February 08 2011

Omission Beach

imagesCAE3ZKF8 Spare a thought for Tully. And Grantham. And Irymple. In fact, most of Australia seems majorly dishevelled, with inland tsunami, tropical cyclones, rain events and bushfire. Lending the inspiration for this week’s Storm, where familiar towns are not completely familiar, with a letter blown off, or a new letter thrown in.

Townsville, say, is now Towsville: drag capital of Queensland. While Lismore is Liesmore: What separates the career politician from the rookie. And I can Listmore to:

Darin: home of the brave

Ordertown: army base

Freemantle: honorary doctorate

That’s the essence. Add a letter, or blast one out, and give us the new town’s description, OR treat the altered name as a word in the dictionary. Hence a place like Pambula, near Eden, could either be:

Prambula: walk with stroller

Or Prambula: baby-boom hub of the Sapphire Coast

And where a town is less well-known, like Pambula perhaps, then maybe supply the town intact, before the manipulation. Let’s aim for an atlas of honour – say a list of 20 to toast – with special prizes for Delete (funniest and finest) and Insert (ditto).

Now you know the Laws of Nature, wreak havoc. The storm abates by first brandy balloon on Thursday.

Comments

Sam — 08 February at 10:48AM

Just down the road from Prambula:

Mallacoot - shops for codgers

JD — 08 February at 10:48AM

Moe-Moet: Source of the world's most prestigious Champagne

LG — 08 February at 11:05AM

Godsford - Used for the deity commute

PRS — 08 February at 11:07AM

My next suburb (Warranwood)
Warranwoo = Where rabbits mate (and they do!)

and the next one along (Ringwood) could become
Ringwoo the engaged couple's paradise

(heading for the long white cloud, so will miss the next few DAbblings)

SK — 08 February at 11:12AM

Dross (TAS)- Australia's most boring town

Lore (VIC)- Legendary gateway to the Great Ocean Road

Steal Rocks (NSW)- Home to Australia's leading jewellery thieves

Tumult (NSW)- Winner of numerous "Untidy Town" awards

XXX POOR TASTE ALERTXXX

Lice Springs (NT)- Living in the bush

Sexmouth (WA)- Brothel capital of the West

Sam — 08 February at 11:17AM

Also in the 'burbs PRS - Toorak:

Toorank - excessive Melbourne suburb

SK — 08 February at 11:39AM

Bond Beach (NSW)- Sydney's most famous beachside suburb, acquired and renamed by an '80s entrepreneur

Many (NSW)- Sydney's second most famous beachside suburb, known for its crowds

Simon L — 08 February at 11:52AM

Cooma-Coma (NSW) - Rival claimant for Australias most boring town

Omeo-Omo (Vic) - Tidy town winner three years running.

Simon L — 08 February at 11:55AM

Launcheston (Tas) - Candidate site for Australia's new spaceport

SK — 08 February at 12:01PM

A couple of Sydney suburbs (less famous)-

Campsite (Campsie)- For adventurous folk with full intent

Glee (Glebe)- Where students do no work...they just sing and dance (annoyingly) all day

Simon L — 08 February at 12:02PM

Boral (NSW) - Trendy village in the NSW southern highlands famous for its building and construction materials.

Simon L — 08 February at 12:04PM

Narrowmine (NSW) - Subject to an equal opportunity lawsuit by an overweight group of miners.

SK — 08 February at 12:19PM

Coolmum (QLD)- Holiday haven for well-heeled young families from the southern capitals

Twee Heads (NSW)- Quaint coastal village

DA — 08 February at 12:47PM

Wokdonga: noodle hut

Clonecurry: see above

ML — 08 February at 01:34PM

Wonthaggis - A town of vegetarians

Sam — 08 February at 01:40PM

nice one ML

Portsea - Portseat: A sinister chair
Woodend - Wooden: timber town

Eld Jaws Anon — 08 February at 02:27PM

Pert (Perth) - The lively, spritely western state capital

Roberstown (Robertstown) - Quaint northern Barossa Valley town of people who help you dress

Prosperpine (Proserpine) - North Queensland town where the Araucaria cunninghamii (aka hoop pine) grows sensationally

Eld Jaws Anon — 08 February at 02:28PM

And of course the obvious:

Cantberra (Canberra) - what our nation's capital *should* be called :-D

PRS — 08 February at 02:31PM

Co(l)dstream - fishermen's retreat

B(l)ackburn - where bushfires start

Murray Be(n)d - renamed during the floods

(back to pac(k)ing...)

Eld Jaws Anon — 08 February at 02:33PM

Remark (Renmark) - Riverland town that's just a throw-away line

Sam — 08 February at 02:49PM

Sunbury - Unbury: Bring to light
Kow Swamp - Kow Swap: Stockmarket

Eld Jaws Anon — 08 February at 03:06PM

Gympies (Gympie) - Collingwood players having a workout

JT — 08 February at 03:09PM

One arising from my (current) hometown:

Newastle: Friday newspaper event inspiring a mixture of excitement and fear.

SK — 08 February at 03:10PM

Pot Fairy (VIC)- A magical town where you never run out of supplies...

Broom (WA)- Sweeping views

Eld Jaws Anon — 08 February at 03:16PM

Aceduna (Ceduna) - You-beaut bedding

ML — 08 February at 03:25PM

Yesppoon - Seaside town of Queensland where all the hotels only have single beds

Poowrong - Gippsland town that has banned dog walking

Simon L — 08 February at 03:27PM

Heh, SK it can't be a co-incidence that Pot Fairy is just down the road from Potland...

Simon L — 08 February at 03:36PM

Stabwell (Vic) - Town of conscientious criminals.

ML — 08 February at 03:37PM

Sassafrans - Where cheeky television personalities come from

Sam — 08 February at 03:41PM

Batchelor - Bachelor: host town for the single men in 'The Farmer Wants a Wife.'

Simon L — 08 February at 03:44PM

Burnie - Burnpie (Tas) - Town of second rate pastry chefs

DA — 08 February at 03:46PM

Cowran - stampede

Nowbra - push-up

Bowrail - Connex in summer

Moreme [Moree] - my kinda town

Mr X — 08 February at 04:44PM

Morwell(VIC): Orwell - Postcode 1984
Bathurst(NSW): Bathurt - where you need a runner
Bendigo(VIC): Bendingo - Completely straight

Mr X — 08 February at 04:46PM

Hobart: Hobar - Sleazy pick-up joint

Sam — 08 February at 05:08PM

Cobram - Cobra: centre for avant-garde art in Australia

Sam — 08 February at 05:41PM

Violet Town - Violent Town: Riotous living
Trentham - Rentham: Budget Christmas

Sam — 08 February at 05:45PM

Violet Town - Violent Town: Riotous living
Trentham - Rentham: Budget Christmas

Alec Ihm — 08 February at 06:21PM

Miles (Queensland) - Smiles - The gay capital of Australia.
Bulli (New South Wales) - Bull - Where the best bovines are raised.
Sale (Victoria) - Stale - The town that's just getting a bit old.

SK — 08 February at 06:25PM

Lightning Fridge (NSW)- home of the environmentally powered freezer

Havoca Beach (NSW)- very popular holiday spot

Cobug (Vic)- centre of industrial espionage

Sam — 08 February at 07:25PM

Violet Town - Violent Town: Riotous living
Trentham - Rentham: Budget Christmas
Won Wron - Won Won: post win-win situation

Eld Jaws Anon — 09 February at 12:20AM

This one is kind-of funny but not original (it's from an ad by a South Australian bank):

Killkenny (Kilkenny, a suburb in Adelaide) - what happens in South Park

Nib — 09 February at 12:29AM

Noose Heads- the capital punishment capital
Showy Mountains- flashy tourist destination
A Lie Springs- home of parliament house
Great Barrier Roof- to keep out the drop bears

SK — 09 February at 07:54AM

Ahh Nib, you have entered the fray of the 3rd category (deletion, addition, and now substitution). Once those floodgates are opened, the storm could go anywhere... I'll throw one into the "substitution" pot-

Dumbo (NSW)- Come to Western Plains Zoo and see our amazing flying elephant

SK — 09 February at 07:56AM

I don't think the filter likes this one, but one last try-

Black Frock (VIC)- a real party town

Sam — 09 February at 08:25AM

Dinner Plain - Dinner Plan: Menu
Emita - Emit: Wi-Fi hotspot

DA — 09 February at 09:03AM

Trademark Nibbage - bending the rules. (Though A Lie Springs is a glorious and kosher use of spacing.)

So only two modes, Stormers: insert or delete a single letter. Just because Yasi was anarchic doesn't mean we need to copycat.

Some more:

Tome Price: OED RRP

Wiserman's Ferry: a bridge

Horseham: mortadella

Mount Is: why George Mallory did what he did

Whyallah: Islam at the crossroads

And since nobody else deigned to go there:

Myass: like hell

SK — 09 February at 09:44AM

Ill End (NSW)- Where early settlers and gold-panners had a very short life span

Sam — 09 February at 10:44AM

Norfolk Island - Nofolk Island: Crusoe Resort
Richmond - Richmound: Highrise central

Alec Ihm — 09 February at 12:30PM

Horsham (Victoria) - Horseham - The town that makes premium equine patties.
Roma (Queensland) - Aroma - The worst smelling village in Australia.
Wallaroo (South Australia) - Wallroo - The town that uses kangaroos as decorative hangings.

Alec Ihm — 09 February at 12:32PM

Sunbury (Victoria) - Unbury - The village taking the practical approach to zombie creation.

Eld Jaws Anon — 09 February at 12:55PM

Once more into the fray:

Undagai (NSW): Description of the tucker box atop which the *bloke* sits, not his dog

Lichfield (NT): The army deploys its undead mages...

Kayogle (NSW): That Kay, she's a looker!

Sweipa (Qld): Sister city of SK's Broom

Nullabor (SA): Very politically conservative

Crooktown (Qld): Where robbers live

Burnsside (from Burnside, suburb of Adelaide): Where you'll find Mr Smithers

Mangle Park (from Angle Park, another suburb of Adelaide): More than just a fender-bender getting into that spot!

ML — 09 February at 12:56PM

Longforda - Victorian town that is closed from Sunday to Friday

Mirboo -> Mrboo - A city where the men never come out

Mauve — 09 February at 12:59PM

Yes, that's Nib the enfant terrible not changing his spots!

Wow, this is a Storm not to be late to (sorry about the end preposition). How many towns left?

Interestingly on QI last night, Stephen Fry mentioned that all Mars's craters are named after world towns/cities of under 100,000 people. Hence there's one called Cairns (although today it would be disqualified)

Mournington: Australia's post-funeral hotspot

Tyabby: Renamed after St Kilda won its one and only flag

Cronydon: perfect for sharing a house with your low-life buddies

Orblost: Renamed in anger at Pluto's demotion

ML — 09 February at 03:48PM

Porcampbell - just the place to walk your pig

Lanceston - a village in the sticks

SK — 09 February at 06:03PM

Soberon (NSW)- sister town to Tom Grogging (VIC)

Wyee....Wee (NSW)- voted no.1 town in NSW

Hat Head....Shat Head (NSW)- voted no.2 town in NSW (just ahead of Dung(o)g)

Final (VIC)- sister town to Began (NSW)

Finders (VIC)- where they make components for cameras and telescopes

Rye (Sydney suburb)- sister town to Ryde (Mornington Peninsula)

Mauve — 09 February at 11:18PM

Yepping: Historic meeting spot for agreeable farmhands

Carton: Home of the Blues, renamed by its late President Dick Pratt

Elatham: Home of Labour’s Loony Left, ie. Loony (left)

Ew: Inner East Melbourne leafy (and beefy) suburb

DA — 10 February at 08:29AM

Nice leap, the Carton gag, Mauve. And your twin town riff is rockin, SK.

Two lesser lights:

Halls Rap - 5 suspensions and 7 cautions at 2 clubs

Apollo Bray - "One small step for man..."

SK — 10 February at 08:33AM

There is another sister location for Soberon and Tom Grogging of course, being Drunk Island (QLD)

ML — 10 February at 11:40AM

Depending on your financial status you could either live in Swank Hill, or BO Hill

ML — 10 February at 11:42AM

Killmore - Murder capital of the Macedon Ranges

GymBunnies — 10 February at 12:29PM

XXX - Poor taste alert - XXX

3 entries for Mrs GymBunnies home town, Singleton, Hunter Valley, NSW

Shingleton, the herpes capital of the sHunter Valley.

Singletton, home of the wife-basher.

Singleston, Easy place to hook-up (though not advised - see above)

(Bobbin Head, NSW): Bobbing Head: Oh yes!

and three from the red centre:

Malice Springs: trouble in paradise

Layers Rock: monotremes are very cool here

Uuru: see ya in the next storm!

Alec Ihm — 11 February at 05:02PM