I have attempted to register my family name only to find out it is a place 
name in NSW.

The Locality in question is Appleby, NSW 2340

Following is some more information on this locality.

This was an excerpt I sent from the E-mail to Melbourne IT

I have carried out some research and have found that there was a railway 
siding and it was named Appleby Siding. The department of Land list this as 
a variant or an unofficial name. 
http://www.lpi.nsw.gov.au/geog/cgi-bin/gnr_online?transaction=DRS&id=248
Further investigation showed they changed the name to Appleby Railway 
Station on the Tamworth to Barraba Line. (this train line does not exist 
any more). 
http://www.lpi.nsw.gov.au/geog/cgi-bin/gnr_online?transaction=DRS&id=247

Finally, because there was a railway station it had better be in the 
locality of Appleby. Which was gazetted in October 1995. 
http://www.lpi.nsw.gov.au/geog/cgi-bin/gnr_online?transaction=DRS&id=246

I have spoken to Parry Shire Council who and have an Older Resident of the 
area working with in the council.

His recollection of the naming is that there is one house there and being a 
property was named "Appleby House". This came about from a Mr Gidley King 
who was with the Australian Agricultural Company. The story further 
continues that had named some roads after himself (Gidley Rd) when the land 
was opened up in the last 100 to 120 years.

All people from the area I contacted said they knew the area as "Appleby 
Lane" and the postcode is shared with Tamworth and other surrounding 
localities

I have no reason to mis-represent the name of Appleby being my family name.


Further to my reasons to register this, Sydney and Melbourne are both 
.com.au Internet names. I understand these names were registered in 1995 
which was before the Name Place policy was introduced.

An example comes to mind.

In Victoria, a previous road rule was: a car turning left at an 
intersection must give way to an oncoming car turning right into the same 
street.

I do not know how many licensed motorists there were in Victoria but for 
example let's say 20,000.

Since the law changed approximately 5 years ago, to reflect the opposite, 
lets say, for example, another 10,000 people attained their drivers licence

There are not 20,000 people following the old law and 10,000 following the 
new law, they all follow the new law.

The same exists with these people who have registered place names before 
the policy was raised. I say this because once the renewal is due, it 
should have been revoked.

This now brings me to precedent.

Because the old place name people were allowed to renew, it then confirms 
the precedent that it is OK to use place names on the Internet in the 
.com.au domain.

I believe there should be some criteria that can be met ie the ratification 
of the request to use the name by the elected local authority, in this case 
Parry Shire Council. This should be done, in writing and forwarded to the 
registering company for clarification before registration takes place.

Any comments would be appreciated