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Fremantle Stuff > Early Days: Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society

Provisional list of aboriginal place names and their meanings

L. Glauert

Glauert, L. 1950, 'Provisional list of aboriginal place names and their meanings', Early Days, Volume 4, Part 2: 83-86.

[not corrected and incomplete]

For many years I have been compiling a list of aboriginal place names and their meanings from many sources. In many cases the interpretation is obviously correct, but in others, the meaning given is only problematical. It is felt that if this list is published, interest in the matter will be aroused, as a result of which, errors will be corrected and valuable additions supplied by correspondents.

It must be pointed out that certain sounds cannot be accurately rendered in English, thus “B” or "P,” "D” or "T,” “C” or “K” have often been used indiscriminately. As an example, “BENGER” (swamp) is often rendered “PINJAR,” e.g.. Lake Pinjar, north of Perth.

It may not be out of place to draw attention to the suffixes up and in, ine or ing which denote place or camp, not water—though water, gabbi or kaip is often near if the spot has been the site of a native encampment.

The distribution of these suffixes is interesting. Up occurs on the plain west of the Darling Range from the Moore River in the north to the south coast, and thence eastwards to the vicinity of Israelite Bay. The inner boundary passes through the ranges by the valley of the Collie River to the vicinity of Lake Grace (Burngup) and so on to the coast.

To the north and east of this line, up is replaced by in, ine or ing for many miles, when further changes occur.

B (see also P).

BADGEBUP............ Place of wild rushes.

BALGARUP............ Place of blackboys (Balga).

BENGER.............. A swamp (see also Pinjar).

BENGINUP............ A place of a swamp.

BINDON.............. a place where yams grow.

BOKAL............... a grave mound (bogal).

BOOY UP............. a place of large stones.

BOYUP............. a place of large stones.

BOYA.............. Rock or stone.

BOYADINE............ a place of quartz for spears (boyerine).

BOYANUP............. Place of quartz.

BORANUP............. Place of a male dog (borang).

84

C (see also K).

CARDUP .........Place of the racehorse goanna (Kurda).

CAMBALLUP.......Place of bullrush swamp.

CARBANUP .......Place of cormorants (carbanga).

CARBERUP .......Place of cormorants (carbanga).

CAROLING...Fruit of a rush near by (corobee).

COROBING...ditto

COOLUP ........Name of wild turkey (koolie or koonlie)

COOMALUNG.......Place of plenty of possum

COOMELBERRUP ....Place of plenty of possum

COOKERNUP ......Place of swamp hen (cooki).

COWARAMUP.......Place of purple crowned lorikeet (kowara).

CUBBINE.........Place of the frogmouth.

CURDARDUP ......Place of the racehourse goanna (kurda).

CUNDERDIN .......Place of the bandicoot (quenda).

CUMMININ...Place of a flat-leaved rush that used to grow in a nearby swamp (comilya)

COMILING .....Place of a flat-leaved rush that used to grow in a nearby swamp (comilya)

CHITIBIN........Place of the willy wagtail (chitty chitty).

CHTTTERING......Place where the willy wagtail nests.

D (see also T).

DANGIN.............. Needle tree (Hakea).

DOWERIN............. Twenty-eight parrot.

DWARDA.............. The dingo.

G.

GNOWANGERUP ..... Place where the gnow [mallee fowl] nests.

K (see also C).

KALYALING........... Place of the wild turkey (koolye or koonie).

KATANNING........... Place where the willy wagtail nests (chitty chitty).

KARLGARIN........... Place of a fire (karl).

KALGALLUP........... Place of a fire (karl).

KOJONUP............. Place of the stone for the axe (kodja)

KULYALLING........ Place of edible frogs.

KOOLANOOKA.......... Place of plenty of wild turkeys.

KUMARL.............. Common grey possum (kumarl).

KULYA............... Edible frog.

KUENDER............. Short-nosed bandicoot (quenda).

85

KYLIE...Boomerang.

KATTA...Hill.

KARRAKATTA ... Crab-Hill (Kari-crab) or Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Karak) or Hill where an orchid with an edible root (Karh-rh) is to be found.

M.

MADGEGUP ... place of grass

MANGO WINE . MARLOO .. .. MARDONING . MANDJAR .. . MILEURA .. . MILGERUP .. MIARINUP .. . MTT.T.TR .. .. MILLIGAN .. . MILLYANUP .. MINGA MINGANOOKA ( Paper bark.

MINGENEW - < | .... Place where ants are.

MORAWA .... MOOLYARUP . MOORANOPPIN MOUJAKINE .. MOKINE Place where the nonse-piercing was done. .. .. Place of charcoal (martin). Female dingo.

NINGHAN .. .. NOGGERUP .. . NOONEGIN .. NORNALUP .. . N. (ngara). Probably refers to a flat rock near by. as it means sit down (noodinin). . .. Place of the tiger snake (nome).

O.

ONGERUP .. .. Place of male kangaroo (Yonger).

lake pinjar .. PINJARRA .. * P. .. Swampy lake. .. Place of a swamp, formerly Pinjarrup.

not corrected and incomplete

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