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History of country town names - B

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The following information is a summary of the origins for towns names in rural Western Australia. Please select the first letter of the town you wish to see.
Please note: The names of all rural towns are being added progressively to the database.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BAANDEE

Latitude 32° 35’ Longitude 117° 59’

Baandee is a townsite on the Great Eastern Highway near Doodlakine, between Kellerberrin and Merredin. It was gazetted in April 1912, and is an Aboriginal word, sometimes spelt "Barndi", and possibly meaning "to smell". "Barndy" is also a word for "swan" in one SW dialect.
Note: C. W. Massingham, a very early settler in the Merredin district, recorded the Aboriginal name of Hines Hill, a hill about 8km NE of Baandee, as "Baandui". He was of the opinion that this was where Baandee got its name.


BABAKIN

Latitude 32° 07’ Longitude 118° 01’

A Townsite on the railway line between Corrigin and Bruce Rock, Babakin was gazetted in 1914 The name was first shown on a lease taken up by C Heal Jnr in 1873, and it is believed to be an Aboriginal for "Dingo" or "Native Dog".


BADGEBUP

Latitude 33° 38’ Longitude 117° 54’

A townsite between Katanning and Nyabing , this place was originally proposed as "Badjebupp", for the name of a station on the Katanning - Nampupp (Now Nyabing) Railway in 1910. The name is derived from nearby Badgebup Well, and is an Aboriginal word said to mean "place of wild rushes". Another source gives it as "broad green leaves on a plant round soak".
The Townsite was gazetted as Badjebup in , changed to "Nalabup" in 1923, changed back to "Badjebup" in 1923, and finally to Badgebup in 1972.


BADGINGARRA

Latitude 30° 24’ Longitude 115° 33’

Badgingarra, a town on the Brand Highway near Jurien Bay, takes its name from nearby Badgingarra Pool. This feature was first recorded by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1877, and is an Aboriginal word said to mean "water by the manna gums". The townsite was gazetted in 1955.


BADJALING

Latitude 32° 00’ Longitude 117° 30’

A townsite just east of Quairading in the central wheat belt, Badjaling was first gazetted as Yuruga in 1914. The name was changed to Badjaling in 1914, and takes its name from the Aboriginal name of nearby water sources, Badjaling soak and Badjaling Spring. The word "badjal" refers to feathers being thrown about as a bird is plucked.


BAKERS HILL

Latitude 31° 45’ Longitude 116° 27’

Originally declared as Mount Baker in 1897, this name was changed to Baker's Hill in 1902 to avoid confusion with Mount Barker. The apostrophe in the name was not officially dropped until 1944 The town is said to have been named in honour of an early settler, John or James Baker.


BALADJIE

Latitude 30° 59’ Longitude 118° 56’

Baladjie is another townsite that began as a WAGR railway siding. Situated about 17km west of Bullfinch, the name was first approved as a siding in 1928, and is named after nearby Baladjie Rock. It is an Aboriginal word, the meaning of which is not known. It has at times been spelt Balahgin, Baladgin, Balajie, Baladgee and finally Baladjie. The townsite was gazetted in 1930.


BALAGUNDI

Latitude 30° 44’ Longitude 121° 41’

A goldfields townsite located 20 km east of Kalgoorlie, Balagundi is named after a nearby Aboriginal well. The townsite was requested by the Balagundi Progress Association in March 1896, and the townsite gazetted later that year. The meaning of the name is not known.


BALBARRUP

Latitude 34° 14’ Longitude 116° 12’

This townsite, located near Manjimup, was originally gazetted as "Manjimupp" in 1903. The name was changed to Balbarrup in 1910 to avoid confusion with the new townsite of "Manjimupp" (later Manjimup) situated on the railway about 5km further west. Balbarrup is the Aboriginal name of a nearby brook and place first recorded by a surveyor in 1863, but the meaning of the name is not known.


BALGARRI

Latitude 30° 29’ Longitude 121° 07’

Balgarri is another goldfields townsite, situated about 45 km NNW of Kalgoorlie. It was locally known as the "Fortytwo Mile" before the name Balgarri was suggested. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, and Balgarri is an Aboriginal word, the meaning of which is not known.


BALINGUP

Latitude 33° 47’ Longitude 115° 59’

The townsite of Balingup is located in the south west, 241 km south of Perth and 31 km south east of Donnybrook. The townsite takes its name from Balingup Pool, located in Balingup Brook which flows through the town. The name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1850, and is said to be derived from the name of an Aboriginal warrior, Balingan.
Balingup is located on the South Western Highway, the main road south to Bridgetown and beyond. It was gazetted as a main road in 1872, and by this time there were a number of farms in the area. In the 1860s the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon was one who had a large flock of sheep here. In the mid 1890s the government planned a railway from Donnybrook to Bridgetown, and Balingup was selected as the site of one of the stations. The government also decided it would establish a townsite at Balingup, but the land at the selected site was privately owned. This land was purchased in 1896, and a scheme of subdivision promptly approved, and lots surveyed in 1897. The townsite was gazetted in 1898, the same year the railway was opened.


BALKULING

Latitude 31° 59’ Longitude 117° 07’

Balkuling, also sometimes spelt Balcooling, was suggested as the name for a new siding on the Greenhills - Quairading Railway in 1907. It is the Aboriginal name for a nearby locality, and was gazetted as a townsite in 1920. The meaning of this name may relate to "walking", as kulin or goolin means walking.


BALLABALLA

Latitude 20° 42’ Longitude 117° 47’

Ballaballa is a townsite on the coast between Port Hedland and Roebourne. It was gazetted in 1898, and is named after the nearby river of the same name. The river name was first recorded by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1879, and this Aboriginal name is believed to be derived from the word "Parla" meaning mud. Ballaballa probably mean "lots of mud".
Ballaballa was the townsite for the Whim Creek Copper Mines, and once included 2 Hotels, Telegraph Station, Blacksmith and a Store. It is now abandoned


BALLIDU

Latitude 30° 36’ Longitude 116° 46’

The name Ballidu is the result of a compromise between the Department of Lands & Surveys and local residents. The Department wanted to name the place Duli, after nearby Duli Rockhole, and local residents wanted Balli Balli after a nearby soakage. The Secretary of the local progress association suggested combining the names to Ballidu, and the name was approved and a townsite gazetted in 1914. The street names in the townsite are the names of varieties of wheat. The Aboriginal word bal-lee which is similar to Balli means "on this side; this way; in this direction" in one south west dialect.


BAMBOO

Latitude 20° 56’ Longitude 120° 13’

A mining townsite in the Pilbara near Marble Bar, Bamboo was gazetted in 1895. It derives its name from nearby Bamboo Creek, and the mine of the same name, the name being descriptive of the vegetation.


BARDOC

Latitude 30° 20’ Longitude 121° 18’

A goldfields townsite near Broad Arrow north of Kalgoorlie, Bardoc is an Aboriginal name derived from a nearby hill. The hill name was recorded in 1895 and the townsite gazetted in 1896. Although the meaning of the name is not known, the word bar-dook or barduk means "near" or "close" in some Aboriginal dialects.


BEACON

Latitude 30° 27’ Longitude 117° 52’

A townsite in the north eastern wheatbelt, Beacon was gazetted in 1931. The local name of the place when the name was suggested for the townsite in 1929 was Beacon Rock, but the origin of the name was not recorded. Local usage dropped the "Rock" from the name between 1929 and 1931


BEJOORDING

Latitude 31° 23’ Longitude 116° 32’

Bejoording is an Aboriginal place name recorded during explorations by George Fletcher Moore in 1836. It is shown as an area set aside for a future townsite on Arrowsmith's map of the colony dated 1 October 1839. The first town lots were sold in 1856-57, and the Townsite gazetted in 1899. It is located near Toodyay.


BELKA

Latitude 31° 44’ Longitude 118° 10’

A central wheatbelt townsite on the railway line between Bruce Rock and Merredin, gazetted in 1914. This name is believed to be Aboriginal, and one source gives a meaning of "ankle" for the word. Belka is also believed to be the name of a district in Palestine.


BELMUNGING

Latitude 31° 52’ Longitude 117° 09’

A townsite east of York, Belmunging was first gazetted as Dudinanning in 1909. The name was changed to Belmunging in 1915. It is an Aboriginal name derived from Belmunging Pool, a name first recorded in 1890.


BENCUBBIN

Latitude 30° 49’ Longitude 117° 52’

The name of this townsite is derived from "Gnylbencubbing" the Aboriginal name for nearby Mt. Marshall. It was suggested by the Chief Draftsman, J.Hope, in 1913, for the station at the terminus of the Wyalkatchem-Mt Marshall railway. The townsite was gazetted in 1917.


BENDERING

Latitude 31° 52’ Longitude 117° 09’

A townsite on the railway between Kondinin and Narembeen, Bendering takes its name from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring. It was gazetted in 1921. The meaning of the name is unknown.


BENJABERRING

Latitude 31° 09’ Longitude 117° 17’

A wheatbelt townsite near Wyalkatchem, Benjaberring derives its name from a nearby Aboriginal water source. It was recorded as early as 1846, and spelt variously as Binjermaring, Pingeperring and Benjabbering. The townsite was first gazetted as Benjabbering in 1910, but was changed to Benjaberring in 1911 as this spelling better indicated the correct pronunciation.


BERIA

Latitude 28° 34’ Longitude 122° 23’

A goldfields townsite near Laverton, this name was first gazetted in 1905. A later gazettal in 1936 created a townsite in the same vicinity. The true Aboriginal name of the place was 'Tinbeeringtharra' but Beria, an Aboriginal word meaning 'large open field', was suggested by surveyor J.H.Rowe as being more suitable.


BEVERLEY

Latitude 32° 07’ Longitude 116° 56’

Located 33 km south east of York in the Avon valley, land at Beverley was set aside for a townsite in 1830. The town is believed to be named after a town in Yorkshire, as some of the earliest explorers of the Avon valley area were from Yorkshire.


BIG BELL

Latitude 27° 19’ Longitude 117° 39’

Big Bell was gazetted as a townsite in 1936, and is named after the mine of the same name. The Big Bell Mine was a very big low grade ore deposit at Paton's Find, and was developed by the Premier Gold Mining Co in the 1930's. The town serviced the mine, but the mine closed in 1954, and the town was virtually deserted by 1955. It is not known why the mine was named "Big Bell".


BILBARIN

Latitude 32° 12’ Longitude 117° 57’

Bilbarin is a townsite on the railway line between Corrigin and Bruce Rock, and was originally gazetted as Wogerlin in 1914. It was changed to Bilbarin in 1916, and is named after the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring.


BINDI BINDI

Latitude 30° 38’ Longitude 116° 22’

Originally a W.A.G.R. siding, Bindi Bindi was gazetted a townsite in 1947. The name is believed to the Aboriginal word for the stick or skewer with which a coat is fastened. The name being repeated usually refers to many of them.


BINDOON

Latitude 31° 23’ Longitude 116° 06’

Bindoon was gazetted as a townsite in 1953, but the name has been in use in this area for over 150 years. It is derived from the name given by an early settler, Mr William Locke Brockman, to his property surveyed here in 1843. Bindoon is an Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is uncertain, but some sources state it means "place where yams grow".


BINNINGUP

Latitude 33° 09’ Longitude 115° 41’

Binningup is a south western coastal townsite located 153 km south of Perth and 27 km north of Bunbury. Binningup takes its name from "Binningup Beach Estate", a name used by a syndicate of Harvey people who subdivided the area in 1953. It is apparently an Aboriginal name, but not necessarily traditional. By 1962 there was only one resident in the area, but many homes were built in the following few years. At the request of the Shire of Harvey Binningup was gazetted a townsite in 1963.


BINNU

Latitude 28° 02’ Longitude 114° 40’

A townsite on the Great Northern Highway north of Northampton, Binnu derives its name from Bininu Well located approximately 2.5 miles east of the Townsite. The well name has been known since 1909, and the townsite was gazetted in 1932. The meaning of this Aboriginal word is said to be "to squeeze". Another source states the meaning to be a contraction of a word meaning "place of emus".


BLACK FLAG

Latitude 30° 33’ Longitude 121° 14’

The goldfields townsite of Black Flag, now abandoned, takes its name from the Black Flag gold find, discovered in 1893. The townsite was gazetted in 1897, but it is not known why the place was named Black Flag.


BODALLIN

Latitude 31° 22’ Longitude 118° 51’

The townsite of Bodallin takes its name from the railway siding of this name, established between 1894 and 1897. It is located about half way between Merredin and Southern Cross. The townsite was gazetted spelt Boddalin in 1918, and was amended to Bodallin in 1947. The name is believed to be a corruption of Boodalin, the Aboriginal name of a soak about 23km NW of the station, and one source gives the meaning as "a big round soak".


BODDINGTON

Latitude 32° 48’ Longitude 116° 28’

Boddington is named after Henry Boddington, a farmer who shepherded sheep in the area in the 1860's and 1870's, and also leased land here in 1875. A pool in the Hotham River was known as Boddington Pool, and when the site for a railway stopping place and a townsite was chosen adjacent to the pool, Boddington was selected as the name. The townsite was gazetted in 1912.


BOLGART

Latitude 31° 16’ Longitude 116° 31’

A townsite north of Toodyay, Bolgart derives its name from a nearby spring. The spring was discovered and the name recorded by explorer G F Moore in 1836. He referred to the area as "a tract of several acres of rich ground covered with active springs, the grass rich and green". J Scully took up land here in the 1840's, and named his property "Bolgart". The townsite was gazetted in 1909. One source gives Bolgart as an Aboriginal word meaning "place of water".


BONNIE ROCK

Latitude 32° 30’ Longitude 118° 22’

Bonnie Rock is a townsite on the edge of the eastern wheatbelt, and was the terminus of the railway line through Beacon. The townsite was gazetted in 1932, the name having been suggested by the district Surveyor, S Smith, in 1930. The name is taken from the local name of a nearby rock which was named by an early sandalwood getter.


BONNIE VALE

Latitude 30° 51’ Longitude 121° 10’

A goldfields townsite near Coolgardie, Bonnie Vale was gazetted in 1897. It was apparently named after Bonnie, a prospector who picked up a 7oz. nugget here in May/June 1894.


BOODAROCKIN

Latitude 31° 00’ Longitude 118° 48’

Boodarockin is a townsite in the eastern wheatbelt near Bullfinch. When the Lake Brown Bullfinch railway line was built in 1928, a siding situated about 30km westwards of Bullfinch was named Boodarockin after some nearby wells. The Aboriginal name of the wells was first recorded in 1889. A townsite was later gazetted here in 1929, but no development ever took place. The meaning of the name is not known.


BOOGARDIE

Latitude 28° 02’ Longitude 117° 47’

Boogardie is a mining townsite about seven kilometres north west of Mount Magnet. It was gazetted in 1898, and is a local Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is unknown.


BOOLADING

Latitude 33° 21’ Longitude 116° 38’

Boolading is a townsite west of Darkan, and derives its name from a property name. In 1907 the W.A.G.R. sought a name for a new siding here on the Collie-Darkan line, and the name Boolading was suggested by H. Farrell the district Surveyor (in "compliment to Mr W. Gibbs, the most hospitable settler on the line"). The townsite was gazetted in 1909, and was originally spelt Bulading. The spelling was amended to Boolading in 1955. The name is Aboriginal, but the meaning is not known. Boo-la means "plenty; much; many; abundance", in some south west dialects.


BOORABBIN

Latitude 31° 13’ Longitude 120° 19’

Boorabbin is a townsite about half way between Southern Cross and Coolgardie. It is an Aboriginal name, derived from nearby rocks of the same name. The name of the rocks was recorded by the explorer C.C.Hunt in 1865, but Hunt did not record a meaning. The townsite here was gazetted in 1898.


BOORARA

Latitude 30° 49’ Longitude 121° 38’

A goldfields townsite near Kalgoorlie, Boorara was gazetted in 1897. The name is Aboriginal of unknown source and meaning.


BORDEN

Latitude 34° 04’ Longitude 118° 16’

Borden is a townsite between Gnowangerup and Ongerup. The name was first used in 1912 when it was proposed by the Secretary for Railways as the name of a siding on the new Tambellup-Ongerup Railway. It was gazetted as a townsite in 1916. Although it is not known why this name was given, it is known that it is after the Right Honourable Sir Robert Laird Borden, the 8th Prime Minister of Canada (1911 - 1920). This is confirmed because the next siding on the railway line (now closed) was named Laurier, after the Right Honourable Sir Wilfred Laurier, the 7th Prime Minister of Canada (1896 - 1911).


BOSCABEL

Latitude 33° 40’ Longitude 117° 04’

Boscabel is a townsite in the Great Southern region near Kojonup. The name of the townsite was suggested by the local progress association in 1912, and is believed to be derived from an English name - there is a Boscobel House in Shropshire. The townsite was gazetted in 1913.


BOULDER

Latitude 30° 47’ Longitude 121° 29’

The townsite of Boulder, adjacent to Kalgoorlie, was gazetted in 1896. It is named after a gold mining lease called "The Great Boulder".
The story of the naming of the "the Great Boulder" is told in "The Mile that Midas Touched" (G. Casey & T. Mayman) - In 1893 in Dashwoods Gully in South Australia four men discussed the future of a local mining lease 'The Boulder'. Its main features were large sandstone boulders in which were found some small wiry stringers of gold. W.G. Brookman and Charles de Rose had been working the lease without much success, and George Brookman, a businessman who was backing them, had gone to Dashwood's Gully with an experienced prospector, Sam Pearce to discuss the matter. Later George Brookman told them he might be able to raise funds in Adelaide to send a small party to Coolgardie, and later the Adelaide Prospecting Company was formed. W.G. Brookman and Sam Pearce left Adelaide on the 7th of June 1893. On the last stage of their journey they walked beside their cart and two horses for 300 miles to Coolgardie. Sam Pearce had a good knowledge of geology and he and Brookman moved their camp to Ivanhoe Hill. While Brookman was away at Coolgardie applying for 20 acres Pearce discovered a rich lead a few chains away and in August they registered another lease. With memories of their Dashwood's Gully lease they called it the Great Boulder.


BOWELLING

Latitude 33° 25’ Longitude 116° 29’

Bowelling is a townsite in the great southern agricultural region, located 234 km south south east of Perth and 32 km east of Collie. Bowelling is an Aboriginal name the meaning of which is unknown. It was first recorded as the name of a pool in the Collie River in 1890. When the railway from Collie to Darkan opened in 1906 and passed close to the pool, a siding was established nearby and at first referred to as Siding Number 2. In December 1907 it was renamed Bowelling, and at the Surveyor Generals suggestion a few lots were surveyed at the siding in 1908. Bowelling was gazetted a townsite in 1908.


BOWGADA

Latitude 29° 20’ Longitude 116° 10’

Bowgada is a townsite in the northern wheatbelt between Perenjori and Morawa. It was originally gazetted as Chubble in 1913 and was changed to Bowgada in 1914. Bowgada is the Aboriginal name of a local bush, the botanical name of which is Ramulosa.


BOXWOOD HILL

Latitude 34° 22’ Longitude 118° 45’

A townsite near Bremer Bay, Boxwood Hill was locally known by this name since early settlement. It was gazetted as a townsite in 1963. The name appears to be descriptive, relating to a vegetation type.


BOYANUP

Latitude 33° 29’ Longitude 115° 44’

The townsite of Boyanup is located in the south west agricultural region, 195 km south of Perth and 18 km south east of Bunbury. In 1888 a railway was built between Boyanup and Bunbury, and in 1891 the government opened up land in the area by declaring the Boyanup Agricultural Area. Land was set aside for a townsite in the agricultural area, lots in the townsite surveyed in 1893, and the townsite gazetted in 1894.
Boyanup is an Aboriginal name, having been first recorded by an explorer in 1852. It is also on the main road south, and is shown on a road survey in 1869 as Boyinup. It is said to mean "a place of quartz" - Boya means "rock" or "stone".


BOYERINE

Latitude 33° 30’ Longitude 117° 25’

This townsite, in the great southern district between Wagin and Woodanilling, was gazetted as Boyadine in 1904. The spelling was amended to Boyerine later the same year, and the name is derived from nearby Boyerine Pool, first recorded in 1874. The meaning of the name may be related to Boya, an Aboriginal word meaning "rock" or "stone".


BOYUP BROOK

Latitude 33° 50’ Longitude 116° 21’

The townsite of Boyup Brook is located in the great southern agricultural region, 269 km south south east of Perth and 31 km north east of Bridgetown. The Boyup Brook area was known as Upper Blackwood when in 1896 the government set land aside for a future townsite on the Blackwood River about 8 km south of the present townsite. In 1899 farmers in the area met and formed the "Upper Blackwood Progress Committee", and wrote to the government requesting the setting aside of a townsite in which to erect a school, places of worship and other public purposes. The Committee was seeking to "advance the interests of this rising and important district".

The request for a townsite shrewdly proposed it be named "Throssell". It was addressed to the Minister for Lands, at that time George Throssell. The Lands Department resisted the proposal at first, as it did not consider there was enough demand for lots, but the Progress Committee persisted, and the Minister directed the Department to survey some lots. The survey was carried out in 1899 and although the name Throssell was used for a short time, Sir James Lee Steere, former resident of the area and prominent politician, suggested the Aboriginal name Boyup, by the which the area was locally known, should be used. The townsite was gazetted as Boyup in 1900, although local usage was mostly "Boyup Brook". In 1908 there was a major expansion of the townsite, and locals suggested that as there was some confusion with the similarity of Boyup and Boyanup, the townsite should be renamed Boyup Brook. The renaming was approved, and the townsite regazetted as Boyup Brook in 1909.

The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby watercourse, Boyup Brook, which was first recorded as Booyup Brook in 1877. Buyu is said to mean "place of smoke", and another account states that "Booy" means "big smoke", and was named because the brook was originally surrounded by blackboys which, when set alight, sent up a cloud of black smoke.


BREMER BAY

Latitude 34° 24’ Longitude 119° 23’

A townsite on the south coast between Albany and Hopetoun, Bremer Bay derives its name from the bay on which it is located. The bay is believed to have been named by John Septimus Roe, the Surveyor General, who visited the area in 1831. It is assumed that Roe named this feature after James John Gordon Bremer, captain of the "TAMAR", under whom he served between 1824 and 1827.
Bremer Bay was originally named Wellstead in 1951 but locals petitioned to have the town renamed to what it was locally known as, this being Bremer Bay. The change of name was approved by the Minister for Lands and the new name gazetted in 1962.


BRIDGETOWN

Latitude 33° 57’ Longitude 116° 08’

Bridgetown is a picturesque townsite on the Blackwood River between Greenbushes and Manjimup. The name of the town was proposed by Surveyor T.C. Carey in 1868 at the suggestion of the settlers of the area "as it is at a bridge and the "Bridgetown" was the first ship to put in at Bunbury for the wool from these districts". It was approved by Governor Hampton at the suggestion of J. S. Roe, the Surveyor General, in June 1868. An earlier suggestion by Carey was "Geegelup", the Aboriginal name of the place and a brook through the town. The name was gazetted on 9/6/1868.


BROAD ARROW

Latitude 30° 27’ Longitude 121° 20’

A goldfields townsite between Kalgoorlie and Menzies, this place was first gazetted as Kurawah (Broad Arrow)" in May 1896. It would appear that the area was known locally as Broad Arrow and the Aboriginal name was Kurawah. Broad Arrow was officially adopted as the name in January, 1897.
Broad Arrow was named after a gold mine discovered by Reison who, when on his first trip to the area, marked broad arrows on the ground, at intervals, to direct his mates who were following. It was soon a thriving goldmining town, and in 1900 had a population of 2400 with 8 hotels, 2 breweries, a stock exchange and a large hospital.

BROOKTON

Latitude 32° 22’ Longitude 117° 01’

A farming town in the Great Southern region between Beverley and Pingelly, Brookton was one of the original stations on the Great Southern railway which opened in June 1889. When the government gazetted a townsite here in 1895 it was named "Seabrook", but local acceptance of the station name resulted in the townsite being changed to Brookton in 1899. The town is named after "Brookton House", the property name of John Seabrook (1818-1891), who moved to this district soon after marrying in 1846.
He was the first settler and founder of what is now known as the Brookton district.


BROOME

Latitude 17° 58’ Longitude 122° 14’

Broome, a seaside town in the Kimberley, was gazetted a townsite in 1883. It is named after Sir Frederick Napier Broome (1842-1896) who was the then Governor of Western Australia. He took office in June 1883 and in September 1890 was appointed acting Governor of Barbados.


BROOMEHILL

Latitude 33° 51’ Longitude 117° 38’

The townsite of Broomehill came into existence just before the completion of the Great Southern Railway in 1889. It was given that name to commemorate the fact that Governor and Lady Broome turned the first sods, one at Albany, the other at Beverley. Listed as Broomehill (one word) in railway timetables gazetted in 1889, but as Broome Hill when gazetted a townsite in 1890. Although always locally known as Broomehill, the official spelling was only changed from two words to one word in 1959.


BROWN HILL

Latitude 30° 46’ Longitude 121° 30’

A goldmining townsite near Kalgoorlie, Brown Hill was gazetted in 1899. The name is descriptive.


BRUCE ROCK

Latitude 31° 53’ Longitude 118° 09’

A central wheatbelt town, Bruce Rock was gazetted in 1913. It was originally called Nunagin (Noonegin) but this name was easily confused with Nungarin and Narrogin. It was changed to Bruce Rock, after the nearby rock. The rock is said to be named after John Rufus Bruce who cut sandalwood near there around 1879.


BRUNSWICK JUNCTION

Latitude 33° 15’ Longitude 115° 50’

The town of Brunswick Junction is located in the south west between Harvey and Bunbury. It was founded around 1898, when the Brunswick railway station was opened at the junction of the Perth-Bunbury line and the newly completed Collie-Brunswick line. The town is named after the nearby river. The Brunswick River was discovered by J S Roe in 1830, and named after the House of Brunswick. The Aboriginal name is Mue-De-La.
The name Brunswick was most likely chosen by Governor Stirling, as in 1813 whilst in command of the "Brazen" (a 28 gun sloop) Stirling was sent to cruise the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of Holland, and whilst in this position was under the command of the Duke of Brunswick. (Brunswick, Duke of (Frederick William). Born at Brunswick 1771, Killed at Quatre-Bras, Belgium 1816).


BULLABULLING

Latitude 31° 01’ Longitude 120° 52’

A goldfields townsite west of Coolgardie, this place was gazetted as Bulla Bulling in 1898. The spelling was amended to one word, Bullabulling, in 1944.


BULLARING

Latitude 32° 30’ Longitude 117° 44’

Bullaring is a townsite on the railway line between Wickepin and Corrigin, and was gazetted in 1914. The name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, the meaning of which is unknown.


BULLFINCH

Latitude 30° 59’ Longitude 119° 07’

The mining town of Bullfinch, located about 34 kilometres north west of Southern Cross was gazetted a townsite in 1910. "Bullfinch" was the name given to mining leases in the vicinity held by D. L. Doolette and V. Shallcross in 1909-1910. Gold was discovered on these leases by an employee, Charlie Jones, in April 1910. Although the Bullfinch mine was closed in May 1921, another mining boom took place in this area after the Second World War when Western Mining took over the Copperhead leases and set up a subsidiary company, Great Western Consolidated, to handle its interests. By 1950 the Copperhead mine was employing 130 men and the company had built a new town. Production ceased in May 1963.


BULLSBROOK

Latitude 31° 40’ Longitude 116° 00’

Bullsbrook, a locality north of Upper Swan, derives its name from a railway station, established here during the construction of the Midland Railway in the 1890s. The railway station was named after an adjacent watercourse, Bulls Brook, which was probably named after Lt Henry Bull who was granted land about 8km south on 15 May 1831. An alternative claim is that the watercourse was named after Richard ("Bull") Jones, one of Henry Bull's servants, who resided in the region for many years.
A townsite named Kingsford was gazetted here in 1936. This coincided with the establishment of Pearce Air Force Base and the name was chosen to honour Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Australia's most famous aviator. At the request of the Swan Road Board, the name was changed to Bullsbrook in 1939 This was to overcome confusion caused by the Post Office being known as Bullsbrook and an airfield in NSW being known as Kingsford.


BULONG

Latitude 30° 43’ Longitude 121° 59’

A goldfields town about 34 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie, Bulong was gazetted in 1895. After the discovery of gold in this vicinity the area became known as "I.O.U" which was the name of a mine or a gold-mining lease. In October 1894 surveyor G.C.Hamilton was instructed to lay out a townsite at "I.O.U" and to "suggest a better name for it". Hamilton suggested "Boolong", the aboriginal name of a small soak situated nearby. This name was adopted but was spelt "Bulong" to conform with the Standard system of spelling Aboriginal names.


BUNBURY

Latitude 33° 20’ Longitude 115° 39’

The City of Bunbury is named in honour of Lieutenant Henry William St. Pierre Bunbury (1812-1875) of the 21st Fusiliers. Bunbury carried out explorations in this area in 1836, and in a book of his letters and papers published in 1930 he wrote of Bunbury " A township has been formed, or at least laid down on the maps, comprising the southern promontory and part of the north beach at the entrance of Port Leschenault Inlet, which the Governor named "Bunbury" in compliment to me......"
In 1830 Lt Governor Stirling caused a military station to be established at Port Leschenault under the command of Lt McLeod, but it only lasted six months. Bunbury township was mentioned in the Government Gazette in 1839, but lots in the town were not surveyed until 1841, and these were declared open for selection in March 1841.


BUNGULLA

Latitude 31° 57’ Longitude 117° 35’

The townsite of Bungulla, located just to the west of Kellerberrin, was gazetted in 1910, and was previously a railway station. Bun-Galla is the Aboriginal name for that part of the body just above the hips.


BUNICHE

Latitude 33° 00’ Longitude 118° 50’

Buniche is a townsite on the railway line between Lake Grace and Newdegate. The name was first proposed for a railway siding by the Secretary for Railways in 1925, but no origin was recorded. It was gazetted as a townsite in 1925.


BUNJIL

Latitude 29° 38’ Longitude 116° 22’

The townsite of Bunjil, located in the northern wheatbelt between Wongan Hills and Mullewa, was created as a result of a decision to establish a railway siding at this place in 1913. It was gazetted in 1914, and the Aboriginal name was suggested by surveyor Smith, acting District Surveyor. Its meaning is not known.


BUNKETCH

Latitude 30° 26’ Longitude 117° 09’

The townsite of Bunketch, located in the eastern wheatbelt, derives its name from Bunketch Rocks, first recorded in 1903. A railway siding was established here in 1928, and a townsite gazetted in 1929.


BUNTINE

Latitude 29° 59’ Longitude 116° 34’

Buntine is a townsite on the Wongan Hills to Mullewa railway line, located just north of Wubin. The name was first used as a siding name in 1913, the name having been suggested by District Surveyor, J P Camm. The name is taken from a nearby hill, the name of which was first recorded in 1910. The townsite was gazetted in 1916.


BURAKIN

Latitude 30° 31’ Longitude 117° 10’

Burakin, a townsite gazetted in 1928, is located near Kalannie in the eastern wheatbelt. The name is an Aboriginal word of unknown meaning, and was suggested by the Wongan Hills Road Board in 1927. The original spelling was to have been Borrikin.


BURBANKS

Latitude 31° 02’ Longitude 121° 08’

Burbanks is a goldfields townsite located just south of Coolgardie. It was gazetted a townsite in 1897.


BUREKUP

Latitude 33° 19’ Longitude 115° 48’

Burekup is a townsite located in the south west, east of Bunbury. In 1910 the Railways Department requested to name a new siding on the Pinjarra-Picton line as "Boorekup", stating this was "the Aboriginal name of a wildflower that grows profusely in the locality". The spelling was altered to Burekup according to the rules of orthography used by the Department of Lands & Surveys, and the name was approved by the Minister for Lands in 1910. Land in the vicinity was privately owned, the first development of the area occurring in 1914. Burekup was gazetted a townsite in 1973, following a request from the Shire of Dardanup.


BURRACOPPIN

Latitude 31° 24’ Longitude 118° 29’

A townsite on the Great Eastern Highway east of Merredin, Burracoppin was gazetted in 1891 It takes its name from Burracoppin Rock, a nearby granite rock, the name of which was first recorded in 1864 as Burancooping Rock. It was also shown as Lansdowne Hill in 1836. It is an Aboriginal name said to mean "near a big hill".


BURRAN ROCK

Latitude 31° 15’ Longitude 118° 00’

A townsite in the eastern wheatbelt near Nungarin, Burran Rock was first gazetted in 1915 as Danberrin, the name of a nearby hill. It was changed to Burran Rock the same year, following local protests regarding the name. Burran Rock was the name given to a school here in 1912, and the name is a corrupted version of the Aboriginal name of a nearby rock, Burracobbing Rock.


BURTVILLE

Latitude 28° 46’ Longitude 122° 39’

Burtville is a goldfields townsite near Laverton. Gold was discovered here by prospectors Billy Frost and J. Tregurtha in 1897. Business and residential areas were laid out under the Goldfield Act by surveyor J. H. Rowe in 1901. Rowe recorded the Aboriginal name for the district as "Merolia" and the settlement was shown as such on early maps.
However, the original residents determined upon calling the place Burtville in compliment to the Warden of the Mount Margaret Goldfield, then Mr. Alfred Earle Burt (1852-1945), a son of Sir Archibald Burt, first Chief Justice of the Western Australian Supreme Court. This name was in local use as early as October 1901. The townsite was gazetted as "Merolia" in 1902, but regazetted as Burtville at the request of the Progress Association later in the same year.


BUSSELTON

Latitude 33° 39’ Longitude 115° 21’

Named in honour of the Bussell's, an early and notable family of pioneers who were the first settlers in the area. They had previously settled at Augusta near the mouth of the Blackwood River in 1830, and in 1831, disenchanted with the hardships encountered, J. G. Bussell discovered land of "parkland" nature in the Vasse region. He was granted land in the area in 1832, and moved here in 1834. Bussell built a home named "Cattlechosen", and the remainder of his family moved here from Augusta in 1835/6.
The first official mention of the name Busselton was on 30 June 1835, when the Colonial Secretary wrote informing the Surveyor General that nine towns, among which was Busselton, were to be considered open for the purchase of allotments. On 4 July 1835 a General Notice to that effect was issued from the Surveyor General's office, Perth. The district continued to be referred to as "the Vasse", and in general "the Vasse" and "Busselton" were equally used as late as the turn of the century, when "the Vasse" began to be dropped.


BYFORD

Latitude 32° 14’ Longitude 116° 00'

Byford, a suburb on the south eastern edge of Perth, was first gazetted as the townsite of Beenup in 1906. This was previously the name of the railway siding there and was a corruption of the Aboriginal name of nearby Beenyup Brook. In 1919 the "Beenup Progress Association" requested that the name be changed to "Lynwood" but this was refused because of duplication in Queensland. Early in 1920 a further request for a name change was made, this time expressing a preference for "Byford". The name change was gazetted in 1920, and it is believed to be descriptive ("by the ford on Beenup Brook").

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