassa (Waniassa) estate of Colonel Thomas Macquoid in Tuggeranong district; Macquoid named the land after a former Indonesian village where he held land.

Victorian state politicians

WARAMANGA

Commemorates the Warumungu Aboriginal people

The Warumungu Aboriginal people in the Tennant Creek district of the Northern Territory; also known as Warramunga.

Names of Aboriginal cultural groups

WATSON

Hon John Christian Watson

(1867 – 1941)

Prime Minister 1904 (113 days).

Judges and members of the legal profession

WEETANGERA

Name associated with the locality since the days of the early European settlers

Name associated with the locality since the days of the early European settlers, and the name of the parish in this vicinity prior to the creation of the Australian Capital Territory.

ACT pioneers

WESTON

Weston Homestead

The name of a former homestead established by Captain Edward Nicholas Weston. Weston was granted land in this area at the ‘Yarrow-Lumla plains’ in 1831.

Artists

WHITLAM

The Hon Edward Gough Whitlam AC QC

(1916 – 2014)

21^st Prime Minister of Australia,

5 December 1972 to 11 November 1975.

Arts and Culture

WRIGHT

Judith Arundell Wright
(1915 – 2000)

Australian poet, critic and writer. A committed environmentalist and a lifelong fighter for Aboriginal rights and social justice.

Environment, poets and butterflies

YARRALUMLA

Name associated with the locality

Name associated with the locality. The name is from the local Aboriginal language and is believed to translate to 'echo' in the English language.

Governors and botanists