German place names changed across Australia during World War 1

German place names changed across Australia during World War 1
Jonathan ChancellorDecember 7, 2020

During World War 1, many German-sounding place names in Australia were changed due to anti-German sentiment.

The new names were often Anglicised, given Aboriginal names, names of famous people, or even battlefields like Verdun.

This was done through an Act of Parliament, as well as by petition. 

In South Australia, the 1935 Nomenclature Act restored the former German names to a number of towns.

The ABS issued a list in 1926 of German place and district names in Australia that were changed during the Great War.

New South Wales 

Germanton to Holbrook, 

German's Hill to Lidster, 

German Creek to Empire Vale; 

Victoria 

Germantown to Grovedale,

Hochkirch to Tarrington,

Mt. Bismarck to Mt. Kitchener;

Queensland

Bergen to Murra Murra,

Bergenside to Neuve,

Bismarck to Maclagan,

Engelsburg to Kalbar,

Gehrkevale to Mount Mort,

Gramzow to Carbrook,

Hapsburg to Kowbi,

Hessenburg to Ingoldsby,

Kirchheim to Haigslea,

Murden to Frenchton,

Roessler to Applethorpe,

Stegeht to Woongoolba,

Teutelburg to Willa,

Fahley to Kilbirni; 

South Australia 

Bartsch's Creek to Yedlakoo Creek,

Basedow - Hundred of to Hundred of French,

Bauer Cape to Wondoma Cape,

Berlin Rock to Panpandie Rock,

Bethanien to Bethany,

Bismarck to Weeroopa,

Blumberg to Birdwood,

Blumenthal to Lakkari,

Buchfelde to Loos,

Carlsruhe to Kunden,

Ehrenbreitstein to Mount Yerila,

Ferdinand Creek to Ernaballa Creek,

Mount Ferdinand to Mount Warrabillinna,

Friedrichstadt to Tangari,

Friedrichawalde to Tarnuma,

Gebhardt's Hills to Polygon Ridge,

German Creek to Benara Creek,

German Pass to Tappa Pass,

Germantown Hill to Vimy Ridge,

Gottlieb's Well to Parnggi Well,

Grunberg to Karalta,

Grunthal to Verdun,

Hahndorf to Ambleside,

Hasse's Mound to Larelar Mound,

Heidelberg to Kobandilla,

Hergott Springs to Marree,

Hildesheim to Punthari,

Hoffnungsthal to Karawirra,

Homburg Hundred of to Hundred of Haig,

Jaenschtown to Kerkanya,

Kaiserstuhl to Mount Kitchener,

Klaebes to Kilto,

Klemzig to Gaza,

Krause Rock to Marti Rock,

Krichauff Hundred of to Hundred of Beatty,

Krichauff to Beatty,

Kronsdorf to Kabminye,

Langdorf to Kaldukee,

Langmeil to Bilyara,

Lobethal to Tweedvale,

Meyer Mount to Mount Kauto,

Muller's Hill to Yandina Hill,

Neudorf to Mamburdi,

Neukirch to Dimchurch,

New Hamburg to Willyaroo,

New Mecklenburg to Gomersal,

Oliventhal to Olivedale,

Paech Hundred of to Hundred of Cannawigara,

Petersburg to Peterborough,

Pfaum Hundred of to Hundred of Geegeeia,

Rhine Park to Kongolia,

Rhine Hill to Mons,

Rhine River N. to The Somme,

Rhino River S. to The Marne,

Rhino Villa to Cambrai,

Rhine (North) Hundred of to Hundred of Jellicoe,

Rhine (South) Hundred of to Hundred of Jutland,

Rosenthal to Rosedale,

Scherk Hundred of to Hundred of Sturdee,

Schoenthal to Boongala,

Schomburgk Hundred of to Hundred of Maude,

Seppelts to Dorrien,

Schreiberhau to Warre,

Siegersdorf to Bultawilta,

Steinfeld to Stonefield,

Summerfeldt to Summerfield,

Vogelsang's Corner to Teerkoore,

Von Doussa Hundred of to Hundred of Allenby,

Wusser's Nob to Karun Nob; 

Western Australia 

Mueller Park to Kitchener Park;

Tasmania

Bismarck to Collins Vale.

 

PS Apparently they/we missed German Gardens the bayside suburb of Townsville which changed to "Belgian Gardens" on 11th January 1915.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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