The Grazier· This week
How our regional towns were named
Many towns in the region took their names from Scottish figures, literature and places. Ivanhoe is believed to be named after Sir Walter Scott's novel, chosen by storekeeper George Brown Williamson. Booligal's name comes from an Aboriginal word, possibly meaning windy place. Hillston was renamed after publican William Ward Hill, who died in 1867. Maude's naming remains unresolved, with officials rejecting an earlier proposed name without recorded reasons.