Can You Pronounce These Australian Town Names?

Bruce Highway
Bruce Highway | © Phil Whitehouse/Wikimedia Commons
Tom Smith

Australia is a weird, wild and wonderful place – and its tongue-twisting town names are no exception. From scorching Central Australia to chilly Tasmania, read on to learn how to pronounce these place names that even native Australians struggle to wrap their mouth around.

Deniliquin

Pronounced: Duh-nill-a-kwin

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CentralAmerica

GORGEOUS GUATEMALA

Gorgeous Guatemala

5 days . Mini
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1. Guatemala

An express adventure for those with limited time off. Prepare yourself incredible experiences. You will hike a volcano, visit mayan temples and witness a ceremony and take in beautiful colonial Antigua.

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CentralAmerica

BEACHY BELIZE

Beachy Belize

5 days . Mini
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2. Belize

A quick trip not too far away for those seeking a relaxing mini break. You will have plenty of free time to relax but also some awesome activities to experience the rainforest and the caribbean sea.
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CentralAmerica

COLONIAL MEXICO

Colonial Mexico

5 days . Mini
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3. Mexico

An exciting mini trip exploring the lesser known colonial towns of central Mexico. This is hte perfect trip for someone with limited time off and still wants to turn on explorer mode and do something different.
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SouthAmerica

ADVENTUROUS ECUADOR

Adventurous Ecuador

8 days . Epic
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1. Ecuador

A remarkable 8 days adventure through the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. The best choice for adventure seekers wishing to visit the 2 most iconic areas of South America, in only 1 week and no flights.

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SouthAmerica

ANCIENT PERU

Ancient Peru

9 days . Epic
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2. Peru

An alternative itinerary to classic Peru, from Cusco to Arequipa. This itinerary is great combination of highlights Cusco and Machu Picchu with the lesser known Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
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Europe

SEDUCTIVE SOUTHERN ITALY

Seductive Southern Italy

10 days . Epic
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1. Italy

The ultimate Italian experience from the vibrant streets of Naples to the breathtaking sceneries of the Amalfi Coast followed by Matera and down to Puglia with its golden beaches, intense flavours and fascinating destinations.

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Europe

EDINBURGH AND THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS BY TRAIN

Edinburgh And The Scottish Highlands By Train

7 days . Culture
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2. Scotland

Embark on this great adventure starting from London all the way to Scotland with a true Scottish experience made of breathtaking sceneries, whisky tasting and ..lots of fun! Ideal for train lovers and explorers.
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Europe

COMPLETE PORTUGAL BY TRAIN

Complete Portugal By Train

8 days . Culture
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3. Portugal

A wonderful train journey around Portugal, from the romantic city of Porto to the Douro Valley, to the beautiful Aveiro all the way to Lisbon and Sintra. The perfect trip to train, culinary and culture lovers.
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Asia

SOULFUL SOUTH KOREA

Soulful South Korea

10 days . Epic
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1. South Korea

Discover incredible temples, mountains and modern cities on this 10 day adventure. This trip is perfect for those seeking immersion in the cuisine, culture and natural wonders of South Korea.

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Asia

THAILAND, CAMBODIA & VIETNAM

Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam

11 days . Epic
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2. Thailand

From Bankgok to Angkor Wat to Ho Chi Minh City and everything in between - adventure through the heart of South-East Asia. Taste the delights, see history brought to life and unwind on a Mekong River cruise.
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Asia

SECRETS OF SRI LANKA BY TRAIN

Secrets Of Sri Lanka By Train

10 days . Culture
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3. Sri Lanka

A fantastic adventure that showcases Sri Lanka's fantastic landscapes, wildlife and flavours. With 3 epic rail journeys, 3 UNESCO heritage sites and time to relax, this trip has loads to offer at a great price
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Africa

EPIC MOROCCO

Epic Morocco

11 days . Epic
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1. Morocco

An epic journey across Morocco: from Casablanca to Marrakech, through the blue city of Chefchaouen to the wonders of the desert and deep to the High Atlas Mountains - this trip has it all! Ideal for true explorers!

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Africa

ULTIMATE EGYPT

Ultimate Egypt

9 days . Epic
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2. Egypt

From Cairo to Aswan, this trip brings the land of the pharaohs to life. You'll visit the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temple and cruise down the Nile in style. This is the perfect way to explore Egypt.
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Africa

IMMERSIVE KENYA

Immersive Kenya

8 days . Epic
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3. Kenya

An immersive blend of culture and wildlife for first time travelers to Africa. Learn about Nairobi, sample local coffee in the Aberdares and finish up with a fantastic safari stay in the Masai Mara.
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This town in the Riverina region of New South Wales neighbours the world’s largest red gum forest, and hosts a festival each Spring that’s sensibly abbreviated to the Deni Ute Muster.

Deniliquin Ute Muster

Woolloomooloo

Pronounced: Wool-uh-muh-loo

There’s a very simple way to remember how to spell the name of this fashionable inner-city Sydney suburb: cow-toilet-sheep-toilet.

Woolloomooloo

Nyngan

Pronounced: Nin-gun

This tiny sheep-shearing town smack bang in the centre of New South Wales has a fun name to pronounce, and belongs to a shire with an even better moniker: Bogan, Australian-English for an unrefined gentleman.

Nyngan

Oodnadatta

Pronounced: Ood-nuh-dadda

The minuscule township of 300 people located 1000km north of Adelaide is basically a pink roadhouse surrounded by Mars-like landscape as far as the eye can see.

Oodnadatta

Coober Pedy

Pronounced: Coo-buh Pee-dee

The opal capital of the world is hardly visible above ground – it’s so hot in Central Australia that most residents live in underground ‘dugouts’ to escape the heat.

Coober Pedy

Goondiwindi

Pronounced: Gun-duh-windy

Three hours’ drive inland from Brisbane along the NSW-Queensland border lies a classic country town of 6000 residents, whose name literally means ‘duck poo’ in the local Aboriginal language.

Goondiwindi

Wunghnu

Pronounced: Wun-yoo

In the Goulburn Valley 200km north of Melbourne is a tiny town with a great sense of humour: a mural on a water tower welcomes visitors to the world’s smallest sheep station, riffing on the town’s name, pronounced ‘one ewe’.

Wunghnu

Waaia

Pronounced: Way-eye

This former railway town not far from Wunghnu is only 400 strong but still organises an annual tractor pull to raise funds for local community groups.

Waaia

Moe

Pronounced: Moh-wee

This large town in the Latrobe Valley in eastern Victoria isn’t named after the bartender in the Simpsons or the member of the Three Stooges with a bowl cut – in fact, it’s pronounced altogether differently.

Moe

Mudgeeraba

Pronounced: Mug-ruh-bah

The name of this historic 19th Century village in the Gold Coast Hinterland comes from an Indigenous expression meaning, politely, ‘place of infant’s excrement’.

Mudgeeraba

Liawenee

Pronounced: Lye-a-wee-nee

The name of this fishing village in central Tasmania comes from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘frigid’ – that’s a pretty accurate label for a place with a maximum summer temperature that’s colder than Brisbane’s winter climate.

Liawenee

Gingin

Pronounced: Jin-jin

An hour north of Perth in Western Australia sits a town whose name sounds like a stuttered drink order.

Gingin

Xantippe

Pronounced: Zan-tip-ee

The only place name in Australia beginning with X owes its name either to philosopher Socrates’ wife, or an Aboriginal word meaning ‘looking for water from a deeper well’, the favoured local explanation.

Xantippe
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