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History of country town names - I


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

ILLAWONG

Latitude 29° 42' S Longitude 114° 57' E

Illawong is a coastal townsite on the west coast between Jurien and Port Denison. In 1971 the Government decided it would establish a townsite here for professional fishermen who were operating in the area. The place was locally known as Sandy Bay at the time, but was named Illawong when gazetted in 1972. The source of the name is unknown at present, although it appears to be an eastern states Aboriginal name.


IRWIN

Latitude 29° 13' S Longitude 115° 05' E

The townsite of Irwin is located about 15 km east of Dongara in the northern agricultural region. It is located on the banks of the Irwin River, from which it derives its name. Explorer George Grey discovered the river in 1839, and Grey named it after his friend, Major Irwin of the 63rd Regiment.
Frederick Chidley Irwin (1788 - 1860) was the son of Reverend James Irwin. He began his military career in 1808, seeing active service in Spain and Portugal, taking part in several of the major sieges, retreats and battles of the Peninsula War. In 1817/18 he was stationed in Canada and later in Ceylon. In June 1829 he arrived in the colony with a detachment of the 63rd Regiment per the "Sulphur". He acted as administrator of the colony in 1832 during Governor Stirling's absence, and was acting Governor of the Colony on the death of Lt. Col Andrew Clarke in 18467/8 until relieved by Capt. Charles Fitzgerald. He was promoted to Captain in late 1828, to Major in 1837 and to Lt. Col. in 1845. He retired from the army in 1854 and died in Cheltenham in 1860.
Land in this area, also known as Yardarino, was subdivided in 1899. The nearby railway station was however named Irwin, and when a townsite was gazetted in 1921, the place was named Irwin.


ISSEKA

Latitude 28° 26' S Longitude 114° 39' E

The townsite of Isseka, located 10 km south of Northampton in the northern agricultural region, was gazetted a townsite in 1913. It takes its name from the railway siding of the same name, and came about following a request for blocks in the area by the Isseka Progress Association in 1912. The name is an alternative spelling of the nearby Isachar Well, but little is known about this name.

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