German Placenames in South Australia

German Placenames in Australia

German Placenames in South Australia

(Photo © D. Nutting) road sign In 1914 there were many German placenames in Australia, particularly in the state of South Australia (where there were at least 69 German placenames). In 1917 (during the First World War) the government of South Australia changed 69 German placenames and names of geographical features. Some of the new names were taken from Aboriginal languages, and some were names of battles or of generals in the war in Europe (for example: Verdun, Mt Kitchener). Most of the German names have disappeared - not many were later reinstated. 76% of the name changes carried out in Australia during the war occurred in South Australia. South Australia's population also included a greater number of Germans and Australians of German descent than any other state.

An extract from the report of the nomenclature committee of the South Australian Government in 1916 on enemy place names:

…the time has now arrived when the names of all towns and districts in South Australia which indicate a foreign enemy origin should be altered, and that such places should be designated by names either of British origin or South Australian native origin… We find, from a careful examination of the official records, that there are on the map of South Australia at least 67 geographical place names of enemy origin, ranging from an important centre like Petersburg to trigonometrical stations and obscure hills in the remote interior. There may be a few not officially recorded which have escaped our notice.

List of German names of places and landscape features in South Australia, with new names.

* = original name restored in 1935

+ = original name restored in 1975

"Hundred" = old administrative term, meaning district

German Name		New Name	German Name		New Name
Bartsch’s Creek	>>	YEDLAKOO CREEK	Basedow, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF FRENCH
Cape Bauer (Y)	>>	CAPE WONDOMA	Berlin Rock	>>	PANPANDIE ROCK
Bethanien	>>	BETHANY	Bismarck	>>	WEEROOPA
Blumberg	>>	BIRDWOOD	Blumenthal	>>	LAKKARI
Buchfelde (Y)	>>	LOOS	Carlsruhe	>>	KUNDEN
Ehrenbreitstein	>>	MT. YERILA	Ferdinand Creek	>>	ERNABELLA CREEK
Mt. Ferdinand	>>	MT. WARRABILLINNA	Friedrichstadt	>>	TANGARI
Friedrichswalde	>>	TARNMA	Gebhardt’s Hill	>>	POLYGON RIDGE
German Creek	>>	BENARE CREEK	German Pass	>>	TAPPA PASS
Germantown Hill	>>	VIMY RIDGE	Gottlieb’s Well	>>	PARNGGI WELL
Grunberg +	>>	KARALTA	Grunthal	>>	VERDUN
Hahndorf *	>>	AMBLESIDE	Hasse’s Mound	>>	LARELAR MOUND
Heidelberg	>>	KOBANDILLA	Herrgott Springs	>>	MARREE
Hildesheim	>>	PUNTHARI	Hoffnungsthal +	>>	KARAWIRIRA
Homburg, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF HAIG	Jaenschtown	>>	KERKANYA
Kaiserstuhl +	>>	MT. KITCHENER	Klaebes	>>	KILTO
Klemzig *	>>	GAZA	Krawe Rock	>>	MARTI ROCK
Krichauff, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF BEATTY	Krichauff	>>	BEATTY
Kronsdorf +	>>	KABMINYE	Langdorf	>>	KALDUKEE
Langmeil +	>>	BILYARA	Lobethal *	>>	TWEEDVALE
Mt. Meyer	>>	MT. KAUTO	Muller’s Hill	>>	YANDINA HILL
Neudorf	>>	MAMBURDI	Neukirch +	>>	DIMCHURCH
New Hamburg	>>	WILLYAROO	New Mecklenburg	>>	GOMERSAL
Oliventhal	>>	OLIVEDALE	Paech, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF CANNA WIGRA
Petersburg	>>	PETERBOROUGH	Pflaum, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF GEEGEELA
Rhine Park	>>	KONGOLIA	Rhine Hill	>>	MONS
Rhine River North	>>	THE SOMME	Rhine River South	>>	THE MARNE
Rhine (North), Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF JELLICOE	Rhine (South), Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF JUTLAND
Rhine Villa	>>	CAMBRAI	Rosenthal	>>	ROSEDALE
Scherk, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF STURDEE	Schoenthal	>>	BOONOALA
Schomburgk, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF MAUDE	Seppelts	>>	DORRIEN
Schreiberhau +	>>	WARRE	Siegersdorf +	>>	BULTAWILTA
Steinfeld	>>	STONEFIELD	Summerfeldt	>>	SUMMERFIELD
Vogelsang’s Corner	>>	TEERKOORE	Von Doussa, Hundred of	>>	HUNDRED OF ALLENBY
Wusser’s Nob	>>	KARUN NOB

In the southeast of South Australia is a locality named German Flat (south of Millicent).

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