Agnew: Waroonga, which was the name of a local mine, was first suggested as the name of the town, but was discounted because of its similarity to Waroona, WA and Wahroonga in NSW. The name Agnew was suggested and accepted honouring a miner, John A Agnew of Bewick, Moreing & Co., a local mining firm.

Albany: The pioneer white settlement here was originally known as Frederickstown, after Frederick Augustus, second son of King George III, the Duke of York and Albany and Commander in Chief of the British Army. That name had disappeared by 1831 and the name Albany was retained for the whole town. The native name for King George Sound is Monkbeeluen.

Allanooka: A name of Aboriginal origin meaning hill of dogs: 'alla' - dog, 'nooka' - hill.

Ardath: the name is said to have been inspired by the book Ardath, The Story of a Dead Past, first published in 1897. The book refers to an ancient Chaldean prophet in a Book of Apocypha called Esdras. The prophet's name was Ardath.

Augusta: named after Princess and Landgravine Augusta of Hesse-Cassel (1797-1889), Duchess of Cambridge, 2nd daughter of King George III. Princess Augusta married Duke Adolphus Hanover Of Cambridge, son of George III Hanover King Of England and Charlotte. Nearby Cape Leeuwin, which is the most south westerly point in Australia, is named after the Dutch ship Leeuwin that first sighted the coast in this area in March 1622. The cape was given its name in 1801 by Matthew Flinders who paid homage to the earlier Dutch explorers.

Australind: a combination of the names Australia and india. The townsite was surveyed for the Western Australian Company and the 100,000 acre grant assigned to Col. Peter A Latour, May 1830. The Australind settlement, designed like Adelaide on the Wakefield principle, was formed in 1841 on the east side of Leschenault Inlet by the Western Australian Company. A townsite was surveyed and hundreds of small acreage farms were planned, but despite the labours of the company and Chief Commissioner Marshall Walter Clifton, it fell short of the vision.

Balladonia: A contraction of the native name for the Diamond Sock not far from Balladonia homestead. The name was originally spelt Ballajuinya but was changed to its present form by white men unfamiliar with the correct pronunciation.

Balingup: 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.

Ballidu: 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.

Bannister: Named in honour of Captain Thomas Bannister who passed through the area on an exploratory expedition with Mr Smythe of the Surveyor-General's Department and two servants in 1830-31. Capt. Bannister had bought the first allotment in Fremanle where he was also Government Resident in the town. The townsite was surveyed in 1844 by Augustus C Gregory but no subdivision was made. Another atempt at establishing the town in 1910 was cancelled. The townsite is over 60km from the localities now known as Banister and North Bannister.

Bencubbin: The name was suggested by the Chief Draftsman, J. Hope, in 1913, for the station at the terminus of the Wyalkatchem - Mt Marshall railway. It is derived from "Gnylbencubbing" the Aboriginal name for nearby Mt. Marshall. Interestingly, Surveyor J.S. Rowe ignored the Aboriginal name for the hill, choosing instead to name it after an Englishman because he despised Aboriginal names as he saw them as unpronounceable.

Beverley: named after a town in Yorkshire, England, by the Colonial Surgeon, Charles Simmons. Land at Beverley was set aside for the townsite in 1830. The town was established in 1838. It became a major transport terminus for a short time as it was here that the Great Southern Railway stopped in 1886.

Bindoon: 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".

Bodallin: 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: recalls Henry Boddington, a farmer of Wagin after whom the waterhole of Boddington Pool was named.

Borden: believed to be named after a Canadian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Laird Borden, who was in office between 1911-1920. Neighbouring Laurier also honours a Canadian politician, Sir Wilfred Laurier, Canadian Prime minister, 1896-1911. The reason for the selection of these names is not known.

Boulder: named taken from a mining lease, thus named because its main features were large sandstone boulders in which were found some small wiry stringers of gold. In July 1893 the leaseholders travelled from Adelaide and set up camp at Ivanhoe Hill where they struck a rich lead. They called it the Great Boulder.

Boyanup: 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". 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.

Boyup Brook: 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. The original request for a townsite in 1899 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".

Bremer Bay: John Septimus Roe named the bay after Sir James Gordon Bremer, captain of the ship Tamar, under whom he served between 1824 and 1827. Originally called Wellstead in 1951, the town adopted its current name in 1962 after local residents petitioned to have the local name accepted as official.

Bridgetown: thus named as it is at the first bridge across the Blackwood River, and that the Bridgetown was the first ship to put in at Bunbury to pick up the wool from the district. It was originally known by its Aboriginal name of Geegelup, it was renamed in 1868.

Brookton: The town is named after "Brookton House", the property name of John Sea brook (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: Sir Frederick Napier Broome, who was the Western Australian Governor when the town was established in 1883. Broome was born in Canada, but was living in England in 1865, when he married Mary Anne Barker. The couple then moved to New Zealand. Before being appointed to Governor of Western Australia, he had served as colonial secretary in Natal and Mauritius, including Lieutenant-Governor of Mauritius. After serving as Governor of Western Australia, he served as acting Governor of Barbados in the West Indies and then Governor of Trinidad. He died in London in 1896.

Broomehill: 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.

Bruce Rock: 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: 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. 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).

Bullfinch: Bullfinch was the name given to mining leases in the vicinity held by D. L. Doolette and V. Shallcross in 1909-1910.

Bullsbrook: 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.

Bunbury: recalls Lieut. Henry William St. Pierre-Bunbury(1812-1875), who surveyed the area for rural settlement in the late 1830s. Bunbury had carried out explorations in this area in 1836. 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.

Burracoppin: 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".

Busselton: recalls John Garrett Bussell, who led a party of settlers north from Augusta in 1831. Vasse River and the village of Vasse was named after 3rd class seaman, Thomas Timothe Vasse, one of Nicolas Baudin's sailors, who was marooned here. Vasse was a helmsman second class and, by all accounts, an excellent seaman. He was dumped by a wave during a storm, disappeared without trace and was presumed drowned. Baudin later revisited the area hoping to find trace of Vasse but missed the spot and sailed on. In 1834 some Aborigines showed British settlers the grave of a white man who they said used to spend his days gazing out to sea waiting for his ship to return. It seems that this man was Vasse and he was waiting for the return of Baudin in the Geographe.

Cadoux: When it was decided to establish a railway siding here in 1927 the local road board secretary suggested "Cado", after the farmer who owned the land. The name was later confirmed to be correctly spelt Cadoux. He was Donald Cadoux, an English settler, who arrived in Western Australia in 1909. He died at Gallipoli during the Great War 1914-1918. His name was seen as a fitting memorial for the town.

Calingiri: Derived from Calingiri Waterhole, the name of which was first recorded by a surveyor in 1903. It is believed to be derived from "Calingal", the Aboriginal word for the diamond dove.

Capel: The first settler in the area was a Mr Child who arrived in 1843. The name originates from either Capel Bussell, a daughter of the Bussells, or Capel Carter, one of the Bussell's cousins. The original Aboriginal name of Coolingup was first used when the town was surveyed in 1873.

Carnamah: the town takes its name from that of a pastoral property established by Duncan Macpherson in this location in the late 1860s. The property derived its name from Carnamah Spring, first mentioned in an application for grazing leases in 1861 The name is either Aboriginal of unknown meaning, or is a Gaelic word meaning "cairn of the cattle" or "cattle rocks".

Carnarvon: The name honours 4th Earl of Carnarvon, Henry Howard Molyneux, Lord Lieut and Custos Rotulorum of Co. Southampton, High Steward, Univ. of Oxford, and Constable of Carnarvon Castle; Secretary of State for the Colonies 1866-1867 and from 1874 to 1878, Lord Lieut. of Ireland 1885-86. The Aboriginal name for the area is kow-win-wordo, meaning “neck of water”, prophetic given that early in its life the town was overwhelmed by floods several times after the Gascoyne River broke its banks. The floods eventually prompted the construction of levy banks along the foreshore in the early 1900s and resulted in the fascine, the palm-fringed bay formed by the southern tributary of the river.

Cervantes: American whaling ship, Cervantes, which was wrecked off the coast in 1844. Cervantes was anchored off Thirsty Point, the promontory which lies to the west of the town when a gale blew up and the ship was blown ashore on an island to the south of the point. The ship was not badly damaged but due to difficulty of repairs all the contents were sold on the site. The island was named Cervantes and, in 1963, it was given to the small township which had sprung up on the mainland. At the time of naming of the townsite it was thought that the islands had been named Cervantes by the Baudin Expedition of 1801-03 after a Spanish author, and, as a result, many of the streets received Spanish names.

Chapman Valley: the name was given to the Chapman River and the surrounding district by Sir George Grey in April 1839 during his exploration of the region. It appears to be named in honour of Thomas Daniel Chapman (1815-1884), a personal friend of Grey, who was later a member of the Tasmanian Parliament 1850-1884. He was later Premier of Tasmania 1861-18563.

Chidlow: originally gazetted as Chidlow's Well in November 1883 after an old well by that name near the townsite. The name was changed in 1920, and honours Peter Chidlow, an early European settler who was speared to death by Aborigtines on 8th July 1837 at Meads Rock on the Avon River midway between Toosyay and Northam.

Chittering: The locality of Chittering, located about 70 kilometres north east of Perth has been known by this name since first recorded by explorer George Fletcher Moore in 1836. It is an Aboriginal word probably meaning "place of the willy wag tails". One of the Aboriginal words for this bird is "chitti-chitti'.

Clackline: The townsite of Clackline, located 17 kilometres south west of Northam, was gazetted a townsite in 1896. Despite being on a railway line, the name has no connection with the railway, and is an Aboriginal name. The surveyor John Forrest, later Premier of Western Australia, recorded the name for a well and brook in 1879, but did not record a meaning for the name.

Collie: recalls Dr Alexander Collie, Albany's first resident who explored the area in 1829.

Coolgardie: of Aboriginal origin, though its meaning is unclear. Once source says it means "a rockhole surrounded by mulga trees" ( the mulga tree is named "koolgoor"), another says it is from the large Bungarra lizard, said to have been pronounced "Coorgardie" by the Aborigines.

Coorow: Coorow is a town in the Midlands wheatbelt area, 264 Kilometres north of Perth, between Carnamah and Moora. The townsite of Coorow was gazetted in 1893, and the name is derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, first recorded in 1872. The meaning of the name may be from the word "Curro", which is the Aboriginal word for a variety of Portulacca, or another source gives it as "many mists".

Coral Bay: descriptive. Taken from the name of a hotel at the locality.

Corrigin: The townsite was first gazetted in 1913 as "Dondakin". This name was derived from the adjacent railway siding, which in turn was a form of the Aboriginal name of a nearby soak, Dondakine Soak. The local name, "Corrigin", was not accepted by railway authorities at first because of the likelihood of confusion with another siding called "Korrijinn". Eventually, due to public protest, Korrijinn was changed to "Bickley", and Dondakin changed to Corrigin on 15 May 1914. Corrigin is named after Corrigin Well, another local Aboriginal name, first recorded in 1877. The meaning of the name is not known.

Cossack: originally named Tien Tsin by William Parbury in 1864 after the vessel which brought him there to establish business activities. It was renamed Cossack in 1871 after the vessel which brought the Governor of WA, Sir Frederick Weld, to the locality in that year.

Cowan: the name is believed to be derived from the Aboriginal name of a nearby spring, first recorded in 1872 at the suggestion of explorer and later Premier of WA, John Forrest. The word is derived from "Curro", an Aboriginal word for a variety of Portulacca, however another source gives it as "many mists".

Cowaramup: Located 12kms north of Margaret River, Cowaramup derives its name from Cowaramup Siding, which was located near the townsite, on the Busselton to Augusta railway. The townsite was gazetted in 1925, and the name is believed to be derived from "Cowara", the Aboriginal name for the Purple Crowned Lorikeet..

Cranbrook: Cranbrook was one of the original railway stations on the Great Southern Railway when the railway opened in 1889, and was gazetted a townsite in 1899. The name is taken from the town of Cranbrook in Kent, about 65 kilometres south east of London. It is believed to have been named by Mr J A Wright, who was manager of the Western Australian Land Company which built the railway. Mr Wright was educated at Queen Elizabeth School in Cranbrook.

Cue: recalls Tom Cue, who first discovered gold here in 1892 after a drought removed the surface grass to expose the alluvial gold everywhere.

Cunderdin: the Aboriginal name of a nearby hill, first recorded by the explorer C C Hunt in 1864. One source states "Cunder" is derived from "Quenda", meaning "place of the bandicoot". Another indicates it means "place of big turkey".

Cuballing: one of the original stations on the Great Southern Railway, it was in use when the railway opened in 1889. The station was originally spelt Cubballing after nearby Cubballing Pool, but when the townsite was gazetted in 1899, the current spelling was adopted. The name of the pool was first recorded in a lease application in 1868, but the meaning of this Aboriginal name is not known.

Dalwallinu: an Aboriginal word said to mean "a place to wait a while", although this is disputed by some early residents of the district. Another source suggests the meaning is "good lands", referring to the open grass lands closer to Pithara.

Dampier: recalls British sea captain William Dampier, who visited and explored the coastal region in 1688 aboard Capt. Swan's Cygnet, and in 1699 aboard Roebuck. His findings were published in two volumes which were the first descriptions about the Australian continent to be published.

Dandaragan: an Aboriginal word which one source gives as meaning "good kangaroo country". The name was first recorded for a nearby spring and gully by a surveyor in 1850, although the name was sometimes spelt "Dandaraga". Although a Townsite was gazetted here in 1958, the name has been in use since James Drummond took up a property here in 1850. Dandaragan was an important place on the road north, and a police station was opened here in the 1850's, a school in 1885 and a post office in 1896.

Darkan: believed to be of Aboriginal origin, meaning "black rocks". As the name refers to a place, in all probability it would more correctly be spelt Darkin. It was first used as the name of the farm property of white settler William John Gibbs in 1889.

Denham / Shark Bay: honours Captain Henry Mangles Denham, who surveyed a portion of Shark Bay aboard HMS Herald in 1858. Denham entered the Navy at the age of 12 and specialised in hydrographic work. As captain of HMS Herald, he carried out major survey work around Australia, New Caledonia and other parts of the Southwest Pacific in the period 1852 to 1861. For a decade, the Herald surveyed and charted known land masses and suspected hazards in the south-west Pacific and substantial parts of the Australian coast, thereby establishing safe routes for shipping. Some of the Herald's charts are still in use.

Denmark: Originally known as Koorabup (place of the black swan) the locality was named by explorer Dr Thomas Braidwood Wilson in 1829 after Dr. Alexander Denmark, a physician to the Royal Navy fleet. The town is located at the foot of Mt Shadforth beside the Denmark River.

Derby: recalls Edward Henry Stanley, the 15th Earl of Derby (1826-1893), who was Secretary of State for Colonies in 1882 when the town was surveyed. He was elected a British Conservative MP in 1848 and served in government in a number of offices, including that of Foreign Secretary. In 1880 he announced his defection to the Liberal Party.

Dongara: The name is the anglicised version of "Thungarra", an Aboriginal name referring to the mouth of the Irwin River. It is said to mean "place of the fur seal". For some time an alternative spelling of "Dongarra" was used, but Dongara was adopted as the official spelling in 1944.

Donnybrook: taken from the name of the property of the first white settler in the area, George Nash, who established his farm in 1842. Nash and Lieut. Preston both hailed from Donnybrook, a suburb of Dublin in Ireland. The eastern portion of the town was originally known by the area's Aboriginal name, Mininup.

Doodlakine: Doodlakine is an Aboriginal name for some granite rocks about 5km NNW of the townsite. It was first recorded by explorers in 1864, and the spelling of it has been variously recorded as Dodolakine, Dudulukine, Dodlakine, Doodlekine and Doodlakin.

Dowerin: The name is believed to be derived from nearby Lake Dowerin, first recorded on maps around 1879. One source suggests Dowerin is the Aboriginal word for the twenty eight parrot (Dow-arn), and another suggests it means "place of the throwing stick"(dower).

Dumbleyung: in 1843 the explorers Landor and Lefroy visited Lake Dumbleyung and recorded the name as "Dambeling Lake". It is from this name that the town's name is derived. It is of Aboriginal origin, though its meaning is uncertain. Some sources state it is the name of the native pear tree, presumably because fruit from the tree was picked here. Another states it refers to a place where a game called dumbung was played. Yet another states it means 'large lake or inland sea', referring to what it today known as Lake Dumbleyung.

Dunsborough: early charts show the area as Dunn Bay but the name's origin remains uncertain. Suggestions include that it recalls a sailor who deserted ship, swam ashore and became the first white settler; that it recalls Capt. Charles Dunn of the American whaler Baltimore which was one of many whalers operating from the bay in the 1830s - 50s; that it was named by Gov. Stirling after a fellow naval officer, Capt. Richard Darling Dunn. The Aboriginal name for the area was Quedjinup.

Dwellingup: Townsite lots were surveyed at this place by Surveyor W.F. Rudall in 1909 after the Lands Department became aware that the site was planned as the terminus of the "Pinjarra-Marrinup Railway". Names suggested for the place by Rudall were "Dwellingerup" or "Marrinup", after nearby brooks, or "McLarty" after a local MLA who had been very active concerning the railway. Surveyor General H.F. Johnston chose "Dwellingupp" after being misinformed regarding the spelling of Dwellingerup Brook. Ignoring a suggestion from the Under Secretary to amend the name to "Dwellingdown", the Minister for Lands approved the name as "Dwellingup" in December 1909. Eventually, the spelling "Dwellingupp" was chosen by order of the Under Secretary for Lands, and the townsite was gazetted as Dwellingupp in February 1910. The spelling was amended to Dwellingup in 1915. Dwellingup is an Aboriginal name said to mean "place of nearby water". The town was burnt out by a bushfire in 1961 but was rebuilt.

Elleker: The townsite of Elleker is situated near the south coast, about 15 km west of Albany. The W A Land Company, who built the Great Southern Railway in the period 1886-1889, planned to establish a town named Lakeside here in 1889. (named because it is close to Lake Grassmere – now Lake Powell). A comprehensive plan of development was prepared, but only a few lots were sold and there was little development. The Government purchased the railway in 1896, and redesigned the townsite. It was gazetted as Lakeside in 1899, but in 1908 was changed to Torbay Junction to prevent confusion with another Lakeside near Kalgoorlie, and because the railway station was known as Torbay Junction. The alternative names of Elleker and Lockyer were proposed, and the name was changed to Elleker in 1921. The name was apparently suggested by Mr J Mowforth, a member of the Albany Road Board from 1896 to 1912. Mowforth was a Yorkshireman, and he proposed the name after Ellerker in south Yorkshire. The reason for the omission of the first 'r' is not known.

Eneabba: of Aboriginal origin, meaning "Small Water". The first known record of the name "Eneabba" appears as "Eneabba Spring" in the logbook of a surveyor named G. M. Nunn in 1903. This was used to name the spring where a wild horse-mustering stud was built in the early 1900s.

Esperance: the name honours the ship L'Esperance commanded by Captain Huon de Kermadec, which anchored here on 9th December 1792. The bay provided safe anchorage while repairs were made to L'Esperance. The name of the other ship in Admiral Bruny D'Entrecasteaux's expedition, L'Recherche, is preserved by the naming of the adjacent islands as the Archipelago of the Recherche.

Eucla: The Aboriginal name for the Eucla townsite is said to be Chiniala. The origin of the name Eucla is unsure though there are a number of suggestions. One source states that Yinculyer was the Aboriginal name for the area. Another source states the name Eucla is derived from the Aboriginal words 'yer' - bright, and 'coloya' n- fire. When Edward John Eyre passed through the area in 1841, Eyre recorded sighting the rise of the planet Venus. The words are said to be those used by the Aborigines who accompanied the explorer to describe the event they witnessed in the night sky, however it must be noted here that Eyre gave no names to geographical features or localities during his walk.

Exmouth: taken from Exmouth Gulf, on the shores of which the town stands. The Gulf was named by Commander Phillip Parker King in February 1818 after Edward Pellew, First Viscount of Exmouth. Pellew fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary, and the Napoleonic Wars. His younger brother, Israel Pellew, also pursued a naval career. Pellew is remembered as an officer and a gentleman of great courage and leadership, earning his land and titles through courage, leadership and skill - serving as a paradigm of the versatility and determination of British Naval officers during the Napoleonic Wars

Fitzroy Crossing: the name is taken from the Fitzroy River besides which it stands. The river was named after Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy (right), the tenth Governor of New South Wales (1846-53) during whose term of office the river was explored.

Frankland: derives its name from its location just to the east of the Frankland River. The river in turn derives its name from Mount Frankland, which was named in 1829 by Dr. J B Wilson RN, after the Surveyor General of Tasmania, George J. Frankland. On his exploration trip in December 1829 to the north and west of Albany, Wilson named and climbed Mt. Lindesay. From the top of this hill Wilson noted how conspicuous the hills in the region were and stated that they would be grand points in a trigonometrical survey of the country, and named them after the Surveyors General in Australia. i.e. Roe - WA.; Mitchell - NSW; Frankland &endash; Tasmania.

Gascoyne Junction: derived from the Gascoyne River, which was named in March 1839 by explorer George Grey after a personal friend, Captain J. Gascoyne.

Geraldton: recalls WA Governor, Captain Charles Fitzgerald, who visited the copper and lead mines in the Northampton area nearby, beginning his inspections from a base on Champion Bay which he nominated as a townsite. Fitzgerald was born in Ireland in 1791, and joined the Royal Navy in 1809. He rose to the rank of Captain in 1840 , and was Governor of Western Australia from 1848 to 1855. The name was probably suggested by the Surveyor General John Septimus Roe. The Aboriginal name for the area was Utikarra, meaning "one spring". The name is today used for a suburb of Geraldton.

Gidgegannup: a name of Aboriginal origin meaning 'place where spears are made'; gidgie - spear. The town is named after Gidgegannup brook, spring and hill.

Gingin: The Gingin area was first explored by George Fletcher Moore in 1836, who recorded the Aboriginal name "Jinjin". Later when a property was surveyed here for W L Brockman in 1843 the name was shown as "Gingin Station". The major stream in the area was also recorded as Gingin Brook in 1848. Gingin is an Aboriginal name, the meaning of which is uncertain, but has been said to mean "footprint". Another source suggests the name is derived from Ginginnup, said to be "the place where native pear trees grow".

Gnowangerup: of Aboriginal origin, said to mean 'place where the mallee hen nested'. The name was originally spelt Ngowangerupp.

Goldsworthy: The town of Goldsworthy was established in 1971 by Goldsworthy Mining Company (now BHP Billiton) as the support town for its iron ore mining operations at Mt. Goldsworthy (Yarrie Nimingarra / Sunrise Hill West Seven Mines). The old township was dismantled when mining operations ceased in 1992 after much of the mountain had been mined. The mountain was named by surveyor Alexander Forrest in 1879, after Roger Tuckfield Goldsworthy, the Colonial Secretary at the time under Governor Sir Frederick Napier Broome.

Goomalling: of Aboriginal origin meaning "the place of the silver-gray possum". Goomal is the Nyoongar word for this possum.

Grass Patch: A townsite here was proposed in 1910, when the government was planning to build a railway from Esperance to Norseman, and land in the area was being opened up. The area was well known as "Grass Patch", a nearby farm of this name having been settled around 1896, and renowned for bountiful crops and good grass. However, when the townsite was gazetted in 1923, the local settlers sought a more suitable name, and nominated three names, "Warden" being the one selected as most suitable. Objections were soon received to this name, and later the same year it was changed to Grass Patch.

Greenbushes: recalls a stand of particularly green bushes which stood out from the grey of the local Eucalyptus.

Greenough: name from the Greenough River, the river being named by Captain George Grey in 1839 after George Bellas Greenough (right), President of Royal Geographical Society which had equipped Grey's expedition. It was never gazetted as a townsite though for all intents and purposes it was for a period of 30 years.

Guilderton: the townsite was gazetted in 1951, but has been used as a camping and holiday place since around 1905. In the 1940s public demand for permanent camping sites led to the government deciding to declare a townsite, and seeking a name for the area, which up until then had been locally referred to as Moore River. A number of names were considered, the preferred name of "Guilderton" being suggested by Mrs Henrietta Drake-Brockman. The name links the town with the wreck of the Dutch ship Gilt Dragon near here in 1656, and the loss of thousands of Guilders it was carrying. Dutch coins and relics of the wreck have been found near the mouth of the Moore River.

Halls Creek: Charles Hall who, with James Slattery, found gold 16 km from the site of the original settlement in 1885. On their return to Derby the two men were rewarded £5,000 by the State Government and the gold rush had begun.

Hamelin Bay: named in honour of Captain Emmanuel Hamelin of the French corvette Naturaliste, part of an expedition lead by Nicolas Baudin in 1801. The Naturaliste and Goegraphe explored the coast of WA extensively and named many coastal features.

Hamersley district: the name was originally applied to the Hamersley Ranges by surveyor F.T. Gregory in June 1861. Gregory named the ranges after Edward Hamersley who was at the time a member of the WA Legislative Assembly and a promoter and sponsor of the expedition.

Harvey: derives its name from the nearby Harvey River, which was named by Governor Stirling in 1829, soon after the river's discovery by explorers Collie and Preston in 1829. Although not positively known, the river is most likely named after Rear Admiral Sir John Harvey RN, Commander in Chief of the West Indies Station in 1818. Stirling named a number of Western Australian features after his former navy colleagues. Harvey was developed as a private town in the 1890s following the opening of a railway station there in 1893. In 1926 the Harvey Road Board sought the declaration of a townsite, but this did not occur until 1938.

Hester: gazetted a townsite in 1899, and was originally a siding on the Donnybrook to Bridgetown railway, opened in 1898. The town derives its name from the nearby Hester Brook, a name first recorded by surveyor John Forrest in 1866. Hester Brook is named after Edward Godfrey Hester, an early settler (late 1850s) of the Bridgetown district.

Holt Rock: located in the eastern agricultural region 74 km from Hyden, Holt Rock takes its name from the nearby feature of the same name. The feature was named by the explorer Frank Hugh Hann in August 1901 when he was on a trip from Menzies to Ravensthorpe. Hann possibly named it after G H Holt, a Draftsman in the Lands & Surveys Department. He named other features on this trip after employees of the Department. The townsite was gazetted in 1939.

Hutt River Province: explorer George Grey reported the existence of the Hutt River in 1839. Both the Hutt River and Hutt Lagoon were named by Grey after William Hutt, the brother of the Governor of Western Australia.

Hyden: takes its name from Hyden Rock (also known as Wave Rock), a 15 metre high hanging granite rock, which was first recorded on maps in 1921 by surveyor S Smith. It is not known who the rock was named after. It was in all probability a survey team member and perhaps the one who first discovered the rock.

Irwin district: named i honour of Frederick Chidley Irwin who came to WA aboard HMS Sulphur in command of the 63rd Regiment. He subsequently became the premanent commander and second in commander to Capt. James Stirling. During 1846 and 1847 he was Acting Governor.

Jerramungup: the town was gazetted in 1957, at a time when the Government was active in opening up land in the area for agricultural. Jerramungup is an Aboriginal word said to mean "place of upstanding yate trees". The Yate tree is a variety of Eucalypt tree which is evergreen and grows to a height of 20m and a width of 4m. It has orange bud caps and greenish yellow flowers, and is common in the south west of WA. The name was first recorded by Surveyor General J S Roe in 1847, when carrying out exploration of the area.

Jurien Bay: the bay named by French explorer Nicolas Baudin, of Naturaliste, on 1st July 1801 after Charles Marie Vicomte du Jurien (1763-1836), Commander of the French Navy. He served through the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars and became a peer under Louis Philippe.

Kalbarri: the name was chosen from a list of Aboriginal words compiled by Daisy Bates in 1913 for the locality. It is a man's name from a Murchison tribe, and also the name of an edible seed. The Aboriginal name for the area of Kalbarri has been recorded as "Wurdimarlu".

Kalgan: was named "Wyndham" on an 1839 map of the area, but there was no subdivision or land made available in the townsite. It is recorded that it was to be the site of a farming community for the Society of Friends (Quakers), but there is no evidence that any Quakers ever settled in the area. As there was already a Wyndham in the Kimberley when the town was gazetted in 1912, the name Kalgan was chosen for the townsite. Kalgan is the Aboriginal name of the river on which the townsite is situated, the name being first recorded by the explorer Dr A Collie as "Kalgan-up" in 1831. It is said to mean "place of many waters". The river had earlier been referred to as the "French River", since the French explored it in 1803.

Kalgoorlie: known originally as East Coolgardie, as it developed in the shadow of its goldmining neighbour. Prior to that, it was recorded as Hannan's Find when a township sprang up there. In suggesting the name Hannans to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the Under Secretary for Lands, R Cecil Clifton, noted that the "native name of the place is "Calgoorlie" but this is rather too much like Coolgardie and if adopted is, I fear likely to lead to postal mistakes". Clifton supported "Hannan", but Cabinet chose "Kalgoorlie" in August 1894. An alternative spelling of "Kalgurli" was also used unofficially on occasions. Various sources give it as either meaning: Aboriginal dog chasing a kangaroo; the Aboriginal name of a shrub from the area ("Galgurli"); or the Aboriginal name for the local edible silky pear ("Kulgooluh").

Kambalda: when gold was first discovered here in 1897, Surveyor W. Rowley recorded the locality's name as Kambalda because he liked the sound of it. Its is believed to be of Aboriginal origin though its meaning is not known.

Karratha: an Aboriginal word meaning 'good country', it was originally the name of a property owned by Dr Bayton and Harry Whittal Venn.

Katanning: of Aboriginal origin, meaning 'place where the head tribesmen meet'. some locals believe it was named after an elderly Aboriginal woman but no evidence to support this has been provided to substantiate the claim.

Kellerberrin: of Aboriginal origin, it is derived from the name of a nearby hill. The hill was first recorded as "Killaburing Hill" in 1861 and later as Kellerberrin Hill. One source claims the name refers to the fierce ants that are found in the area, while another gives it as meaning "camping place near where rainbow birds are found"- "kalla means camping place or place of, and "berrin berrin" is the rainbow bird.

Kendenup: one of the original stations on the Great Southern Railway, and is included in a Timetable of June 1889. It derives its name from "Kendenup", the homestead of the Hassell family built here in 1839. The property was one of the best known in colonial Western Australia. The Kendenup property had earlier been taken up by George Cheyne, and was purchased by John Hassell in 1839. Kendenup was the site of WA's first gold mine. The name is of Aboriginal origin, of unknown meaning.

Kimberley: a region in the far north of Western Australia. Named by explorer Alexander Forrest in 1879 in honour of John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (right) who was Secretary of the State for the Colonies. On this expedition he would also name the Oscar, Napier and King Leopold Range and discover the Ord River. The expedition lasted nearly a year and resulted in the discovery of good, well watered land suitable for cattle farming.

Kirup: The name "Kirup" is recorded in official papers on the townsite, but no source or meaning is given for the name. The name is Aboriginal, possibly stemming from "kura" and meaning "the place of summer flies". When it was gazetted in 1901 the spelling used was Kirupp, the double "p" indicating that the preceding vowel should be shortened. This was later seen as not relevant, and the spelling was amended to Kirup in 1931.

Kojonup: the name was first recorded by Alfred Hillman in December 1838 for the spring and brook which flowed through the locality. The name, of Aboriginal origin, is said to mean 'place of the stone axe'. It was here that either the stone for axes was found or the axes were sharpened. Another source states it is derived from 'Kogynup', meaning 'place of the edible bulb' (kogy).

Koolyanobbing: derived from the Aboriginal name of the nearby range of hills, Koolyanobbing Range, the name having been first recorded by the explorer C C Hunt in 1864. C.E. Dempster had named them the Barlee Range in 1861. One source gives the meaning of the name as " place of large hard rocks".

Kondinin: Like many towns in the agricultural areas it began as a railway station. The district around Kondinin was already settled when the government chose to construct a railway line here in 1911, the line, from Yilliminning to Kondinin, being completed in 1915. It is an Aboriginal name, first recorded by Surveyor General Roe in 1848 for a waterhole, but its meaning is unknown.

Koolanooka: was chosen as the site for a railway station on the Wongan Hills-Mullewa line when the government planned the line in 1913, and the name selected for the station was Bowgada, after the adjacent pastoral station. The name was changed to Koolanooka before the line opened in 1914, and Bowgada was used for the next station south. The townsite was gazetted in 1916. Koolanooka is the Aboriginal name for nearby hills and a spring, first recorded by a surveyor in 1893. One source gives the meaning as "hill of wild turkeys".

Koombana: the Aboriginal name for the area, it means bay of spouting whales: koomba - whales; ana - bay. The name was first recorded by John Arrowsmith in 1838 and spelt as Koombanah, though a year later the Bok of Western Australia refers to the bay by the name given to it by Nicolas Baudin's French expdition in 1801 - Leschenault Bay.

Koorda: In 1914 the proposed siding here was named Koorda at the suggestion of J Hope, the Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department. Hope took the name from a list of words obtained from an Aboriginal in the Margaret River area, the meaning being given as a "married person".

Kukerin: like many towns in the agricultural areas, Kukerin came about as a result of railway construction. The name nominated in 1912 by the district surveyor was Merilup, the name of a nearby soak and the proposed name for the siding here, however locals felt the soak was too far from the railway to use this name, and the government sought alternatives. Kukerin was gazetted as a townsite later the same year. Kukerin is an Aboriginal name, first recorded for a soak and gully in the area by a surveyor in 1908. It was also spelt "Cookerin". The meaning of the name is not known.

Kulin: The district around Kulin was already settled when the government chose to construct a railway line here in 1911, the line, from Yilliminning to Kondinin, being completed in 1915. The station here was proposed to be named "Jilakin", the name being derived from nearby "Jeelakin Lake". In 1913 the South Kulinn Progress Association petitioned the government for a townsite at the proposed station, and shortly after the government agreed and a townsite named "Jilakin" was gazetted. The residents soon objected to the name, and requested it be amended to Kulinn. The Minister for Lands agreed to the name change which was gazetted in 1914, but at the suggestion of the Under Secretary for Lands dropped the last "n" from the name. The name is Aboriginal, having been first recorded as "Coolin" by Surveyor General Roe during exploration of the area in 1848.