Media: paperback (stiff boards) - 428 pages
Author: G. Manning
Year: 1990 - 2nd edition

First published in 1986 under the title 'Romance of Place Names of South Australia'. This became the standard reference work on the topic of South Australia's place names and their history.

This second edition, completely updated and revised, adds 1000 names to the first edition - and estam 10,,000 place names in all.

It has been said that place names of South Australia are intricately interwoven with the fabric of its history, they bear a close relationship with the discovery, exploration, survey and settlement of the colony. The names implanted by the early settlers reflects the cultural and historical influences, which have moulded its society.

This will answer many questions about the origins of South Australian settlements and place names. In South Australia the names of English suburbs are placed alongside Irish towns and next to German or Scottish hamlets. The original meanings of names such as Aldgate, Brompton, Cheltenham, Lobethal, Craigburn and Lochiel are given, together with their reuse in the new land.

This book is a history, not simply a reference tool. Most entries describe the circumstances of the naming as well as the derivation of the name itself, and if this is not available, other historical detail is provided. In a way the book is a gazetteer setting out succinct histories of towns, suburbs, landscape features and other named localities in South Australia, past as well as present. The use of original records also exposes several inaccuracies in existing historical works.