Pilbara

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large arid region in the northwest of Western Australia, famed for its rich iron ore deposits and some of the oldest rocks on Earth
2. An expansive desert district in northwestern Australia, rich in mining activity and geologically ancient landscapes
3. The vast, sparsely populated northwestern corner of Western Australia, noted for its iron ore mines and very old rock formations

Etymology: Pilbara is a region of arid northwestern Western Australia, and its name is probably an Aboriginal word rather than an English coinage. The likeliest source is Panyjima "bilybara", meaning "dry", a word that fits the landscape of ridges, gorges and sparse scrub that the name now covers. That the name may come from a term for dryness is a sober, plain explanation, and it reflects how many Australian place names were taken from local languages by settlers and surveyors who recorded what they heard. The name is also a useful reminder that the region's modern identity owes little to its word origin. The word was adopted for the place, and the place became known for its iron ore and mining, so the name now refers to an industrial landscape as much as a dry one. The Panyjima connection is only a possibility, so it should be read as the best-supported explanation rather than settled fact.