Australia’s wackiest named places are so strange you may want to visit them
Is Australia’s devil-may-care approach to naming its towns a cry for help or a cunning ploy to attract tourists to destinations with debatable back-stories that may or may not even exist?Maybe it’s just what happens when you put 25 million people on a piece of land around 32 times the size of the United Kingdom. Whatever the motivation, it turns out we’re really, really good at it. Here are our top ten favourites. Let us know if you’ve been there!
Stinkhole Bay, Tasmania
Tasmania has some incredible bays and beaches, just rarely the climate to go with it. Nor the enticing names, it seems. Stinkhole Bay sits to the north east coast of Tassie. Tasmania is glorious and has some of the best driving roads our nation has to offer. Wish it were warmer.
Sudden Jerk Island, South Australia
The worst kind. Off the South Australian coast you’ll find a small island called Sudden Jerk, near Sensation Beach and Misery Bay, as luck would have it. It’s smack in the heart of Coffin Bay national park on the Eyre Peninsula. I’d head there for the oysters alone.
Useless Loop, Western Australia
Packed your bags yet? Don’t. Useless Loop is on the West Australian coast, well north of Perth. It’s a closed town in the UNESCO World Heritage Shark Bay site and is home to Shark Bay workers and their families. Not so useless after all.
Pimpimbudgee, Queensland
Located about 150kms (as the budgie flies) north west of Brisbane, this tiny town’s name will inspire even your most banal buddy to think outside the box. Harder to pronounce than it looks, this town is located close to the popular tourist destination of Coomba Falls.
Well it wasn’t there last year cave, South Australia
It’s a cave, so I can understand how someone may have not seen it last time. What I don’t understand is why someone would venture inside given its elusive status. The Mid Murray Motoplex seems to be the closest landmark and it’s where your search rescue party should commence their efforts.
Mount Great Groaner, New South Wales
Located in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park in New South Wales is Mount Great Groaner. It’s about 100km west of Sydney and relies on its mountainous laurels alone to lure mountain-loving tourists.
Tumbledown Dick, New South Wales
It sounds like a late night incident leaving the pub, but this little gem is located just 30km north of Sydney in the town of Ingleside. The views from Tumbledown Dick Hill are said to be lovely.
Tittybong, Victoria
Located north west of Melbourne, Tittybong is dissected by the Donald-Swan Hill Road, Swan Hill being its nearest large town. The 2016 Census reports Tittybong’s population at just three.
Eggs and Bacon Bay, Tasmania
The Huon Valley region in this southern most part of Australia is well known for its produce, apples in particular, but rarely for its eggs and bacon. This bay is home to a lovely family-friendly beach. The bay was named after the yellow and red egg and bacon wildflowers found along its shores.
Mangalore, Victoria
Pack your bags, all the single ladies! Pronounced Mang-alore (not Man-galore), this small town is located 130kms north of Melbourne and there are lots of wineries in the region. This will make up for the distinct lack of man-galore. There’s also an airport should you need to be at a winery faster than the Hume Highway allows.
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