Should agents use Indigenous place names when selling Australia?

With language forming a mainstay of any culture, learning and using more Indigenous names is simply the right and respectful thing to do. Plus, it’s worth remembering some English names have strong negative connotations for Indigenous groups, from associations with atrocities to celebrating deeply unsavoury characters. Such was the case with Western Australia’s official renaming of King Leopold Ranges as the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges.

Early days

Tourism Australia was quick to ensure major Australian cities such as Perth, Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Broome, Cairns and Hobart were dual-named. While pitching city breaks in Boorloo, Gulumerrdgen, Warrane, Narrm, Tarntanya, Rubibi, Gimuy and Nipaluna respectively might draw blank looks for now, agents are encouraged to start using them nevertheless, albeit alongside their better-known English equivalents to avoid confusing clients.

“It’s only awkward now as we bring it in and become accustomed to it,” notes Cait Fleming, communications executive of Tourism Whitsundays, who is quick to reassure agents, adding: “It’s a bit like learning new airport codes.”

“We do prefer it when people say K’gari,” advises Shelley Winkel, consumer PR leader of Tourism and Events Queensland, advising the “k” is silent and it’s a long “a” sound. 

Tourism Australia acknowledges the dual-naming process is a marathon not a sprint, each case following consultations with Indigenous groups. Plus, not every English place name has an Indigenous equivalent, others remain disputed, and some areas such as Outback Queensland are lagging behind. It’s also worth noting the case of Uluru, where, 30 years after its dual naming, its English name, Ayers Rock, remains widely used, including by airlines.  

Be in it to win it

Trailblazers include Northern Territory, where indigenous names such as Uluru are commonplace. Here, Tony Quarmby, executive director of marketing, Tourism Northern Territory, advises agents to urge clients to remain communicative and inquisitive in their Indigenous interactions. “What we always say is it’s important to ask questions,” he stresses.

Western Australia is another, and Cory Gale, senior manager content at Tourism WA, proudly shows me how deeply ingrained Indigenous names are across its marketing collateral. While, for now, Aboriginal names come second to the English, Gale assures the plan is to reverse this once the Aboriginal names gain traction.

Ditto Destination Perth where chief executive Sonja Mitchell shows me how Indigenous names feature prominently across its collateral, from Boorloo (Perth) to Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), meaning “place across the water where the spirits are”. 

“Agents should not stress too much about it,” Mitchell advises. “It’ll come in time, and follow our lead as, generally, on a daily basis, we try to weave it in.” 

The “get onboard” message is echoed by Queensland’s Winkel. Having noted that, as in the case of her state, agents will already be using a lot of established Indigenous place names, such as Currumbin and Noosa, she points to the increasing adoption of everything from K’gari (Fraser Island) and Meeanjin (Brisbane) to Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) as “a real step forward”.

“It’s not gazetted but we respectfully use [the dual names],” says Winkel. “It’s an educational process, very much an evolving process, and we expect to see more and more change.”

She adds: “But no one’s going to give you a slap on the wrist if you get it wrong; the elders will love it if you try to use the [Indigenous] names.”