Aboriginal place naming within the municipality aligns with the City’s commitment to reconciliation. We're committed to working with Traditional Owner Groups to learn, acknowledge and move forward together.
The Dja Dja Wurrung and the Taungurung are the Traditional Owner Groups for Greater Bendigo.
Promoting the use of Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung language is an opportunity to:
- Help preserve these languages
- Celebrate and recognise the special relationship of the Traditional Owners to the land
- Raise broader community awareness of the importance of Aboriginal languages in connecting names to Country
Aboriginal place naming within the municipality aligns with the City’s commitment to reconciliation. The City is committed to working with Traditional Owner Groups to learn, acknowledge and move forward together.
Our role in the naming process
The City is a Naming Authority responsible for overseeing the naming process for roads, features and localities owned by the City of Greater Bendigo. The process for naming is set out in the Naming Rules for places in Victoria – Statutory requirements for naming roads, features and localities – 2022 (Naming Rules).
The City has a Place Interpretation and Naming Policy (Naming Policy). The principles and process in both documents need to be followed when developing and considering a naming proposal.
If a naming proposal supports the Naming Rules and Naming Policy, the City will commence a formal process.
Community engagement
Part of the process is to build community awareness of a naming proposal and invite feedback through community engagement.
For all projects the City will develop a Community Engagement Plan. The plan outlines opportunities for community to provide submissions and objections.
At a minimum, community submissions and objections should explain:
- The person’s or group’s interest in the naming proposal - for example if their address is affected or whether they have a personal link with the place and/or name
- Reasons for the name being inappropriate/appropriate, unsuitable/suitable or unsupported/supported, including how it does or does not comply with the Naming Rules
Note: If a petition is used to object or support a naming proposal, then a statement within the petition must, as a minimum, address the two points above. Signatories must include their printed name and property address.
Council report and decisions
Following the engagement process, the City will consider all submissions. A report will be developed outlining:
- Objections/support for the naming proposal
- Relevance to the Naming Rules and Naming Policy
- Rhe City’s consideration/response to the submission
The report will be presented to Council and a formal decision will be made to accept or reject the naming proposal.
Once a decision has been made, the City will notify objectors (when they are identified) of the outcome of the naming proposal.
In instances where the naming proposal has been accepted, the naming proposal will be lodged with the Registrar of Geographic Names Victoria for consideration and inclusion in VICNAMES.
An objector can appeal the decision to the Registrar of Geographic Names Victoria.