7 Bizarrely Named Towns In Western Australia
If you have ever driven through Western Australia, you might have noticed some unusual town names in your travels. An often-overlooked aspect of local history is the origins of town names. While many names are not quirky enough to pique one’s curiosity, there are many names that certainly stand out on a road map!
These seven bizarrely named towns in Western Australia tend to raise more than a few eyebrows.
Cowaramup
The reason Cowaramup is nicknamed “Cow Town” might seem obvious. However, the name Cowaramup actually has nothing to do with cows at all. Named after the Wardandi word meaning “Place of the Cowara,” the town should more aptly be dubbed Bird Town after the purple-crowned lorikeet.
Although Cowaramup’s origins are in timber, it is now farm country, where dairy farms offer a more recognizable town mascot, the humble cow. The charming rural community in the heart of the Margaret River region embraces its bovine benefactor and is now a quirky traveler's destination where the name of the game is to scan the streets for over 40 painted fiberglass cows.
Cowaramup takes its cow obsession one step further with its annual Deja Moo—The Udderly Legendary Country Fair. Every July, the town tries to beat its own record for the largest gathering of people wearing cow onesies. And of course, a visit to dairy country would not be complete without tasting rich and creamy sweets, whether it is fudge at Candy Cow or a few scoops of handcrafted artisan delights at Miller's Ice Cream.
Collie
Border collies are a popular dog breed known for their sheep-herding prowess. So what’s a town in the middle of coal mining country doing with the name Collie? Collie is actually named after a doctor. Dr. Alexander Collie was the ship surgeon aboard the HMS Sulphur, which explored the region in 1829. Dr. Collie discovered the river now bearing his name, and the town and shire later followed suit.
Located in the Collie River Valley, Collie has a diverse history, first identified for its promising pastureland in the 1830s. It later revealed its rich resources in the 1850s, but it was the discovery of coal in the 1880s that turned Collie into a booming mining town.
Today, visitors explore Collie’s many historic sites, including a replica underground coal mine at the Visitor Centre's Underground Coal Mine Experience. However, one of the best ways to experience the town’s diverse heritage is the Collie Mural Trail. The contemporary collection of artwork creates an inspired outdoor gallery spanning a history of work, including the 1922 mural painted by Artist Philip Goatcher on the Anglican Church and the show-stopping massive wall painting on the Wellington Dam.
Daglish
Daglish is a charming suburb of Subiaco. To the average person, Daglish is not such a bizarre name. However, to Australians, the word “dag” refers to an eccentric kind of personality who comes off as entertaining or someone who is a little, shall we say, socially awkward. Paired with the term “lish,” which is a British adjective meaning nimble, the name seems a little quirky. Nimble nerd?
While these possibilities are amusing anecdotes, the town's namesake is actually former Premier Henry Daglish. Mr. Daglish was the first Labour Premier of Western Australia and a Councillor and Mayor in Subiaco. He is also the namesake of Daglish Railway Station. But was he eccentric? No. It seems he was more of a socially awkward character than an eccentric. The Melbourne Punch described him as "thin and consumptive" with "big goo-goo eyes, cadaverous cheeks, a long neck, and floppy ears." Poor fellow.
The Daglish Railway Station showcases a striking piece of public art—a stunning underpass mural created in 2021 by Noongar artists Tjyllyungoo (Lance Chadd) and Trish Robinson. This vibrant acrylic artwork draws on Boorongur lore to visualize the connections between Daglish’s flora and fauna and traditional Noongar spirituality.
Monkey Mia
Monkey Mia is located in Shark Bay at the most westerly point of Australia. While it seems the name has no direct ties to any one story, “Mia Mia” is an Aboriginal word for a hutlike shelter. In 1899, a police station in Geraldton included the word "Mia" on a list of Aboriginal names, defining it as "salt or bad water." However, there is much speculation about the addition of "Monkey" to the name. Was there a boat or schooner named Monkey? Possibly a resident nickname? Perhaps "Monkey" was a mispronunciation of an unknown Aboriginal word. It might also refer to an actual monkey that escaped from a ship surveying Shark Bay in 1858. Who knows?
Regardless of its origins, the name lives on today. Despite the town’s remote location, it attracts a flock of tourists eager to participate in the daily dolphin feeding. Wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins gather in the shallows of Monkey Mia, where visitors can participate in demonstrations supervised by Parks and Wildlife Service officers.
Serpentine
The rural town of Serpentine is named after the Serpentine River that rises in the Darling Scarp and winds its way down to the Peel Inlet near Mandurah. The European discovery of the river in 1832 followed millennia of use by the Noongar people, who relied on "Waangaamaap Bilya" as a food source. Inspired by the river's exaggerated winding flow, colonists renamed it Serpentine.
The steep slopes of the Serpentine River valley attract visitors to the panoramic landscape of Serpentine National Park, where the magnificent Serpentine Falls tumble over massive granite boulders. The park is also a birder’s paradise where nature’s most impressive “preeners” include colorful red-capped parrots, western rosellas, cockatoos, and yellow robins.
Tom Price
While towns like Daglish, named after a local character, are not so unusual, it is unusual to use the namesake's full name. Such is the case in Tom Price. Tom Price is located at the foot of the Hamersley Ranges and is Western Australia’s highest town. Sitting at 2450 feet, it is affectionately known as “Top Town.”
Tom Price is actually quite new from a historic standpoint, built between 1965 and 1966 by the Hamersley Iron Proprietary Ltd. for iron-ore mine workers. Thomas Moore Price was an American geologist and vice president of Kaiser Steel who was asked by Conzinc Rio Tinto of Australia to help appraise new deposits found in the Boolgeda area. After conducting the surveys at the age of 71, Tom Price's enthusiasm for his findings helped persuade both the State and Federal Governments to support mining efforts in the area. The finalized agreement for development took place in 1962, and a few months later, mining industry leader Sir Mawby informed Mr. Price of a recent discovery southeast of the central find. Sadly, Thomas Price died in his California office a few hours later.
The mountain Sir Mawby mentioned to Mr. Price shortly before his death was named Mount Tom Price by the geologist's Australian friends, along with the town and mine.
Local surveyors also take credit for a few other locations in the area, including Mount Nameless. This uninspired name for the 3700 foot mountain is the brainchild of a Hamersley Iron survey team. However, Australia restored the Aboriginal Guruma name in 2007. Now known as Jarndunmunha, the mountain's panoramic views of the surrounding ranges are a popular destination for hikers.
Norseman
Norseman is at the western end of the 1040-mile-long Eyre Highway, crossing the Nullarbor Plain. Although the town name implies strong ties to a Nordic heritage, it is actually related to a horse.
“Hardy Norseman” was the famed horse of prospector Laurie Sinclair, who came to the area from the Shetland Islands in 1894. Legend has it that he tethered Norseman for the night while traveling to Esperance from Coolgardie. When he came to fetch his horse in the morning, he found the large gold reef Norseman had exposed with his hoof. Not only did Hardy Norseman reveal that first golden nugget, but it also sparked the discovery of one of Australia’s richest quartz reefs.
Today the town’s mining history is a major attraction, offering trails through Phoenix Park, where relics and signage tell the stories of Norseman's past. However, the town's statue of Norseman the horse, ready to strike it rich with his hoof, is far more intriguing.
Quirky Towns, Classic Aussie Charm
A journey across Australia’s westernmost state is a delight for travelers with a sense of humor who love a compelling backstory. Australia's unconventional town names dot the map with eccentricity and creativity, from cow-obsessed communities to questionable translations, monkeys, horses, and local heroes. These seven bizarrely named towns in Western Australia take the cake when it comes to offbeat and unusual namesakes. Each town is a testament to the easy-going, welcoming characters found in the land down under.
