Geographical Names Board of New South Wales facts for kids

The Geographical Names Board of New South Wales is a special group in New South Wales, Australia. It is the official organization that keeps track of all the names for places and geographical features. This includes names for mountains, rivers, towns, and regions. The Board was started in 1966 and has nine members.

Who Are the Board Members?

The Board has nine members who help make decisions about place names. Four of these members (or people who stand in for them) are:

• The Surveyor General of New South Wales, who is also the leader of the Board.
• The Director General from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
• The State Librarian.
• An officer from the Land and Property Information division. This person is chosen by the Director General of the Department of Finance and Services.

The other five members are chosen by different groups:

• The Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales.
• The Royal Australian Historical Society.
• The Geographical Society of New South Wales.
• The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.
• The Chairperson of the Community Relations Commission.

What Does the Board Do?

The Geographical Names Act, 1966 is a law that gives the Board its powers. This law allows the Board to:

• Name new places.
• Find out and decide on the correct way to spell a name.
• Understand the meaning and history of a name.
• Decide how a name should be said (its pronunciation).
• Choose where and how a name can be used on maps and in official documents.

What Kinds of Places Are Named?

A "place" can be almost any geographical feature. This includes mountains, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. It also covers districts, regions, cities, towns, villages, settlements, and even railway stations within New South Wales.

However, the Board does not name certain things. These include roads, local government areas, electoral districts, or schools.

Protecting Aboriginal Place Names

The Board works to protect and promote Aboriginal languages and culture through place naming. They try to use traditional Aboriginal place names whenever possible. They can also give traditional Aboriginal names to features that already have a different name. This is called a "dual naming policy." It means a place might have two official names.

Rules for Place Names

The Board has a rule about names that show ownership, like "Smith's Road." They change these names to remove the apostrophe and "s." So, "Smith's Road" would become "Smiths Road" or "Smith Road." This rule is similar to one used by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Other Countries with Similar Boards

• Geographical Names Board of Canada
• United States Board on Geographic Names

Related Pages

• List of cities in Australia