Arana Hills

It seems that the name of Arana Hills was chosen for the Camden and Patrick estates under the impression that in some Aboriginal languages it meant welcome. The later discovery that it was a word referring to the moon did not take away from it its pleasant sounding ring. The name became official, 22 December, 1962.


Aratula

The property around the present township of Aratula was known as Cachen Gate when it was first divided off from the great Fassifern holding, but the railway station was given the name of Aratula, meaning not known, by the Railway Department when the line was opened and consequently the town acquired that name.

Archerfield

This was part of the land taken up by Dr Stephen Simpson, Land Commissioner in the early days of free settlement. It may have passed through several hands before it came into the possession of Michael and Kate Durack in the 1880s, but by then the property had already gained the name of Archerfield. This old homestead was in what is now called Richlands. Why it was given this particular name is not known. Some suggest it may have once been owned by people called Archer.

Aroona

This name used for a suburb of Caloundra is said to mean a beautiful place.

Ascot

The racecourse was established around 1863. Whether it was dubbed Ascot in all seriousness after the famous English racecourse, or whether it was done rather tongue-in-cheek, drawing attention to the contrast between Royal Ascot and the primitive local racetrack, is not known, but it is certain that it, and the surrounding area, gained its name from the racecourse near Windsor Castle, England. The English Ascot back in the 12th century was Escota, meaning eastern cottage.

Ashgrove

The Aboriginal name for the area was Kallindarbin, but, as frequently happened, the Europeans took no notice of that. They gave it a much more English name, or perhaps, it was Scottish (There is an Ashgrove in Scotland), chosen because when they first saw it they were impressed by the fine Moreton Bay ash trees growing there. The name has been used from at least 1876 when both the school and post office adopted it. The choice of name was probably influenced by the Grove Estate belonging to Henry Holmes, contractor.

Ashmore

This suburb of Southport was named after the Hicks family property, which in turn was named after the place they came from in England.  Ashmore Village later gained its name from Ashmore Road. 

Aspley

The area was known to the first settlers by the name of the creek which flowed through it - Little Cabbage Tree Creek. It was John Morris who coined the Aspley name when he called his property the Aspley Orangery after Aspley Hall near Nottingham, England.  Places which afforded protection for the growing of orange trees in Northern Europe, usually associated with great houses or manors, were known as orangeries.

Atkinson's Lagoon

Named after E. C. Atkinson.

Aubigny

Named after a town in Northern France, scene of a World War 1 battle.

Auburn

Named after a district of Ireland.

Auchenflower

Auchenflower was the Scottish birthplace of Sir Thomas McIlwraith. He gave that name to the grand house, Auchenflower House, which he bought and developed on the outskirts of Brisbane, and the suburb gained its name from the house.

A later governor said of McIlwraith that he was 'an able bully with a face like a dugong and a temper like a buffalo.' Others have called him a big man with big ideas. He was Premier three times between 1879 and 1893, but resigned from parliament, 1897, after a scandal broke over the affairs of the Queensland National Bank of which he was a director. He died in London in 1900. 

Austinville

Austinville, named after W. Austin, Queensland Minister for Labour, 1934, when this area near Mudgeeraba was made available for the resettlement of people unemployed because of the Great Depression. It was known as a "Banana Settlement" scheme.


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