List of Australian place names changed from German names
During World War I, many German or German-sounding place names in Australia were changed due to anti-German sentiment. The presence of German-derived place names was seen as an affront to the war effort at the time.
The names of locations were often Anglicised (Peterborough), given Aboriginal names (Kobandilla, Karawirra), or were named after notable soldiers (Kitchener and Holbrook) or World War I battlefields (Verdun, The Somme). This was done by local councils or the postal authorities, often as the result of a petition by locals.
In South Australia, the Nomenclature Act of 1935 restored the former German names to a number of places the names of which had been altered during World War I.
Old name |
New name |
Date of name change |
Notes |
Germanton |
Holbrook |
20 September 1915[1] |
|
German's Hill |
Lidster |
1 February 1916[1] |
|
German Creek |
Empire Vale |
1 May 1915[1] |
|
Schlinkers Lane (Ultimo, Sydney) |
Bullecourt Lane |
|
|
Many names were changed as a result of the Nomenclature Act, 1917, with the names gazetted on 1 January 1918.[5]
Old name |
New name |
Date of name change |
Notes |
Bartsch's Creek |
Yedlakoo Creek |
|
reverted to Bartsch Creek 1986 |
Berlin Rock |
Panpandie Rock |
|
|
Bethanien |
Bethany |
|
|
Bismarck |
Weeroopa |
|
|
Blumberg |
Birdwood |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Blumental |
Lakkari |
|
|
Buchsfelde[7] |
Loos |
|
Name restored to Buchfelde (no 's') |
Cape Bauer |
Cape Wondoma |
|
reverted to Cape Bauer in 1948 |
Carlsruhe |
Kunden |
1918 |
|
Ehrenbreitstien |
Mount Yerila |
|
|
Ferdinand Creek[8] |
Ernabella Creek |
|
|
Mount Ferdinand[8] |
Mount Warrabillinna |
|
|
Friedensthal |
Black Hill |
|
|
Friedrichstadt |
Tangari |
|
|
Friedrichswalde |
Tarnma |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Gebhardt's Hills |
Polygon Ridge |
|
reverted to Gebhardt Hills in 1986 |
German Creek |
Benara Creek |
|
reverted in 1986 |
German Pass |
Tappa Pass |
|
|
Germantown Hill |
Vimy Ridge |
|
road name only reverted to Germantown Hill Road |
Gnadenfrei |
Marananga |
|
|
Gottlieb's Well |
Parnggi Well |
|
|
Grunberg |
Karalta |
|
reverted to Gruenberg in 1975 |
Grunthal |
Verdun |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Hahndorf |
Ambleside |
1 July 1918 |
reverted to Hahndorf in 1935[6] |
Hasse's Mound |
Larelar Mound |
|
|
Heidelberg |
Kobandilla |
|
|
Hergott Springs |
Marree |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Hildesheim |
Punthari |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Hoffnungsthal |
Karawirra |
|
reverted to Hoffnungsthal in 1975 |
Hundred of Basedow[9] |
Hundred of French |
|
|
Hundred of Homburg[10] |
Hundred of Haig |
|
|
Hundred of Krichauff |
Hundred of Beatty |
|
|
Hundred of Paech[11] |
Hundred of Cannawigara |
|
|
Hundred of Pflaum[12] |
Hundred of Geegeela |
|
|
Hundred of North Rhine |
Hundred of Jellicoe |
|
|
Hundred of South Rhine |
Hundred of Jutland |
|
|
Hundred of Scherk[13] |
Hundred of Sturdee |
|
|
Hundred of Schomburgk[14] |
Hundred of Maude |
|
|
Hundred of Von Doussa[15] |
Hundred of Allenby |
|
|
Jaenschtown |
Kerkanya |
|
|
Kaiserstuhl |
Mount Kitchener |
1918 |
renamed Kaiser's Seat in 1975, now Kaiserstuhl once again |
Klaebes |
Kilto |
|
|
Klemzig |
Gaza |
1 July 1918 |
reverted to Klemzig in 1935, but the football club retains the name Gaza[6] |
Krause Rock |
Marti Rock |
|
|
Krichauff[16] |
Beatty |
|
changed to Mount Mary 1940 |
Kronsdorf |
Kabminye |
|
reverted to Krondorf in 1975 |
Langdorf |
Kaldukee |
|
Now incorporated in the bounded locality of Tanunda |
Langmeil |
Bilyara (near Tanunda) |
|
reverted to Langmeil in 1975 |
Lobethal |
Tweedvale |
1 July 1918 |
reverted to Lobethal in 1935[6] |
Mount Meyer |
Mount Kauto |
|
|
Muller's Hill |
Yandina Hill |
|
|
Neudorf |
Mamburdi |
|
reverted 1986, now part of Lobethal |
Neukirch |
Dimchurch |
|
reverted to Neukirch in 1975 |
New Hamburg |
Willyaroo |
|
|
New Mecklenburg |
Gomersal |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Oliventhal |
Olivedale |
|
Now part of Birdwood |
Petersburg |
Peterborough |
1 July 1918[6] |
The Petersburg Times resisted the change until 1919, and did so under protest.[17] |
Rhine Park |
Kongolia |
|
|
Rhine Hill |
Mons Hill |
|
|
Rhine River (North) |
The Somme |
|
changed to Somme Creek 1971 |
Rhine River (South) |
The Marne |
|
changed to Marne River 1971 |
Rhine Villa |
Cambrai |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Rosenthal |
Rosedale |
1 July 1918[6] |
|
Schoenthal |
Boongala |
|
reverted 1986, now incorporated in the bounded locality of Charleston |
Seppelts[18] |
Dorrien |
|
Now incorporated into the bounded locality of Nuriootpa |
Schreiberhau |
Warre |
|
reverted 1975 |
Siegersdorf |
Bultawilta |
|
reverted to Siegersdorf in 1975, now incorporated into the bounded locality of Tanunda |
Steinfeld |
Stonefield |
1 July 1918[6] |
reverted 1986 |
Summerfeldt |
Summerfield |
|
Now incorporated into the bounded locality of Palmer |
Vogelsang's Corner |
Teerkoore |
1 July 1918[6] |
reverted to Vogelsang Corner 1986, now incorporated into the bounded locality of Geranium Plains |
Wusser's Nob |
Karun Nob |
|
reverted to Wusser Nob in 1983 |
Old name |
New name |
Date of name change |
Notes |
Germantown |
Grovedale |
1 March 1916[20] |
|
Hochkirch |
Tarrington |
1 March 1918[20] |
|
Mount Bismarck |
Mount Kitchener |
|
|
Reinholtz's PO |
Reynold's PO |
5 November 1920[20] |
|
Waldkirch |
Freshwater Creek (Anglesea Road, south-west of Grovedale) |
|
|
Weinberg Road, Hawthorn |
Wattle Road |
|
|
West Prussia Road, Wantirna |
Wantirna Road |
|
|
Grünwald |
Arkona |
|
|
Bismarck Avenue, Surrey Hills |
Warwick Avenue |
December 1918[21] |
|
Old name |
New name |
Date of name change |
Notes |
Heidelberg |
Bickley |
|
[22] |
Mueller Park |
Kitchener Park |
|
reverted to Mueller Park 1981 |
See also
References
External links