Naming of Toodyay, Western Australia

Following serious flooding in 1857 and 1859, the decision was made to transfer the town to the site of the Toodyay Convict Depot located approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) upstream.

Forrest recognised that the clock belonged to William Demasson of Newcastle, Western Australia, and arranged for it to be restored to its rightful owner.

[4] In February 1910, the Municipal Council held a referendum and, by a slim majority, it was decided to change the name of the town to Toodyay.

[6] The French Ormolu clock, long held by the Demasson family, was purchased by the National Trust of Western Australia in 1987.

Riseley concluded that Toodyay was derived from Toodyeep, the name of the wife of one of the trackers who accompanied George Fletcher Moore in 1836 to the valley known as Gabbia-Yandirt.

[9] Another possible origin is that toodyay is derived from an account written by James Drummond of a party taking up land grants in the region in 1836.

This area was said to be a favourite of the Ballardong people because of the abundance of reed mace, whose thick roots are a good source of starch and mucilage.