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Quiz about Alphabetical Australian Place Name Origins

Alphabetical Australian Place Name Origins Quiz

Australia is a relatively young country (by European standards). Following is an A-Z selection of Australian place names. What are their origins?

A multiple-choice quiz by barrywlj. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
barrywlj

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
312,986

Updated
Jul 28 22

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
18 / 25

Plays
958

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 1 (19/25), Guest 1 (21/25), Tiges (18/25).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. What does the name 'Australia' roughly translate as? Hint

Arid Land

South Land

Land of the Aborigines

Great Island

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Question 2 of 25

2. From what does Brisbane derive its name? Hint

An early explorer

An early governor

A place in Britain

A place in the USA

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Question 3 of 25

3. What was Canberra named for? Hint

An Aboriginal word meaning 'hot air rising'

An Aboriginal word meaning 'meeting place'

An Aboriginal weapon

An RAAF bomber

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Question 4 of 25

4. Darwin in the north gets its name from Charles Darwin, the scientist.

True

False

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Question 5 of 25

5. From what source did the Endeavour River get its name? Hint

A ship

A small village in England

A big effort

A type of magpie

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Question 6 of 25

6. From where does the Franklin River get its name? Hint

Sir John Franklin, a former state governor

Benjamin Franklin, American Founding Father

Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States

The Franklin class in England

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Question 7 of 25

7. The town of Goondiwindi derives its name from the Aboriginal language. What does it mean? Hint

home of Gunsynd

crossing of many roads

river crossing

resting place of the birds

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Question 8 of 25

8. For whom is the city of Hobart named? Hint

None of these

Garret Hobart, US Vice President

Lord Hobart, Colonial Secretary of the time

The Hobart Baronets of England

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Question 9 of 25

9. Mt Isa derives its name from where? Hint

Short for Isobel, wife of the discoverer

Acronym for "I See Australia"

Name of a ship called "Isabella"

A Western Australian goldfield

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Question 10 of 25

10. Captain James Cook named Port Jackson after Sir George Jackson. Who was he? Hint

British novelist

Admiralty Commissioner

Captain Cook's brother-in-law

First aristocratic convict

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Question 11 of 25

11. The small town of Katoomba is named after an Aboriginal word. What does it mean?
Hint

large rocks

shining falling water

blue hill

smoky mountain

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Question 12 of 25

12. Where does Launceston gets its name from? Hint

A native plant

A sailing ship

Sir Lancelot of Arthurian legend

A town in England

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Question 13 of 25

13. You have all heard of Melbourne, haven't you? For whom is it named? Hint

A British member of royalty

A British Prime Minister

A hardened criminal

No one

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Question 14 of 25

14. After what is Newcastle named? Hint

A town in Scotland

The site of Australia's first "new" castle

Newcastle upon Tyne, England

The ship on which its discoverer sailed

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Question 15 of 25

15. A strangely-named township called Oodnadatta derives its name from what? Hint

A European expression for 'isn't that strange'

An Aboriginal word meaning 'northern track'

An Aboriginal word meaning 'mulga blossom'

An Aboriginal word for 'bush kangaroo'

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Question 16 of 25

16. The town of Proserpine gets its name from whom? Hint

the tall pine trees in the area

the Greek Goddess Persephone

a town in the USA

another name for Whitsunday

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Question 17 of 25

17. The town of Queanbeyan gets its name from what? Hint

Aboriginal for 'meeting place'

Aboriginal for 'clear waters'

Aboriginal for 'weapon'

Aboriginal tribe name

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Question 18 of 25

18. How did Rottnest Island get its name? Hint

From a Dutch city

From a Dutch word meaning 'rat's nest'

The Dutch Parliament

The Dutch ship that first landed there

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Question 19 of 25

19. Captain Arthur Philip named the first settlement in honour of this man. Name him. Hint

English Home Secretary

George Sydney (first man ashore)

Famous actor

Discoverer of Port Jackson (later Sydney)

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Question 20 of 25

20. Taronga Zoo gets its name from what? Hint

Town in South Africa

Aboriginal word meaning 'beautiful view'

A type of elephant

An Australian group of marsupials

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Question 21 of 25

21. There aren't many easy place names or references in Australia starting with 'U'. Ulladulla is (another) one derived from the Aboriginal language. Meaning? Hint

club

boomerang

mountain view

safe harbour

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Question 22 of 25

22. You're nearly there! After whom is Victoria named? Hint

The Governor's wife, Vicky

A British Warship called "Victory"

Queen Victoria of Britain

To commemorate victory in the Eureka Stockade battle

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Question 23 of 25

23. Woomera is named for what? Hint

A local cave

An Aboriginal spear-throwing implement

A type of rocket

The surrounding area

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Question 24 of 25

24. No 'x' word, but where does the word 'Yarra' as in Yarra River, come from? Hint

A war cry of the Aborigines

The Aboriginal 'Yarra Yarra'

An animal's mating call

An American Indian tribe

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Question 25 of 25

25. How did the town of Zeehan get its name? Hint

from a place in Belgium

from an Arabian prince

from the name of a mountain

from a beautiful poem

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Nov 06 2024 : Guest 1: 19/25
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What does the name 'Australia' roughly translate as?

Answer: South Land

Australia is shown on early navigation maps as 'Terra Australis', being Latin for 'Great South Land'. It is both a country and a continent.

2. From what does Brisbane derive its name?

Answer: An early governor

Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, lies on the Brisbane River. Its site was discovered by John Oxley in 1823. The city and the river are named for Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, who replaced Lachlan Macquarie as New South Wales Governor in 1820.

3. What was Canberra named for?

Answer: An Aboriginal word meaning 'meeting place'

Canberra is, of course, the capital of Australia. This was declared in 1913 after rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney could not be resolved. Walter Burley Griffin was commissioned to design the city, which exists on a site split by the lake that bears his name in the Australian Capital Territory.

4. Darwin in the north gets its name from Charles Darwin, the scientist.

Answer: True

Charles Darwin lends his name to the capital of the Northern Territory. He is remembered for his voyage on the 'Beagle' and his theories on the 'Origin of the Species'.

5. From what source did the Endeavour River get its name?

Answer: A ship

Captain Cook landed on the river in 1770 to repair his ship 'Endeavour', after holing it on the reef. The town of Cooktown stands at the mouth of this river in far North Queensland.

6. From where does the Franklin River get its name?

Answer: Sir John Franklin, a former state governor

The Franklin River is located in Tasmania, and is named after Sir John Franklin, a former governor of that state. Franklin was at the centre of an environmental controversy over whether a dam should be built there, being in a wilderness area.

7. The town of Goondiwindi derives its name from the Aboriginal language. What does it mean?

Answer: resting place of the birds

Goondiwindi is a relatively small but important town on the Queensland/New South Wales border. It lies about 300km west of the coast. The famous racehorse Gunsynd, known as the 'Goonidwindi Grey', was based there.

8. For whom is the city of Hobart named?

Answer: Lord Hobart, Colonial Secretary of the time

Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, is named for Lord Hobart, Colonial Secretary (1801-1804). Originally a penal settlement (the second in Australia), from 1803 it became home to the most hardened convicts from the first settlement in Port Jackson.

9. Mt Isa derives its name from where?

Answer: A Western Australian goldfield

Mt Isa is a mining centre in Western Queensland, where silver, lead, zinc and copper are mined. Mount Ida is a gold-mining centre in Western Australia.

10. Captain James Cook named Port Jackson after Sir George Jackson. Who was he?

Answer: Admiralty Commissioner

Port Jackson is the site of the first Australian settlement in 1788, having been preferred to Botany Bay. It has one of the best natural harbours in the world and the city of Sydney lies on it.

11. The small town of Katoomba is named after an Aboriginal word. What does it mean?

Answer: shining falling water

Katoomba is a town in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. It is best known for tourism, particularly 'The Three Sisters' rock formation.

12. Where does Launceston gets its name from?

Answer: A town in England

Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania (est 1806). Launceston, England is in Cornwall.

13. You have all heard of Melbourne, haven't you? For whom is it named?

Answer: A British Prime Minister

The 2nd Viscount Melbourne (William Lamb) was a British Prime Minister, and Melbourne was named in his honor. Melbourne is situated on the Yarra River and is the capital of Victoria. It is best known for the Melbourne Cup.

14. After what is Newcastle named?

Answer: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Newcastle is a large coal-exporting port about 160 km north of Sydney. It has an excellent harbour and was originally a penal colony for some of the worst convicts.

15. A strangely-named township called Oodnadatta derives its name from what?

Answer: An Aboriginal word meaning 'mulga blossom'

Oodnadatta is a small township north of Adelaide in South Australia. It is reachable by road from opal-mining centre Coober Pedy.

16. The town of Proserpine gets its name from whom?

Answer: the Greek Goddess Persephone

Proserpine is named for the Greek Goddess Persephone, otherwise known as Proserpina. It is a town in central, coastal Queensland in a sugar-growing district. It is known as 'The Gateway to the Whitsundays'(a group of holiday islands).

17. The town of Queanbeyan gets its name from what?

Answer: Aboriginal for 'clear waters'

Queanbeyan is a fast-growing town on the border of the Australian Capital Territory in New South Wales, home of Canberra. The word derives from the Aboriginal word 'Quinbean', which means clear waters.

18. How did Rottnest Island get its name?

Answer: From a Dutch word meaning 'rat's nest'

Rottnest Island is off the coast of Western Australia. The early Dutch explorers noticed the rat-like Quokka living there and named it from the Dutch 'rattenest', meaning 'rat's nest'. Quokkas add to the tourist attractions today.

19. Captain Arthur Philip named the first settlement in honour of this man. Name him.

Answer: English Home Secretary

Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney, received the honour(?) of having Australia's first convict settlement named after him in 1788. Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is Australia's largest city.

20. Taronga Zoo gets its name from what?

Answer: Aboriginal word meaning 'beautiful view'

Taronga Zoo indeed has beautiful views of Sydney Harbour. It can be reached by ferry from Circular Quay and is a must-see tourist attraction.

21. There aren't many easy place names or references in Australia starting with 'U'. Ulladulla is (another) one derived from the Aboriginal language. Meaning?

Answer: safe harbour

The origin is the Aboriginal 'Nulladulla', which means safe harbour. The town itself is a location on the coast of New South Wales.

22. You're nearly there! After whom is Victoria named?

Answer: Queen Victoria of Britain

Victoria is a state in south-east Australia (capital Melbourne). Queen Victoria also graciously allowed another state to be called Queensland.

23. Woomera is named for what?

Answer: An Aboriginal spear-throwing implement

Woomera is an RAAF testing centre in outback South Australia. The name is appropriate, given that the rockets launch from their base in Woomera.

24. No 'x' word, but where does the word 'Yarra' as in Yarra River, come from?

Answer: The Aboriginal 'Yarra Yarra'

The obvious is sometimes the right choice, especially in trivia. The Yarra is the river on which Melbourne lies and the name is actually a mistranslation of the Aboriginal 'Birrarung'.

25. How did the town of Zeehan get its name?

Answer: from the name of a mountain

A round-about naming, Mount Zeehan was named by Bass and Flinders after the ship of Abel Tasman. The town of Zeehan takes its name directly from the name of the mountain nearby.

Source: Author barrywlj

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