La Grande Jave

There's a far away country called La Grande Jave. On the tropical north coast is a small town called Palmerston. In the south, the largest city on the east coast is called Albion, while further north in the sub-tropics is humid Edenglassie. On the lush south coast is a thriving metropolis of miserable people called Douta-galla or Batville, and on an offshore island of sheep even further south is the town of Hobarton. On the west coast, the Swan River Settlement is renowned for its ginger beer and tall ladies.

You've guessed by now that I'm talking about Terra Australis, the Great Southern Land, New Holland, Java Major. And I've used our original capital city names. If it hadn't been for some big-headed administrators wanting to change the names in order to honour some British gentry, then we'd still be using them. Here's the full list, courtesy of six minutes of solid academic research on wikipedia.

Perth - the town was named after the Scottish Perth. It was first known as the Swan River Settlement.

Adelaide - named in honour of Queen Adelaide, the German-born consort of King William IV.

Melbourne - named by governor Richard Bourke in 1837, in honour of William Lamb—the 2nd Viscount Melbourne. Early European settlers mistranslated the words "Doutta-galla" which are believed to have been the name of a prominent tribal member, but said by some to also translate as "treeless plain". This was nevertheless used as one of the early names for the colony. It was later known at Batville.

Sydney - named after the British Home Secretary, Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney, in recognition of Sydney's role in issuing the charter authorising Phillip to establish a colony. The original name was intended to be Albion until Phillip decided upon Sydney.

Darwin - the port was named after Charles Darwin, the British naturalist. The settlement was called Palmerston until 1911.

Brisbane - Chief Justice Forbes gave the new settlement the name of Edenglassie before it was named Brisbane.

Hobart - the city, initially known as Hobart Town or Hobarton, was named after Lord Hobart, the Colonial Secretary.

Canberra - the word "Canberra" is derived from the word Kambera or Canberry meaning "meeting place" in the old Ngunnawal language of the local Ngabri people, or possibly the name means "woman's breasts" as reported in the 1860s by writer John Gale, in reference to Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain.

Is this mind-gobbling, or what?