Why is it "Western Australia", and not "West Australia"?

Question

After all, we refer to "South Australia" rather than "Southern Australia".

Answer 1

The other coast is the Eastern states not the east states.We we're Western Australia because we own the entire West Coast .

Answer 2

It was named after Robert Stalin Noreiga Western.

He was a Spanish colonist living in the former British colony of Chile who set off on a raft in 1895 looking for the promised land made entirely of Taffy but wound up ditching himself in a druken stupor on the coast somewhere near Kalgoorlie.

A sad day..

Answer 3

Because that is what it is called.

Answer 4

Because in Australia we speak English, not American English.

Answer 5

It is also more grammatically correct to refer to a region such as Western Australia. It is not 'west of' it is the 'western part' of.

Sadly the ill educated masses these days cannot appreciate the subtleties of the English language, mainly because of the brain numbing US television we are so polluted by.

Answer 6

WA is around 1/3 of Australia, it has a southern side a nothern end & a western side too, so if say you were at the far north east of western Autralia it would not technically be 'west' hence it is referred to as 'Western' not West'