In case you’re wondering what this Tommy TuTone music video has to do with our odyssey, the answer is, well, nothing really, except for one thing: The opening words of the lyrics are “Jenny, Jenny” (or for the purposes of this story, “Ghinni Ghinni.”)
Walla Walla, Washington is the only double-named town I can think of in the United States, but in Australia a double-named town like Walla Walla, New South Wales is almost the rule rather than the exception.
It seems like every other town and village and mountain and river and watering hole has an aboriginal double name. Here are some of our oddball favorites:
Bang Bang, Queensland (Too bad the next town to the west isn’t named Chitty Chitty. That would be hilarious on a map.)
Booti Booti National Park, New South Wales (“Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your Booti Booti…”)
Bong Bong, New South Wales (There’s a town named Nimbin, New South Wales that’s famous for ignoring drug enforcement. Wonder if the same is true in Bong Bong.)
Boing Boing, Northern Territory (Wouldn’t this be the perfect location for a kangaroo exhibit?)
Boora Boora Bore, Western Australia (Soooo close to a triple repetition)
Bungle Bungles, Western Australia (No, that’s not a mistake)
Bung Bung Mountain, Victoria (Wonder if this is wine country)
Cona Cona, Queensland (Guaranteed that it looks nothing like Hawaii’s Kona)
Daddah Daddah Creek, Victoria (A rare double double name)
Doon Doon, Western Australia (To paraphrase Friends’ Joey Tribiani, “How you Doon Doon?”)
Dum Dum, New South Wales (Are the residents known as dum dums?)
Goon Goon, Queensland (Is this where the FBI puts mafia hit men in the witness protection program?)
Gang Gang Mountain, New South Wales (Where the mafia hit men live before being sent to Goon Goon)
Ghinni Ghinni Creek, New South Wales (I’ve always loved the Tommy Tu-Tone song in the above video. Do you think it was really written about Ghinni Ghinni?)
Gin Gin, Western Australia (The answer to the question, “What would you like to drink drink?)
Goodie Goodie, South Australia (Hooray! We’re finally here!)
Harry Harry Creek, New South Wales (Do not drink the water.)
Jim Jim Falls, Northern Territory (Far as we know, there’s no town named Jamie Jamie.)
Jip Jip Conservation Park, South Australia (Just not worth the money)
Manu Manu Dam, Queensland (sounds like it was named by Mork)
Merri Merri Creek, New South Wales (Australia’s Christmas Island should be Merri Merri’s sister city)
Mindy Mindy Creek, Western Australia (Goes along with Mork above)
Mini Mini Creek, Northern Territory (Most creeks in this dry country could be tagged with the same name)
Mundi Mundi, New South Wales (Always loved that song by the Mamas & Papas)
Mut Mut, New South Wales (This town’s a dog.)
Nap Nap, New South Wales (So boring it will put you to sleep.)
Never Never, New South Wales (That’s exactly when you should visit this town.)
Puta Puta, Northern Territory (I’m guessing there’s no town by this name in Mexico.)
Wee Wee Creek, New South Wales (Do not drink the water.)
Wong Wong, Western Australia (Two Wongs don’t make a Wright.)
Woop Woop (A mythical aboriginal locality that’s worth celebrating.)
Willy Willy Bore, New South Wales (A bore is a water well. If you know what a “willy” is, I’d suggest not drinking the water.)
Woodie Woodie, Western Australia (You better believe he would.)
Yo Yo Creek, Queensland (This town has had its ups and downs)
There are hundreds more of them. Maybe thousands. Everything from Banka Banka, Northern Territory (never been there) to Wagga Wagga, New South Wales (been there several times).
I’d quote the old Wrigley chewing gum commercials (“Double your pleasure, double your fun”) except I suspect that fun is a pretty rare commodity in most of these small, outback towns.