The Meerup River trends generally southwards for about 21km to its mouth on the shores of the Southern Ocean. It was shown on Public Plans as the Meerup Creek from October 1877.

The meaning of the name for this river is not known nor is it known who named it.

Lieutenant William Preston RN crossed the river at its mouth on 23.4.1831 but he did not name it at that time. It was shown as ‘Bowles River’ on the 1833 and 1839 Arrowsmith maps. This name was probably put forward by Governor James Stirling and may have been a mis-spelling of Admiral Sir John Warren’s middle name, ‘Borlase’, Stirling having named the next river to the west the Warren after this Royal Navy officer.

 

References:

Cancelled Public Plan Nelson 5 (1877).
Joanne Shoobert, principal ed., ‘Western Australian Exploration’, vol.1, Hesperian Press, Perth, 2005, p.234.