Wp/nys/Wiilman Mia Kwel - Wiilman Placenames

"Balingup" is an alleged corruption of an Aboriginal name - Balingan, a noted native warrior who is said to have been born here. Other research has shown the name derives from the language, meaning "one that is situated there at this place".^[source?]

• File:Balbarrup
• File:Bennelaking
• File:Biberkine
• File:Bokal
• File:Chanchanning
• File:Darkan
• File:Kylie
• File:Mokine
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  Narrogin [1]
• File:Quabing
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  Wagin Giant Ram, Western Australia [2]

Balingup

In the period prior to European settlement of the districts that comprise the present day Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, there is evidence of scattered Aboriginal presence. The sites recorded by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs are primarily artefact scatters wer occasional quarries from the production of stone tools. There are also some known burial sites, wer the Blackwood River was a major mythological wer economic feature in Aboriginal culture.

Darkan

The area of "Darkan" was settled by William John Gibbs wer his family in the late 1860's.Keny of Gibb's properties was named Darkan, but the name is believed to be a local Aboriginal name. The meaning is not known at present.

Narrogin

"Narrogin" is an Aboriginal name, having been first recorded as "Narroging" for a pool in nidja area in 1869. The meaning of the name is uncertain, various sources recording it as "bat camp", "plenty of everything" or derived from "gnargagin" which means "place of water".

Wagin

"Wagin" derives its name from Wagin Lake, a usually dry salt lake south of the town. The name Wagin is Aboriginal, having been first recorded for the lake by a surveyor in 1869-72. The meaning of the name is "place of Emu's".