These names are examples of reduplication, a common theme in Australian toponymy, especially in names derived from Indigenous Australian languages such as Wiradjuri. Reduplication is often used as an intensifier such as "Wagga Wagga" which was originally translated as many crows but has since been retransmitted as celebration with a single use of the term Wagga meaning dance and "Tilba Tilba" many waters.
The phenomenon has been the subject of interest in popular culture, including the song by Australian folk singer Greg Champion (written by Jim Haynes and Greg Champion), Don't Call Wagga Wagga Wagga. British comedian Spike Milligan, an erstwhile resident of Woy Woy, once wrote "Woy it is called Woy Woy Oi will never know".
Place names
Name of placeState or territoryMeaning and notesBael Bael VictoriaA locality of the Shire of Gannawarra. It contains Lake Bael Bael and the heritage listed Bael Bael Homestead.Balla Balla Western AustraliaAn abandoned town and port for the Whim Creek Copper MineBan Ban Springs QueenslandBan means "grass" in the local Kabi language.Ban Ban Springs Northern TerritoryA cattle stationBanda Banda New South WalesA mountain in the Great Dividing Range near KempseyBang Bang Queensland A solitary rocky hill in Shire of CarpentariaBanka Banka Station Northern TerritoryA cattle station. 'Banka' means 'bees' in the local Aboriginal language, thus 'Banka Banka' means '(place of) many bees'.Baw Baw Victoria A local government area in Victoria. The name is also applied to a mountain (Mount Baw Baw), and to a national park (Baw Baw National Park). Baw Baw is an Aboriginal word meaning "echo".Beek BeekVictoria Emu. A parish in the County of Buln BulnBeggan Beggan New South Wales A locality in Harden Shire and a parish in Harden CountyBet Bet VictoriaA locality of the Shire of Central Goldfields. Bet Bet had its own local government area (Shire of Bet Bet) from 1864 to 1995.Bindi BindiWestern Australia A small town in the Shire of Moora The name is Aboriginal in origin and is the word for stick or skewer on which a coat is hung. The doubling of the word is to indicate many of them.Billa Billa QueenslandAboriginal word of unknown dialect meaning pool or reach of waterBli Bli QueenslandNamed after "billai billai", Aboriginal for swamp oak.Bom Bom New South WalesSmall village near South GraftonBon Bon Reserve South AustraliaA nature reserveBong Bong New South WalesThe place name is Aboriginal for "blind or a watercourse lost in a swamp" or "many watercourses; many frogs".Bongil Bongil New South Wales The name Bongil Bongil is the name of a sub-group of the Gumbaingerie tribe which occupied the general area bounded by the Clarence River to the north, the Nambucca River to the south, Dorrigo to the west and the Pacific Ocean.Book Book New South Wales A rural community within the local government area of the city of Wagga WaggaBookal-Bookal Creek Queensland ?Boonoo Boonoo New South WalesThe place name means "poor country with no animals to provide food" and is Aboriginal in origin. The name is applied to a locality, a national park (Boonoo Boonoo National Park), a river (Boonoo Boonoo River) and a waterfall.Booti Booti National Park New South Wales The place name means "plenty plenty" in the local Aboriginal language.Brim Brim VictoriaA parish of the County of DundasBrit Brit VictoriaA locality of the Shire of Southern GrampiansBruk Bruk VictoriaA parish of the County of DundasBudgee Budgee New South Wales Budgee Budgee is a locality near Mudgee. The origin of the name is unknown, but it first appeared on old maps so is possibly a surveyor's interpretation of an aboriginal name.Budgee Budgee VictoriaA parish of the County of WonnangattaBulla Bulla Victoria The original name of the township of Bulla. An Aboriginal term meaning either 'two' or 'good'.Buln Buln Victoria A locality in the Shire of Baw Baw. The name is also applied to a county (County of Buln Buln) in Victoria.Bungle Bungle Range Western AustraliaA corruption of "bundle bundle", a grass common to the Kimberley region.Burra Burra South Australia Former name for the town of Burra. The name is also applied to a creek and a copper mine near the town.Burrah Burrah VictoriaA parish of the County of RiponBurrin Burrin Reserve New South Wales A nature reserve in south-eastern NSWBurrum Burrum VictoriaA parish of the County of Kara KaraCarag Carag VictoriaA parish of the County of RodneyColac Colac VictoriaA locality of the Shire of TowongCollum Collum New South WalesA locality within the Clarence Valley LGA.Coomoo Coomoo New South WalesThe name was derived from the original station name, which used a local Aboriginal word meaning "much water".Cope Cope VictoriaA locality of the Shire of Northern GrampiansCurl Curl New South Wales Name may be derived from Aboriginal phrase "curial curial" meaning river of life.Cut Paw Paw VictoriaA parish of the County of Bourke."Maribyrnong: Action in Tranquility", the history of Maribyrnong, gives the meanings of several aboriginal terms. Cut Cut Paw is a corruption of the words for "a clump of she-oaks".Dom Dom Victoria A mountain in Victoria, 65 km from MelbourneDoon Doon New South Wales From the Bandjalung-Yugambeh chain word 'doan doan' meaning black or dark.Drik Drik Victoria An Aboriginal word for "Stoney Stoney"Drung Drung VictoriaA former name of locality of Drung in the Rural City of HorshamDum Dum New South WalesA locality near UkiDurren Durren New South Wales A locality near Wyong, within the Central Coast Council local government area.Elong Elong New South WalesA locality on the Golden Highway in New South WalesGanoo Ganoo VictoriaA parish of the County of DundasGatum Gatum VictoriaA former name of locality of Gatum in the Shire of Southern Grampians and the name of a Melbourne Cup winnerGherang Gherang VictoriaA parish of the County of GrantGhin Ghin VictoriaA locality east of YeaGhinni Ghinni New South WalesA locality east of TareeGil Gil VictoriaA locality of the Shire of BulokeGin Gin Queensland The name was derived from the original station name, which used a local Aboriginal word indicating "red soil thick scrub".Gin Gin New South WalesA small town within the Narromine ShireGingin Western Australia May mean either "footprint" or "place of many streams".Gol Gol New South Wales Gol Gol got its name from the local Aboriginal word for 'meeting place', as recorded by the explorer Thomas Mitchell.Gong Gong VictoriaA locality of the City of BallaratGoonoo Goonoo New South Wales "Plenty of water". These two words are pronounced differently, as 'Gun'na-Ga'nooGre Gre VictoriaA locality of the Shire of Northern GrampiansGreg Greg New South WalesA locality in the southern highlands of New South WalesGrong Grong New South Wales "Very hot".Guda Guda Western Australia A small Aboriginal community in the Wyndham-East Kimberley local government areaGumly Gumly New South Wales"Place of many Frogs" Near Wagga WaggaGunyah Gunyah VictoriaAn earlier name of the locality of Gunyah in South Gippsland ShireGunyah Gunyah VictoriaA parish of the County of Buln BulnHie Hie New South Wales See Terry Hie HieJellat Jellat New South WalesA locality south-east of Bega in New South WalesJil Jil Victoria A locality of the Shire of BulokeJim Jim Falls Northern TerritoryDerived from the indigenous word andjimdjim, a type of water pandanus located near the falls.Jimba Jimba Station Western Australia A cattle station, east of Carnarvon Jingi Jingi Creek Queensland A creek. Jingi Jingi Creek rises on the western slope of the Great Dividing Range, in the locality of Diamondy, north-east of Jandowae. It flows south-west through Jinghi and Tuckerang to Brigalow, where it crosses the Warrego Highway and flows into the Condamine River.Joel Joel Victoria A locality in the Shire of Northern GrampiansJung Jung Victoria A former name of locality of Jung in the Rural City of HorshamKadji Kadji Western Australia A pastoral lease east of MorawaKarlu Karlu Northern Territory Devil's Marbles Karup Karup VictoriaA parish of the County of Dundas Ki Ki South AustraliaKin KinQueensland May be derived from the local Aboriginal word for 'black ants'. or May be derived from an Aboriginal word, Kabi language, kauin kauin, a variant of kutchin indicating red, from the red soil area drained by Kin Kin Creek.Koonung Koonung Creek VictoriaA tributary of the Yarra RiverKoort-koort-nong VictoriaA parish of the County of HampdenKorrak Korrak VictoriaA parish of the County of TatcheraKunat Kunat VictoriaA parish of the County of TatcheraKurri Kurri New South Wales In the Minyung language, which refers to this area, Kurri-kurri means 'the beginning, the first'.Lal Lal VictoriaLal Lal is a town in VictoriaLang Lang VictoriaLang Lang was formerly known as Carrington, after Lord Carrington. The town is named in honour of an early settler in region, called Lang. In the Woiwurrung language, the name Lang Lang, also spelled Laang Laang, meant "stones" or "stony". Lang Lang is also believed to mean "bush bush"; or a "clump of trees". Also see Lang Lang River and Little Lang Lang River.Ma Ma CreekQueenslandMata MataNorthern TerritoryA homeland community located in the remote coastal area of East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.Mia MiaVictoriaMillaa Millaa Queensland May be derived from the local Aboriginal word for 'plenty water'. or