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Tasmanian Place Names and Changes

Originally compiled by Jackie Browne in 1999. Updated by Mike Hurburgh and Robert Tanner in October 2002 and further updated by Robert Tanner in August 2003.

We are always searching for accuracy! Changes and additions are very welcome. Pease quote the source when notifying.

Don't know where a particular place is?  Then try Geoscience Australia or Whereis . And there is the LIST - the Land Information System Tasmania which provides various Tasmanian maps right down to street level.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

FORMER NAME CHANGED TO NOTES (Numbers in brackets refer to source) SOURCE

A

      
Adam's River Field Adamsfield   12
Alford Pipers River   1
Allan Siding Boat Harbour Siding 1
Altmore [Altmoor (12)] Ranga Changed back to Altamoor 1909 (12) 1, 12
Austerley Osterley   1
Austins Farm Austins Ferry   1

B

      
Back River Magra Changed 1912 (12) 8, 12
Bad Bay Beaufort (South Burnie)   1
Badger Plains Ulverstone Changed pre 1900 (12) 12
Baker's Rivulet/Creek Lucaston 1909 (12) 12
Bathurst Plains Clarendon   1
Beachside Lower Sandy Bay pre 1900 (12) 12
Beltana Lindisfarne 1903 (12) 1, 12
Big River Ouse River   1
Bismarck Collinsvale 1915-1916 (12) 10, 12
Black Brush Mangalore   8
Black Hills Black River   1
Black River Mawbanna   1
Black Sugar Loaf Birralee 1915 (12) 1, 12
Blackwood Hills Rowella 1912 (12) 12
Blythe Station Heybridge Station   1
Bradshaw's Creek Pioneer 1955, but both names appeared in 1909 Walsh's Almanac (12) 1, 12
Brandy Creek Beaconsfield pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Break o' Day Road St Marys Road   1
Breone South Preston   1
Brothers Home Mine Derby pre 1900 (12) 1
Browns River Kingston/Kingston Beach All three are 'suburbs' in Kingborough, although the whole area around the present Kingston Beach was once known as "Browns River". The town of Kingston was proclaimed in January 1851. (8, 10) 1, 5, 8
Brumby Rivulet Beaufort (Westmorland)   1
Burgess Port Sorell   1, 4 (p. 7)

C

      
Cabbage Tree Hill Beaconsfield pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Cam Somerset   1
Carnarvon Port Arthur   1
Cascades Koonya pre 1900 (12) 12
Cherry Tree Opening Pawleena pre 1900 (12). When I lived in Sorell (1950s) many people still used the old name. It was also known as Cherry Tree Hollow.(10) 1, 12
Cheshunt Meander Both names appeared in 1909 Walsh's Almanac (12) 12
Circular Head Stanley But "Circular Head" is still the name of the municipality.(10) 1
Clarence Plains Rokeby   1
Claythorn Rosevears   1
Cloud Bay Beaufort (South Bay)   1
Cloverdale Upper Esk c1949 (12) 1, 12
Clyde River Bothwell Bothwell is on the Clyde River.(10) 1
Coal River Richmond ? The Coal River runs through Richmond.  "The Coal River" was more the area north of Richmond, including Campania and possibly Colebrook.(7) 1, 7
Cocked Hat Breadalbane   1
Constitution Hill Dysart The feature is still "Constitution Hill", but the town is now "Dysart".(10) 1
Cookville Adventure Bay   1
Copper Alley Bay Lymington pre 1900 (12) 12
Cormiston Riverside   1
Cotton Ulverstone pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Cox's Paradise Scottsdale pre 1900 (12) 12
Cross Marsh Melton Mowbray pre 1900 (12) 9, 12

D

      
Daniel's Bay Lunawanna c1909 (12) 12
Dee Bridge Dee   1
Derwent Bushy Park post 1909 (12) 12
Detention (River) Rocky Cape The "Rocky Cape" sheet of the 1:25,000 map series (1981) shows it as "Rocky Cape", but the name "Detention River" was still recognised by Australia Post for some time after that.(6,10) post 1909 (12) 1, 6, 12
Du Cane Tomahawk post 1900 (12) 12

E

      
East Marrawah Redpa   1
Eden Sprent   1
Elizabeth (Town) New Norfolk pre 1900 (12). But note there is an "Elizabeth Town" in North West Tasmania.(10) 1, 12
Ellenton Camena   1
Ellenton Cuprona   1
Ellenton Montumana   1
Ellenville Ellendale   1
Ellesmere Scottsdale 1893-1894 (12) 12
Emu Bay 1855+ Burnie   1

F

      
Fat Doe River Bothwell pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Fat Doe River Clyde River   1
Forester's Hill Notley Hills c1950 (12) 12
Formby Devonport (West) 1890 (12) 1, 4 (p. 7), 12
Forsters Bridge Dee   1
Fossil Bank Parramatta   1

G

      
Geeves Town Geeveston   1
Glenexe Lower Marshes   1
Gordon Plains Evandale pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Green Point Bridgewater Both names appeared in 1900 Walsh's Almanac (12) 1, 12
Green (Water) Ponds Kempton pre 1900 (12). The name "Green Ponds" remained as the municipality until 1994, when it became part of "Southern Midlands". (8) 1, 8, 12
Green Water Holes Kempton see above 1, 12
Gregson Otago post 1909 (12) 12

H

      
Hamilton on Clyde Hamilton   1
Hamilton on Forth Forth   1
Hamilton Road Hayes   2
Havelock EagleHawk Neck   1
Heidelberg Harford 1900 (12) 12
Henrietta Plains Powranna   1
Hobart Town Hobart   8
Hobarton Hobart   8
Hollow Tree Cambridge pre 1900 (12) 12
Honeysuckle Evandale c1820 (12) 12
Honeywood Geeveston pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Horton  Circular Head Circular Head is a feature (cape) and a municipality.(10) 1
Horton pre 1855 Burnie   1
Hull Judbury post 1909 (12) 1, 12
Hurst Town Lyndhurst 1853 (12) 1, 12
Hythe Southport 1969 (12) 1, 12

I

      
Ilfracombe Beauty Point pre 1900 (12). 12
Ilfraville Beauty Point pre 1900 (12). However, current maps show "Ilfraville" a little to the north of Beauty Point (10). 12
Irishtown Nicholls Rivulet pre 1900 (12) 12

J

    
Jerusalem Colebrook pre 1900 (12). Known as "Jerusalem in Colebrookdale" throughout the 1840's.(7) 1, 7, 12
Judd's Creek Judbury 1924 (12) 12

K

      
Kangaroo Bay Bellerive 1892 (12) 12
Kangaroo Point  Bellerive   1
Kangaroo Valley  Lenah Valley post 1909 (12) 1, 12
Kawallah Newstead pre 1900 (12). I remember, when I was young, the Newstead Post Office was renamed "Kawallah" to avoid confusion with Newstead in Victoria. (10) 12
Kentish Sheffield District "Kentish" is a municipality with Sheffield as its administrative centre.(10)  1
King Georges Plains Glenorchy   1
King's Town Kingston 1882 12
Koomella West Scottsdale   12
Krushka's Bridge Moorina pre 1900 (12) 12

L

      
Lake River  Pisa   1
Latour Longford pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Leanardsburgh No longer exists The Leonardsburg Prospect is located on the Andersons Creek in north Tasmania. It was near Beaconsfield. 1, 15
Leven Ulverstone   1
Lightwood Bottom Geeveston pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Linda Gormanston Both names appeared in 1909 Walsh's Almanac (12). Both places still exist - even though almost ghost towns. Maybe the current Gormanston was once a part of Linda, or maybe Waters got it wrong. (10) 12
Lisle Ponds Nabowla There is still a place called "Lisle" near Nabowla.(10) 1
Little Oyster Cove Rivulet Kettering   1
Long Bay Middleton   1
Longmeadows Franklin Village pre 1900 (12) 12
Lovett Cygnet 1915 (12) 1, 12
Lyetta Clarence Point c1960 (12) 1, 12
Lymington Nile Both names appeared in 1900 Walsh's Almanac (12). Not to be confused with another place called "Lymington" near Cygnet.(10) 1, 8, 12
Lyndhurst Tomahawk   1
Lyttleton Carrick   1

M

      
Macquarie Pillinger 1900 (12) 12
Macquarie Plains Gretna Although there is a place "Macquarie Plains" on the road to National Park a bit after the turn-off from the Lyell Highway, the Post Office at Gretna was "Macquarie Plains" before being changed to "Gretna". (2, 10) 2
Macquarie's Township Hamilton pre 1900 (12) 12
Marawaylee Riverside West   12
Mill's Reef Allonah 1955 (12) 1, 12
Montagu Togari post 1955 (12) 12
Montos Marsh Ellendale   1
Morven Evandale   1
Mount Bischoff Mine Waratah The town grew up around the mine. (8) 1, 8
Muddy Plains Pateena   1
Muddy Plains Sandford   1

N

      
Native Corners Beaumont "Native Corners" is also an area near Campania. (8) 1
Native Tier Osterley Name changed in 1900 (2). Both names appeared in 1900 Walsh's Almanac (12). 1, 2, 12
Newnham Alanvale Both are current suburbs of Launceston, although what is now Alanvale was previously part of Newnham.(10) 10
Nine Mile Springs Lefroy   1
Nive Road Tarraleah   2
Norfolk Plains Longford 1860 (12). The name "Norfolk Plains" is still used for a large area around Longford.(6) 1, 6, 12
Norfolk Plains East Pateena 1887 (14) 1, 6, 12

O

     14
O'Briens Bridge Glenorchy   1
Oberlin Black Hills pre 1900 (12) 12
One Tree Point Brabazon   1
Outer Cove Georgetown   1
Outer Harbour Low Head   1

P

      
Pallawah Daisy Dell   1
Paterson Plains St Leonards pre 1900 (12) 1, 12
Pea Jacket Point Wybalenna   12
Penghana Queenstown Both names appeared in 1900 Walsh's Almanac (12). 12
Peppermint Bay Woodbridge   1
Pittwater Sorell "Pittwater" is a feature.  All the area around it, including Sorell, was once known as "Pittwater".(10) 1, 7
Point Rapid Rowella 1912 (12) 12
Poole's Marshes Ower Marshes   12
Pootark Stormlea 1929 (12). 12
Port Dalrymple  Georgetown Port Dalrymple is the name given to the mouth of the Tamar River.(8) 8
Port Esperance  Dover Dover is situated on Port Esperance.(10) 1
Port Frederick Devonport   1
Port Maldon Somerset   1
Portland Du Cane pre 1900 (12) 12
Poynduk Port Davey pre 1900 (12) 12
Preston Naracoopa post 1909 (12) 12
Prosser Plains Buckland   1

Q

    
Queenborough Sandy Bay   8

R

      
Ralphs Bay Lauderdale Ralphs Bay still exists as a feature.(10) 1
Reibys Ford Hadspen   1
Rialannah Mount Nelson pre 1900 (12) 12
Richmond Hill Kayena   12
Risdon Rise Lutana   1
River Plenty Plenty   2
Romaine Suburb of Burnie Still "Romaine", but once a separate town/village.(10) 1, 5
Rumneys Hut(s) Baden 1905 (12) 1, 12
Russell Westerway   2

S

      
Saggy Flats Strickland   1
San Diego Darlington pre 1900 (12) 12
Settlement Point Emita post 1909 (12) 12
Shepton Montacute Dysart 1875 (12) 1, 12
South Bridgewater Granton 1914 (12) 12
Snake Banks Powranna   1
Snake Plains Glendevie post 1909 (12) 12
Spring Bay Triabunna The name "Spring Bay" persisted as the municipality until 1994, when it amalgamated with Glamorgan.(8) 1, 8
St Michaels Rosevears   1
St.Pauls Plains Avoca   1
Stirling Near Ridgley - no longer a town   1
Stony Hut Plains Gretna   1
Sunny Hills Nabageena post 1909 (12) 1, 12
Sweet Water Hills Richmond Prior to 1823 (7) 7

T

      
Table Cape Wynyard The name "Table Cape" persisted as the municipality for some time.  It is still the name of a feature near Wynyard.(6, 10) 1, 6
Table Mountain Mount Wellington   3 (p. 14)
Tatana Exeter pre 1900 (12). Renamed Exeter in 1968 (16).  Was the name of the Exeter Post Office from 1912 to 1968 (15). 12, 15, 16
Temby Triabunna pre 1900 (12) 12
The Bluff Tunnack   13 (p. 87)
The Camp Scottsdale pre 1900 (12) 12
The Corners Conara   1
The Springs Breadalbane   1
The Woolpack Gretna   1
Thomas Plains Weldborough Both names appeared in 1900 Walsh's Almanac (12). 12
Thompsons Marsh Gray   1
Three Hut Point Gordon   9
Tongatabu Weetah 1914 12
Torquay East Devonport 1890 (12) 1, 4 (p. 7), 12
Tucker's Corner Scottsdale pre 1900 (12) 12
Tucker's Hill Milbena   12

U

      
Upper Flowerdale Moorleah post 1900 (12) 12
Upper Huon Glen Huon post 1900 (12) 12
Upper Piper Lilydale 1887 (14) 14
Upper Plenty Fulton   1

V

      
Victoria Huon District   1
Victoria (Valley) Ranelagh post 1900 (12) 1, 12

W

      
Waterhouse Road Halfway   1
Waterloo Point/Waterloo Swansea There is also a small town named "Waterloo" just to the South of Geevestown. (11) 1, 5, 11
West Leith Turners Beach post 1909 (12) 12
West Bay Rowella 1912 (12) 12
Whiteford Hills Moltema   1
Wybalerma Glen Huon   12

X

      

Y

      
Yarmouth Scamander Both names appeared in 1900 Walsh's Almanac (12). 12

Z

      

NOTE:  Many of the names under "Place Name Previously" are still in use as a feature.  For example, when a settlement was made on the Clyde River, the settlement became known as "The Clyde River", and was later changed to "Bothwell".  There are quite a few similar places.

SOURCES  (These are not necessarily primary sources):
1. Jackie Browne's original list.
2. Bester, D. (Ed.) (2001) The Derwent Valley from Federation to Millennium. Derwent Valley Council, New Norfolk.
3. Hawley Stancombe, G. (1974) Highway in Van Diemen's Land. G. Hawley Stancombe. (via Meryl Yost)
4. Not stated. (1988) Sassafras - A History of its Settlement and People. Geneva Press, Latrobe. (via Meryl Yost)
5. D.E.L.M. (1998) Tasmanian Towns Street Atlas, Edition 5.  Department of Environment & Land Management, Hobart.
6. Karlena Lockett.
7. Alex Green.
8. Mike Hurburgh.
9. Vivien Rice.
10. Robert Tanner.
11. Anthony Fletcher.
12. Waters, S. (1981) Tasmanian Place Names. In Tasmanian Ancestry, 24:1. TFHS, Launceston. (Reprinted from 2:1)
Waters gave the municipality for each place, but many have changed name or been amalgamated, so I have not included them. Primary sources are given in the original article.
(Information from this source is used with permission of the editor, Tasmanian Ancestry.)
13. Weeding, J.S. (1973) A History of the Southern Midlands of Tasmania, Regal Publications, Launceston. (via Richard Gould)
14. The Launceston Examiner 1 November 1887 p2 (via TROVE)
15.  Burch, Nigel  (2018) An Iron Will
16.  Dennison, C.J. (1994) Where in Tasmania?

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