Place names in Australia have names originating in the Australian Aboriginal languages for three main reasons: Historically, European explorers and surveyors may have asked local Aboriginal people the name of a place, and named it accordingly. Where they did not ask, they may have heard the place was so-named. Due to language difficulties, the results were often misheard and misunderstood names, such as the name of the Yarra River. There are a suspicious number of place names which translate as pretty and resting place, which may imply European romanticism, and no doubt a good deal of mispronunciation and corruption in general. Australian governments have officially named many places, particularly suburbs, after Aboriginal people or language groups, such as Aranda or Tullamarine. The place name has always been called thus by Aboriginal people, and Aboriginal people still live in the area. This is particularly so for Aboriginal communities, such as Maningrida in the Northern Territory. This is more frequent where non-indigenous settlement has been less dense, particularly in Central Australia and the Top End.
Watkin Tench, who arrived on the First Fleet in 1788, observed of the Aboriginal languages of the present-day Sydney area: "We were at first inclined to stigmatise this language as harsh and barbarous in its sounds. Their combinations of words in the manner they utter them, frequently convey such an effect. But if not only their proper names of men and places, but many of their phrases and a majority of their words, be simply and unconnectedly considered, they will be found to abound with vowels and to produce sounds sometimes mellifluous and sometimes sonorous. What ear can object to the names of Colbee (pronounced exactly as Colby is with us), Bereewan, Bondel, Imeerawanyee, Deedora, Wolarawaree, or Baneelon, among the men; or to Wereeweea, Gooreedeeana, Milba, or Matilba, among the women? Parramatta, Gweea, Cameera, Cadi, and Memel, are names of places. The tribes derive their appellations from the places they inhabit. Thus Cemeeragal, means the men who reside in the bay of Cameera; Cadigal, those who reside in the bay of Cadi; and so of the others."
Towns and suburbs
→A←
Adaminaby
Adelong
Ajana
Adelong
Akuna Bay
Aldinga
Allambie
Allambie Heights
Allanooka
Allawah
Allora
Amaroo
Amelup
Anembo
Angledool
Angourie
Angurugu
Anula
Arakoon
Araluen
Arana Hills
Aranda
Aratula
Ardmona
Areyonga
Argalong
Arrawarra
Arrino
Attunga
Aurukun
Awaba
→B←
Baandee
Babakin
Badgebup
Badgingarra
Badjaling
Bailup
Baladjie
Balagundi
Balarang
Balbarrup
Balcatta
Balga
Balgarri
Balingup
Ballarat
Balkuling
Ballaballa
Bamaga
Banya
Banyo
Barangaroo
Bardoc
Bargo
Baringa
Barra Brui (East Gordon) Barraba Barragup Baryulgil Beerburrum Beechina Beeliar Beerwah Bega Bellambi Bellara Bellata Bejoording Belka Belmunging Bemboka Benalla Bencubbin Bendering Benjaberring Berala Berrara Beria Bermagui Berowra Berri Bewong Creek Bilbarin Billimari Biloela Binalong Bindi Bindi Bindoon Binnaway Binningup Binna Burra Binnu Birralee Birrong Birtinya Bli Bli Bodalla Bodallin Buddina Bogan Gate Boggabilla Boggabri Bolaro Bolgart Bolong Bomaderry Bombala Bombo Bondi Bong Bong Bongaree Boodarockin Boogardie Boolading Boolaroo Booligal Boonoo Boonoo Boorabbin Booragoon Boorara Boorowa Boreen Point Bowelling Bowgada Bowral Boya Boyanup Boyup Brook Bredbo Brit Brit Broulee Brundee Buderim Budgewoi Bulimba Bullaring Bulli Buln Buln Bullaburra Bulong Bung Bong Bundamba Bundanoon Bundeena Bungulla Bunjil Bunyip Burakin Buraja Burekup Burpengary Buronga Burracoppin Burran Rock Burraneer Buttaba