Origins of electoral division names

Updated: 25 February 2016

The table lists division names that have been abolished or retired as the result of a redistribution. A set of Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions for use in the redistribution process was adopted following recommendations from the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in December 1995.

Abolished or re-named divisions
Division	Date	State	Named after
Angas	1903–1934 1949–1977	SA	George Fife Angas (1789–1879) – philanthropist and pioneer of South Australia
Australian Capital Territory	1949–1974	ACT	Locality name
Balaclava	1901–1984	VIC	Locality name – railway station
Barrier	1901–1922	NSW	Geographic feature (Barrier Range)
Bland	1901–1906	NSW	William Bland (1789–1868) doctor, politician
Bonython	1955–2003	SA	Sir John Langdon Bonython 1848–1939, a Member of the first Federal Parliament 1901–1906 and proprietor of The Advertiser.
Bourke	1901–1948	VIC	Sir Richard Bourke (1777–1855) eighth Governor of NSW
Burke	1968-2003	VIC	Robert O'Hara Burke 1821–1861, a former Irish Policeman, who led the Victorian expedition in 1860 which attempted to cross Australia from south to north.
Canobolas	1901–1906	NSW	Geographic feature (Mt Canobolas)
Charlton	1984–2016	NSW	Matthew Charlton (1866–1948), Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1903–10, Member of House of Representatives 1910–28 and leader of ALP 1922–28
Coolgardie	1901–1913	WA	Locality name
Corinella	1901–1906 1989–1994	VIC	Locality name – after the original settlement on the Westernport Bay and derived from the local aboriginal language
Dalley	1901–1968	NSW	William Bede Dalley (1831–1888) barrister, politician
Dampier	1912–1922	WA	William Dampier (1651–1715) English sea explorer
Darebin	1948–1968	VIC	Geographic feature (Darebin Creek)
Darling	1901–1977	NSW	Sir Ralph Darling (1775–1858) – Governor of the colony of New South Wales 1825–31
Darling Downs	1901–1984	QLD	Locality name of district within division
Darwin	1903–1955	TAS	Geographic feature (Mt Darwin)
Denison	1903–2017	TAS	Sir William Denison 1804–71, Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania 1847–55 and Governor of New South Wales 1855–61.
Diamond Valley	1968–1984	VIC	Locality name of district within division
Dundas	1977–1992	NSW	Locality name
East Sydney	1901–1968	NSW	Locality name
Echuca	1901–1936	VIC	Locality name
Evans	1948–1977	NSW	George William Evans (1775–1852) – early explorer of the New South Wales interior
Fawkner	1906–1968	VIC	John Pascoe Fawkner (1792–1869) pioneer, one of the founders of Melbourne
Fraser	1974–2016	ACT	James Fraser 1908–70, Member of the House of Representatives for the Australian Capital Territory 1951–70.
Grampians	1901–1922	VIC	Geographic feature (Grampian Mountains)
Gwydir	1901–2006	NSW	Gwydir River which was discovered by Allan Cunningham in 1827 and named after Lord Gwydir. Coincidentally Gwydir is also an Aboriginal name meaning 'river with red banks'.
Hawker	1968–1992	SA	The Hon CAS Hawker – former member of the House of Representatives for Wakefield
Henty	1912–1989	VIC	Francis Henty – early settler in Victoria
Higinbotham	1948–1968	VIC	George Higinbotham (1826–1892) politician, judge
Hoddle	1948–1955	VIC	Robert Hoddle (1794–1881) surveyor, laid out plan for Melbourne
Illawarra	1901–1922	NSW	Locality name
Kalgoorlie	1901–2008	WA	Named after the town of Kalgoorlie where gold was discovered in 1893.
Laanecoorie	1901–1912	VIC	Locality name
Lang	1901–1977	NSW	John Dunmore Lang (1799–1878) – Presbyterian clergyman, politician and reformer in New South Wales
Lowe	1949–2009	NSW	Named after Robert Lowe, see Lowe profile for more information Renamed 'Reid' (22 December 2009)
Lawson	1948–1968	NSW	Henry Lawson (1867–1922) poet, author
Martin	1922–1955	NSW	Sir James Martin (1820–1886) politician, Chief Justice of NSW
Mernda	1901–1912	VIC	Locality name
Moira	1901–1906	VIC	Locality name (property)
Namadgi	1994–1997	ACT	Locality name of apparent Aboriginal origin, applied to the mountainous area southwest of Canberra.
Nepean	1906–1922	NSW	Geographic feature (Nepean River)
Northern Melbourne	1901–1906	VIC	Locality name
Northern Territory	1922–2001	NT	Named after the area in which it is located.
Prospect	1968–2009	NSW	Geographic feature (Prospect reservoir), see Prospect profile for more information Renamed 'McMahon' (22 December 2009)
Phillip	1948–1992	NSW	Captain Arthur Phillip – first Governor of the colony of New South Wales
Riverina-Darling	1984–1992	NSW	Geographical
Reid	1922–2009	NSW	Named after Sir George Reid, see Reid profile for more information
South Sydney	1901–1934	NSW	Locality name
Southern Melbourne	1901–1906	VIC	Locality name
St George	1948–1992	NSW	Locality name
Streeton	1984–1989	VIC	Sir Arthur Streeton – original member of the Heidelberg School of Painting
Throsby	1984–2016	NSW	Dr Charles Throsby (1771–1828), a local pioneer who explored the area
West Sydney	1901–1968	NSW	Locality name
Wilmot	1903–1984	TAS	Sir John Eardley Eardley-Wilmot (1783–1847) – Lt. Governor of Tasmania 1843–46
Wimmera	1901-1977	VIC	Locality name – a variant of the aboriginal word 'woomera' meaning a 'throwing stick'
Yarra	1901–1968	VIC	Geographic feature (Yarra River)