Brisbane

Brisbane
Brisbane River
Sir Thomas Brisbane

From Scottish Gaelic bris (“break, smash”) + Old English bān (“bone”), a nickname given to someone who was often involved in fights, resulting in the breaking of bones. The city and river in Australia are named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, 1773–1860; governor of New South Wales (which at the time included the area of modern Queensland) from 1821 to 1825.

A river that flows through the city in Queensland; in full, the Brisbane River.


Adelaide

→ Greek: Άντελαϊντ (Ántelaïnt)

Borrowed from French Adélaïde, from Old High German Adalheidis (from adal (“noble”) + -heit (“nature, character”)), modern German Adelheid; doublet of Alice.

Adelaide (given name)
Adelaide River
Adelaide, South Australia

Queen Adelaide
w:Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen

William IV
w:William IV of the United Kingdom

Northern Territory
Northern Territory#English

Places named for Queen Adelaide, consort of William IV.

A river in the Northern Territory, Australia, known for its large population of saltwater crocodiles.


Todd

A river in the Northern Territory, Australia; named for early immigrant Alice Bell Todd (wife of astronomer Charles Todd).


Murray

en-proper noun

Murray (countable and uncountable, plural Murrays)

Scottish surname derived from the place name Moray in northeastern Scotland, from Medieval Latin Moravia, Morauia, from Scottish Gaelic Moireibh, Moireabh, Moreb, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *mori (“sea”) + *trebā (“settlement”).

A major river in south-eastern Australia, flowing 2,589 km (1,609 mi) to the Indian Ocean, through New South Wales and Victoria, where it forms the border for hundreds of miles, to the sea through South Australia; in full, the Murray River. Named after Sir George Murray.

Western Australia
Western Australia#English

A river in Western Australia (as above).


Murray

Unadapted borrowing from English Murray.

a placename:
a major river in southeastern Australia


Avon

From Proto-Brythonic *aβon (“river”). Compare with Welsh afon.

A river in Australia; running from Barrington Tops in New South Wales into the Gloucester River at Gloucester.

A river in Australia; running from the Illawarra escarpment in New South Wales into the Cordeaux near Wilton.

A river in Australia; running from Mount Wellington in Victoria into Lake Wellington.

A river in Australia; running from the confluence of Avon and Reedy Creeks in Victoria into the Richardson River at Banyena.

A river in Australia; running from near Pingelly in Western Australia to Walyunga National Park, where it merges with Wooroloo Brook to form the Swan.


Gordon

The main etymology, associated with Celtic names, is from the Scots surname Gordon, from a place name, but the origin is debated:
* If the English or Scots name is from a Brythonic language (such as Old Welsh or Old Breton), then possibly from a Proto-Brythonic compound such as *gor (“spacious”) + *din (“fort”);
* If the Scots name is itself from English, then possibly from French Gourdon, derived from Gallo-Roman Latin Gordus, from Gaulish *Gordos;
* Otherwise, possibly ultimately from Old English *gor-dūn (“mud hill”) whence a habitational name.

A place name:
A locale in Australia.
A river in Tasmania, Australia.

A river in Western Australia, Australia; named for British statesman George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen.


Williams

Williams (countable and uncountable, plural Williamses)

威廉姆斯

transliterations of the English surname "Williams"

A placename:
A place in Australia:
A river in New South Wales.

A river in Western Australia; probably named for William IV of the United Kingdom.


Franklin

en-prop

Franklin (countable and uncountable, plural Franklins)

From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), see franklin. The place names are mostly named after American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790).


Hastings

The placename in England is derived from the Old English tribal name Hæstingas (“Hæsta's people, the family/followers of Hæsta”), which was later transferred to their settlement.
The family name has two possible sources:
* from the place name
* a patronymic surname derived from the Anglo-Norman personal name Hasten(c), Hastang
The later place names in other countries are named either after people with that family name, or after the town of Hastings in England.

The Hastings River, a river in New South Wales, which flows into the Tasman Sea at Port Macquarie. Named after Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings.


Katherine

/ˈkæθ(ə)ɹɪn/

Katherine
Katherine River
Katherine, Northern Territory

Kathy (alternative diminutive)
Kath (alternative diminutive)
Kate (alternative diminutive)

A river in the Northern Territory, which gave its name to the town.


Darling

A major river of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, named for Governor Ralph Darling.

Wiktionary’s coverage of Baagandji terms


Hunter

en-proper noun

Hunter (countable and uncountable, plural Hunters)

A river in New South Wales, Australia; flowing 300 km from the Mount Royal Range within Barrington Tops National Park into the Tasman Sea at Newcastle; named for John Hunter, 2nd Governor of New South Wales.

A river in Western Australia, Australia; flowing 16 km from Donkins Hill near Mitchell River National Park into the Timor Sea; named by Australian explorer Philip Parker King for James Hunter, the surgeon of King's HMS Mermaid.


Logan

From Scottish Gaelic lag (“little hollow”).

A river in Queensland, Australia; flowing from near Mount Barney into the Moreton Bay at Woongoolba.


Mann

As a German surname, from the root of man.

A river in the Northern Rivers region, New South Wales, Australia, which joins the Clarence River.


Severn

From Middle English Severne, from Old English Sæfern, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *Sabrinā (compare Welsh Hafren), perhaps from *samaros (“summer fallow”). Doublet of Sabrina.

A number of other rivers in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.


Chandler

Candler (alternative)
Chander (alternative)

/ˈt͡ʃændləɹ/

A river in New South Wales, Australia; running 110 km from the Great Dividing Range near Lyndhurst into the Macleay at Cunnawarra National Park.


Chandler

Unadapted borrowing from English Chandler.

ubor

a river
a river in New South Wales, Australia


Clarence

Originally a ducal title of the English and British royal family, from Clārensis (“from the town of Clare”), (the town of Clare, Suffolk), although it has also been associated with Italian Chiarenza, Clarentza, &c., a former fortress and settlement in the medieval Frankish Principality of Achaea in Greece.

A name given to several rivers, including one in France and others in countries settled by the British.

A river in the Northern Rivers region, New South Wales, Australia, which discharges into the Coral Sea, named after the Duke of Clarence,


Boyd

From Scottish Gaelic, either buidhe (“blond, yellow, fair”), or a habitational surname from the Isle of Bute in Scotland.

Northern Tablelands
Northern Tablelands#English

The Boyd River, a river in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia.

The Boyd River, a river in south-western Tasmania, Australia.


Inglis

A river in north-west Tasmania, Australia.


Carson

Carsen (alternative)
Karson (alternative)

Could originate from the Gaelic name "Carr" or "Carra", meaning "rock" or "fort," combined with "son", thus "son of Carr.".

A river in northern Western Australia; flowing from the Foster Range at the Drysdale River National Park into the King Edward River near Kalumburu; named for Victoria Squatting Company director David Carson.


Lachlan

en-proper noun

Lachlan (countable and uncountable, plural Lachlans)

From Scottish Gaelic Lachlann, Lochlann (“land of the lochs, loch or fjord land, i.e. Scandinavia”), said to refer to an immigrant from Norway, a Norseman.

A river in New South Wales, Australia, noted for having several significant wetlands along its length; named for Governor Lachlan Macquarie.


Аделаида

ru-proper noun+

Аделаи́да//Adɛlaída

Аделаи́да • (Adɛlaída) f inan (genitive Аделаи́ды)

Аделаи́да (canonical)
Adɛlaída (romanization)
Аделаи́ды (genitive)
Аделаи́да (nominative singular)
Аделаи́ды (genitive singular)
Аделаи́де (dative singular)
Аделаи́ду (accusative singular)
Аделаи́дой (instrumental singular)
Аделаи́дою (instrumental singular)
Аделаи́де (prepositional singular)

Adelaide (a river in the Northern Territory, Australia)


Calder

A number of rivers:
A short river in Tasmania, Australia.

A number of rivers:
A short river in Victoria, Australia.

A river in Kimberley, Western Australia which flows into the Indian Ocean.


Tamar

From Latin Tamarus, possibly from Proto-Celtic *tamaros (“river, waters”, literally “dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *tm̥Hrós, from *temH- (“dark”). See more at Thames.

der

A river in the Australian state of Tasmania, named after the English river.


Salt River

In US politics, after the Salt River in Kentucky. Various explanations exist.

A number of rivers and settlements in various countries:

A river in the Wheatbelt region, Western Australia.


Hutt

Named after Sir William Hutt, chairman of the New Zealand Company.

The following passages describe the banks of the Hutt, to which allusion has already been made as the largest river of Western Australia yet known.

1841, “Australind”, in The Monthly Chronicle, volume VII, page 402:

A river and valley in Western Australia.


Nicholson

From Nicholas + -son. Doublet of Nielsen.

A number of places and rivers in Australia:

A river in the Northern Territory and Queensland which flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

A river in Victoria which flows through the town.

A river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia which joins the Ord River.


Daly

en-proper noun

Daly (countable and uncountable, plural Dalys)

Dalys (plural)
Dailey (alternative)
Daley (alternative)

(surname): Anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Dálaigh, from dálach (“frequenting meetings”). Compare dáil.

A placename
A river in Australia: see Daly River.

A locality in Litchfield Municipality, Northern Territory, Australia.


Fitzroy

Fitzroy (countable and uncountable, plural Fitzroys)

Fitzroys (plural)
FitzRoy (alternative)
Fitz Roy (alternative)

From Middle English [Term?], from Anglo-Norman fitz (du) roy (“son [of the] king”). Equivalent to Fitz- + roy.

der

A river in central Queensland, Australia, which flows to the Great Barrier Reef.

Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef#English

A river in the Kimberley region, Western Australia, which flows into the Timor Sea.


Light

English surname, from both senses of light.

The River Light, a river in the Mid North region, South Australia, named after William Light.


Oxley

en-proper noun

Oxley (countable and uncountable, plural Oxleys)

From Old English oxa (“ox”) + lēah (“woodland clearing”). Equivalent to ox + -ley (“lea”).

A number of places in Australia, most of which are named after John Oxley:

A river in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, a tributary of the Tweed.


Bogan

Uncertain. Possibly from an Australian Aboriginal language.

A river of central to northern New South Wales, Australia, a tributary to the Darling.


Eucumbene

A river in the Snowy Mountains range of New South Wales, dammed at the man-made Lake Eucumbene to produce hydroelectricity.


Ingeegoodbee

A river in the Snowy Mountains range of New South Wales, Australia.


Jenolan

A river in New South Wales, Australia, that flows underground for about 400 metres at Jenolan Caves.


Nepean

A river to the southwest and south of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia.


Parramatta

The Parramatta River, a river in Sydney, New South Wales, flowing through the suburb and into Sydney Harbour.


Queanbeyan

Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory#English

A river in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales that supplies drinking water for the town and the territory.


Torrens

Torrens (countable and uncountable, plural Torrenses)

Borrowed from Catalan Torrens. It is also a variant of the surname Torrence.

A river that flows through Adelaide, South Australia, named after Robert Torrens.


Warragamba

A river in New South Wales, Australia, that provides much of the water supply for greater metropolitan Sydney.


Yass

Apparently from an Australian Aboriginal language, yharr (“running water”).


Canning

* The civil parish in New Brunswick is likely named after British prime minister George Canning (1770 - 1827).
* The village in Nova Scotia is named after British prime minister George Canning (1770 - 1827).

A river in Western Australia, named after George Canning.


Colo

Colo (countable and uncountable, plural Colos or Coloes)


Ord

* As an English surname, from the dialectal noun ord (“point, place”). Compare Ort.
* As a Scottish Gaelic surname, habitational name from Ord in Peeblesshire or Banffshire, from òrd (“hammer”).
* The city in Nebraska is named after Edward O. C. Ord.
* The river in Australia is named after Harry Ord.

(Ord River) A river in Western Australia.


Cooper Creek

Named in 1845 after Charles Cooper, the Chief Justice of South Australia.

A river in Australia, flowing into Lake Eyre basin.


Annan

A river in northern Queensland, Australia.


Ross River

* (Queensland): Named in 1864 after William Alfred Ross (–1887), first publican of the settlement who later became a mayor of Townsville in 1868.
* (Yukon): Named in 1843 by Robert Campbell after Donald Ross, a chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

A river in northern Queensland, Australia, flowing through the city of Townsville.


Адэлаіда

be-proper noun

Адэлаі́да<sg>

Адэлаі́да • (Adelaída) f inan (genitive Адэлаі́ды, uncountable)

Адэлаі́да (canonical)
Adelaída (romanization)
Адэлаі́ды (genitive)
Адэлаі́да (nominative singular)
Адэлаі́ды (genitive singular)
Адэлаі́дзе (dative singular)
Адэлаі́ду (accusative singular)
Адэлаі́дай (instrumental singular)
Адэлаі́даю (instrumental singular)
Адэлаі́дзе (locative singular)

be-ndecl

Адэлаі́да<sg>

Adelaide (a river in the Northern Territory, Australia)


Вікторія

uk-proper noun

Вікто́рія<sg>

Вікто́рія • (Viktórija) f inan (genitive Вікто́рії, uncountable)

Вікто́рія (canonical)
Viktórija (romanization)
Вікто́рії (genitive)
Вікто́рія (nominative singular)
Вікто́рії (genitive singular)
Вікто́рії (dative singular)
Вікто́рію (accusative singular)
Вікто́рією (instrumental singular)
Вікто́рії (locative singular)
Вікто́ріє (singular vocative)

uk-ndecl

Вікто́рія<sg>

Victoria (a river in the Northern Territory, Australia)


Buchan

The Buchan River, a river in eastern Victoria.


Derwent

From Middle English Derwent, Derwente, Derwynd, from a Brythonic word such as *dwr-gent (“clear water”).

Darwent (alternative)
Darwen (alternative)
Darwin (alternative)
Darran (alternative)
Durrans (alternative)
Durant (alternative)

A river in Tasmania, Australia, which flows into the Tasman Sea near Hobart.


Ashburton

From Old English æsc (“ashtree”) + burna (“stream”) + tūn (“town”).

A river in Western Australia, which flows into the Indian Ocean.


Little River

The name of many rivers and other places in several countries, including:

A town and river in the City of Greater Geelong and City of Wyndham, Victoria, Australia.


Brockman

A river in Western Australia, the Brockman River.


Fortescue

en-proper noun

Fortescue (countable and uncountable, plural Fortescues)

From Anglo-Norman Fortescu, from Norman Fort-Escu, from Old French fort+escut. Literally, “strong shield”.

An ephemeral river in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Australia.


Collie

Collie (countable and uncountable, plural Collies)

A river in the South West region, Western Australia, named after Alexander Collie.


Tweed

Tweed (countable and uncountable, plural Tweeds)

en:River Tweed
en:Tweed (disambiguation)

A river in this region of New South Wales.


Worsley

Worsley (countable and uncountable, plural Worsleys)

From either Old English personal name *Weorc, in the genitive case *Weorces + Proto-Brythonic *cę̃d (“a wood”) + lēah (“wood clearing, glade”), or else from the feminine personal name *Worcgȳth, genitive singular *Weorcgȳthe + lēah. Also suggested is derivation from Proto-Brythonic *gwor- (“over-, above”) + celli (“grove”), with late Cumbric devoicing being evident in early forms.

A short river in Western Australia, after which the town is named.


Arrowsmith

Arrowsmith (countable and uncountable, plural Arrowsmiths)

From arrowsmith, an occupational surname for a maker of iron arrowheads.

A river in the Mid West region, Western Australia, named after cartographer John Arrowsmith.


Campaspe

A river in northern Queensland, which joins the Cape River at Campaspe.

A river in Victoria, Australia, which flows north to join the Murray.


カーソン

ja-pos

カーソン • (Kāson)


Oldfield

en-proper noun

Oldfield (countable and uncountable, plural Oldfields)

Oldfields (plural)
Offield (alternative)

From Old English eald (“old”) + feld (“field”).

A river in Goldfields-Esperance region, Western Australia.


Flinders

Gulf of Carpentaria
Gulf of Carpentaria#English

The Flinders River, a long river in northern Queensland, which flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria.


Manilla

A river in the same area of New South Wales, which joins the Namoi River.


Proserpine

A river in Queensland, Australia, named for the goddess in 1859.


Burdekin

en-prop

Burdekin (countable and uncountable, plural Burdekins)

The Burdekin River, a river in northern Queensland, named after Thomas Burdekin, that flows into the Coral Sea.


Yarra

A river in southern Victoria, Australia, which flows through Melbourne to Port Phillip.


Gellibrand

A river in Victoria. Both town and river were named after Joseph Gellibrand.


Huon

A river in southern Tasmania, Australia, named after Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec.


Normanby

"Village of the Norwegians", from Old Norse Norðmanna, genitive plural of Norðmaðr (“Norseman”) + býr (“village”).

The Normanby River, a large river system in northern Queensland, Australia, which flows into the Pacific Ocean.


Dargo

From an Aboriginal word meaning "to wait", "to have patience".

A river in eastern Victoria, Australia, which flows the Victorian Alps and East Gippsland regions.


North Esk

A river in northern Tasmania, Australia, which joins the Tamar.


Daly River

A river in the Northern Territory of Australia.


Hay River

Presumably all from the Hay surname, information is generally lacking.

A river in the Northern Territory, Australia.

A river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, named after Sir Robert William Hay.


Horse Creek

A river, a dry wash in Opalton, Queensland, Australia.


Hawkesbury

Despite my imaginings, disaster was denied over the deep waters of the Hawkesbury.

2022 July 27, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Bridge disasters that spanned an Empire”, in RAIL, number 962, page 60:

A river, the Hawkesbury River, in New South Wales, Australia, named after Lord Hawkesbury (as in Ontario).


Avoca

A number of places in Australia:
A river in central Victoria.


Wimmera

The Wimmera River, an intermittent river in the Wimmera region, that flows northwards towards Lake Hindmarsh in western Victoria, Australia.


Buffalo River

A river in Victoria, Australia, which joins the Ovens River.


Cloncurry

The Cloncurry River, a river in north-west Queensland, Australia, which joins the Flinders River, named after Lady Cloncurry in Ireland.


Wingecarribee

Southern Highlands
Southern Highlands#English

The Wingecarribee River, a river in the Southern Highlands, New South Wales.


Wollondilly

The Wollondilly River, a river in New South Wales, which gave its name to the shire, and flows into Lake Burragorang.


Balonne

From an aboriginal word for water or running stream.

The Balonne River, a river in southern Queensland, Australia.


Tumut

Apparently from an Wiradjuri word meaning "quiet resting place by the river".


Swan River

A river which flows though Perth, Western Australia.


Maribyrnong

/ˈmæɹɪbə(ɹ)nɒŋ/

A river in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.


South Esk

A river in northern Tasmania, Australia, which joins the North Esk.


Meander

Meander River (Tasmania)
Meander, Tasmania

A river in northern Tasmania, which joins the South Esk.


Deep River

A river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.


Loddon

A river in northern Victoria, which joins the Little Murray River.


Little Murray

A river, an anabranch on the north side of the Murray River in New South Wales, Australia.

A river, an anabranch on the south side of the Murray River in Victoria, Australia.

A river which joins the Nymboida River, in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales.


Nymboida

A river in the Northern Rivers region, New South Wales, which joins the Mann River.


Moorabool

The Moorabool River, a river in Victoria, Australia, a tributary of the Barwon River (Victoria).


Middle River

A locality and river on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.


Murrindindi

The Murrindindi River, a short river in this area of Victoria.


Barcoo

The Barcoo River, a river in western Queensland, Australia.


Bulloo

A river in south-west Queensland, Australia.


Yilgarn

A river in the eastern Wheatbelt region, Western Australia.


Margaret River

A river and locality south-east of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

A river in the Kimberley region, Western Australia.

Augusta-Margaret River
Augusta-Margaret River#English

A town, a river and winegrowing region in the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, South West region, Western Australia.


Maranoa

The Maranoa River, a river in the Murray-Darling Basin and the same area of Queensland, which probably gave its name to the region.