Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Street and place names can change, but what happened in the early 20th century? Many place and street names that even just sounded Germanic were renamed across Australia and the world, most of which remain to this day.
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MORE INFORMATION
Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society: dt-hs.blogspot.com/2017/05/persecution-of-australians-with-german.html
Germantown, Victoria: friendsofgermantown.wixsite.com/friendsof-gsreserve/history
Supporters Portal: members.philipmallis.com
My website: philipmallis.com
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SOURCES
Joyce, William Henry, 'Australian artillery reviewed in France'. 10 November 1918. Australian War Memorial. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C188280
'Empire biscuit'. Wikipedia. 2026. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_biscuit
Lindsay, Norman, 'Will you fight now or wait for this'. 1918. Australian War Memorial. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C254150
Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, User:Glasshouse. Wikimedia Commons. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Duchy_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha.svg
Department of Crown Lands and Survey, 'Allotments, Germantown, Parish of Conewerre, County of Grant [cartographic material] / lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne 4.8.04.'. 1904. State Library of Victoria. https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/97933
"Germanton" to "Holbrook." (1915, July 2). The Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), p. 10, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102909694
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. (1915, January 15). The Northern Herald (Cairns, Qld. : 1913 - 1939), p. 4., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147484807
GEELONG. (1915, November 8). The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), p. 6., 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154574036
GERMAN-NAMED TOWNS. (1916, August 4). Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW : 1915 - 1954), p. 3., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article194813197
'Nomenclature Act (No 1284 of 1917)'. Parliament of South Australia. AustLii. 1917. https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/sa/num_act/na1284o1917196/na1284o1917196.html
The Searchlight. (1915, March 24). Critic (Adelaide, SA : 1897-1924), p. 15., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212159856
''Beware of Spies' World War I propaganda poster'. Archives New Zealand. Wikimedia Commons. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27Beware_of_Spies%27_World_War_I_propaganda_poster_(14603583360).jpg
HEIDELBERG'S NAME TO BE ALTERED. (1914, September 16). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 10., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198625997
WHAT'S IN A NAME? (1914, September 19). Heidelberg News and Greensborough and Diamond Creek Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1916), p. 3 (MORNING)., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89083946
HEIDELBERG TO RETAIN ITS NAME (1940, May 28). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 8., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244134091
GERMAN NAME OF STREET CANCELLED IN THE NIGHT (1916, January 17). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 8., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242399734
'Gordon Webber'. Australian Dictionary of Biography. n.d. https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/webber-gordon-charles-35081
TOPICS OF THE WEEK. (1914, October 3). Richmond Guardian (Vic. : 1884 - 1887; 1894 - 1897; 1900 - 1936), p. 2., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article254626787
GERMAN STREET NAMES. (1916, January 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2094639
STREET NAMES. (1916, April 14). Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell Citizen (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89321439
GERMAN NOMENCLATURE. (1916, January 27). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), p. 2 (THIRD EDITION)., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article80881812
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I acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which this video was filmed. I pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and their extensive and continuing connection to land, water and country.
Street and place names can change, but what happened in the early 20th century? Many place and street names that even just sounded Germanic were renamed across Australia and the world, most of which remain to this day.
-------------
MORE INFORMATION
Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society: dt-hs.blogspot.com/2017/05/persecution-of-australians-with-german.html
Germantown, Victoria: friendsofgermantown.wixsite.com/friendsof-gsreserve/history
Supporters Portal: members.philipmallis.com
My website: philipmallis.com
-------------
SOURCES
Joyce, William Henry, 'Australian artillery reviewed in France'. 10 November 1918. Australian War Memorial. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C188280
'Empire biscuit'. Wikipedia. 2026. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_biscuit
Lindsay, Norman, 'Will you fight now or wait for this'. 1918. Australian War Memorial. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C254150
Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, User:Glasshouse. Wikimedia Commons. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Duchy_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha.svg
Department of Crown Lands and Survey, 'Allotments, Germantown, Parish of Conewerre, County of Grant [cartographic material] / lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne 4.8.04.'. 1904. State Library of Victoria. https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/97933
"Germanton" to "Holbrook." (1915, July 2). The Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), p. 10, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102909694
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. (1915, January 15). The Northern Herald (Cairns, Qld. : 1913 - 1939), p. 4., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147484807
GEELONG. (1915, November 8). The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), p. 6., 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154574036
GERMAN-NAMED TOWNS. (1916, August 4). Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW : 1915 - 1954), p. 3., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article194813197
'Nomenclature Act (No 1284 of 1917)'. Parliament of South Australia. AustLii. 1917. https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/sa/num_act/na1284o1917196/na1284o1917196.html
The Searchlight. (1915, March 24). Critic (Adelaide, SA : 1897-1924), p. 15., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212159856
''Beware of Spies' World War I propaganda poster'. Archives New Zealand. Wikimedia Commons. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27Beware_of_Spies%27_World_War_I_propaganda_poster_(14603583360).jpg
HEIDELBERG'S NAME TO BE ALTERED. (1914, September 16). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 10., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198625997
WHAT'S IN A NAME? (1914, September 19). Heidelberg News and Greensborough and Diamond Creek Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1916), p. 3 (MORNING)., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89083946
HEIDELBERG TO RETAIN ITS NAME (1940, May 28). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 8., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244134091
GERMAN NAME OF STREET CANCELLED IN THE NIGHT (1916, January 17). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 8., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242399734
'Gordon Webber'. Australian Dictionary of Biography. n.d. https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/webber-gordon-charles-35081
TOPICS OF THE WEEK. (1914, October 3). Richmond Guardian (Vic. : 1884 - 1887; 1894 - 1897; 1900 - 1936), p. 2., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article254626787
GERMAN STREET NAMES. (1916, January 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2094639
STREET NAMES. (1916, April 14). Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell Citizen (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89321439
GERMAN NOMENCLATURE. (1916, January 27). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), p. 2 (THIRD EDITION)., from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article80881812
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I acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which this video was filmed. I pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and their extensive and continuing connection to land, water and country.
