Australia is famous for its stunning beaches, laid-back lifestyle, and, let’s be honest, a knack for giving places some of the most delightfully quirky names you’ll find anywhere in the world. But every now and then, one of our town names catches the attention of the rest of the globe—and this time, it’s a tiny South Australian beachside community that’s left Americans absolutely gobsmacked.


**The town that’s got the world talking**


A recent viral video by US content creator ‘Bavid Dough’ has shone an international spotlight on the small seaside town of Tiddy Widdy Beach, nestled on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. With a population of just 195 people, Tiddy Widdy Beach is the kind of place you might drive past without a second thought—unless, of course, you spot the sign and do a double-take!


Bavid’s video, which has racked up thousands of views, features him chuckling over the town’s name and sharing a review from a local bed and breakfast called ‘The Schmidty at Tiddy Widdy’. The review itself is a tongue-twister: 'Feeling giddy, doing a little ditty, bein’ witty at The Schmidty.' It’s the sort of playful wordplay that seems to come naturally when you’re in a place called Tiddy Widdy!

**Aussie humour on full display**

The video quickly sparked a wave of comments from Americans and Aussies alike. Many international viewers were left scratching their heads, with one American joking, 'This sounds like a Dr Seuss novel!' Others wondered if Australia was even real, given our penchant for whimsical (and sometimes downright odd) place names.


'Australians are so relaxed and unbothered this doesn’t surprise me,' one commenter wrote, while another quipped, 'Cool, so in Australia, things are either whimsical or terrifying. Nothing in between.'

**The story behind the name**

While Tiddy Widdy Beach might sound like something out of a children’s book, its origins are rooted in local Indigenous history. The name is believed to come from ‘Tiddy Widdy Ned’, the name given to a well just north of the area by the region’s original inhabitants. Over time, the name stuck and became part of the local landscape.


**Not alone in the land of quirky names**

Of course, Tiddy Widdy Beach is far from the only Australian town to raise international eyebrows. Aussies were quick to jump into the comments and share some of their other favourite place names:

- **Cockburn** (pronounced ‘Co-burn’), WA- **Dongdingalong**, NSW- **Humpybong**, QLD- **Doo Town**, TAS (home to Blowhole Road and a tradition of naming houses with ‘Doo’ puns)- **Eggs and Bacon Bay**, TAS- **Nowhere Else**, SA- **Mount Buggery**, VIC- **Useless Loop**, WA- **Come By Chance**, NSW- **Well It Wasn’t There Last Year Cave**, SA


It seems that wherever you go in Australia, you’re never too far from a place name that’ll make you smile—or at least raise an eyebrow!

**Why do we love our quirky place names?**

There’s something uniquely Australian about our approach to naming places. Whether it’s a nod to our Indigenous heritage, a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour, or just a reflection of the laid-back Aussie spirit, these names are part of what makes our country so special. They’re conversation starters, ice-breakers, and, as we’ve seen, a source of endless amusement for visitors from overseas.


We’d love to hear your stories! Have you ever taken a detour just to snap a photo with a quirky town sign? Or maybe you grew up in a place with a name that always got a laugh from outsiders? Share your favourite Aussie place names and travel tales in the comments below—let’s see how many we can collect!