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Aboriginal words used as place names have figured prominently in non-Indigenous lists of words and geographical descriptions. The transmission of words and names from Aboriginal peoples into non-Indigenous usage involves the complexities of different languages, communication and recording other languages in English. The words that become place names may not have been Indigenous place names but descriptions, names for features, or other associations and taken as place names by Europeans.

William Wells' 1848 A Geographical Dictionary, or, Gazetteer of the Australian Colonies provides an indication of the extent to which Aboriginal place names and words were taken into non-Indigenous usage for geographical features. Two examples are taken from the areas around present day Goulburn and Bathurst.


“…bounded on the north by the river Guinecor from its junction with the Wollondilly to its source near the Burra Burra Lagoon…from Lake George to the Alianoyonyga mountain…to the hill of Wolowolar, and from Wolowolar by Boro creek…across a narrow neck of land to the head of the Uringalla…

The most elevated points are Wayo…Towrang…Marulan…The chief rivers are the Wollondilly…the Cockbundoon…and Guinecor. The principal creeks are Windellama…Mulwaree Ponds, Woorondooronbidge, Kerrowong…and Uringalla.” “…and thence by range to the Conobolas mountains, thence by the Panuara range and Panuara rivulet…The chief rivers watering this country are …Belubula…The creeks are…Coombul…Cadiangullong, Muramur, Mundoraman…Muringulla…Waugola, and Panuara.” William Henry Wells, 1848

Many of these names have been adopted as official place names of Australia. Other names are no longer recorded in the AIATSIS place names thesaurus, the Geographical Names Board of NSW or the Gazetteer of Australian Place Names of Geoscience Australia.: Guinecor, Alianoyonyga, Wolowolar, Woorondooronbidge, Kerrowong, Panuara Range, Coombul, Commbing, Muringulla, Waugola, Guyong, Gulla, and Waugula.