Australia has some absolutely hilarious place names. Every time we drive through one of them, we write the name down and add it to our list. I also went through an atlas to find some good ones.
Click on the video above to hear a famous song by Aussie singer Lucky Starr (later rewritten and recorded for American audiences by country singer Hank Snow) titled “I’ve Been Everywhere, Man” that gives you a hint of what I’m talking about. The lyrics say:
“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?”
Yes, the aboriginal names are very odd to our ears, but some of the English names are also very odd (at best). Here are a few of our favorites:
Banana, Queensland
Burrumbuttock, New South Wales
Chinkapook, Victoria
Cock Wash, South Australia
Cockburn, Western Australia
Cocklebiddy, Western Australia
Come By Chance, New South Wales
Delicate Nobby, New South Wales
Dog Swamp, Western Australia
Doo Town, Tasmania
Eggs and Bacon Bay, Tasmania
Humpybong, Queensland
Tiddy Widdy Beach, South Australia
Grong Grong, New South Walres
Humpty Doo, Northern Territory
Humpybong, Queensland
Koolyanobbing, Western Australia
Moolooloo, Northern Territory
Mount Buggery, Victoria
Nar Nar Goon, Victoria (from the aboriginal word for koala)
Nowhere Else, Tasmania
Ozenkadnook, Victoria (means “very fat kangaroo” in Aboriginal)
Pimpinbudgie, Queensland
Poowong, Victoria
Rooty Hill, New South Wales
Smiggin Holes, New South Wales
The End of the World, Tasmania
Tittybong, Victoria
Teddywaddy, Victoria
Tom Ugly, New South Wales
Upotipotpon, Victoria
Useless Loop, Western Australia
Watanobbi, New South Wales
Wee Waa, New South Wales
Wonglepong, Queensland
Woolloomooloo, New South Wales (a very upscale neighborhood in Sydney)
Wurt Wurt Kurt, Queensland
Yorkeys Knob, Queensland
Did Come By Chance live up to its name?