Talk:Isabella Plains, Australian Capital Territory

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Why named after Isabella Brisbane?

What did she ever do to be worthy of eponymisation other than simply being her father's daughter? -- JackofOz (talk) 02:54, 1 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Nothing, she just happened to be the Governor's daughter when the area was explored by Europeans. That's how place naming works - nepotism, favouritism, fortuitous cirmcumstances. Since when has worthy had anything to do with it? :P WA Burdett (talk) 07:06, 2 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Was the area traditionally known as Isabella Plains, or did that name get coined only when the suburb was gazetted in 1975? The article says nothing about this.

If the former, I can understand why they'd want to continue the name. But that, of course, would mean the suburb wasn't directly named after Isabella, but rather after the locality name that had existed for 150 years; so, only indirectly after Isabella.
If the latter, I can't see why they'd pluck the name of a non-entity out of the air when there are hundreds of other Australians whose names would have been more appropriate to use for the naming of a Canberra suburb. -- JackofOz (talk) 07:53, 2 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

From History of the Australian Capital Territory: "Joseph Wild was employed by Brigade Major John Ovens and Captain Mark Currie in 1823 to guide them to the Murrumbidgee. They travelled south along the river and named the area now known as Tuggeranong Isabella's Plain." Rebecca (talk) 09:54, 2 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Excellent. So it was an indirect link, as I suspected. Thanks for that. I've added the info to the article. -- JackofOz (talk) 10:45, 2 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]