Inverleigh Play Space Naming

Following the public vote, Council resolved to name the Inverleigh Play Space at 1 East Street, Yerram Yaluk Bun. Objections are now closed.

Following the public vote, Council resolved to name the Inverleigh Play Space at 1 East Street, Yerram Yaluk Bun. Objections closed at 5pm, 23 April 2021.

About

In late 2018, the Inverleigh community were successful in obtaining grant funding through the Victorian Government’s Pick My Project initiative to provide a new multi-age play space for the Inverleigh community at 1 East Street, which opened in early 2020. To assist with locating and marketing the new play space and surrounding land, the community requested to formally name the parcel of land containing it “Inverleigh River Park”.

Council followed the procedures for feature naming in the Naming rules for places in Victoria – Statutory requirements for naming roads, features and localities 2016 to proceed with the community request, however the Registrar for Geographic Names rejected the name for non-compliance. This was due to:

  • The name contains two feature type descriptions in the name, “river and park”;
  • The name incorrectly refers to Inverleigh River in the name, when the waterway adjoining the park is named Leigh Creek; and
  • The proposed name does not fully meet Principle C Linking the name to place, in the Naming Rules and has the potential to cause confusion.

Council understands the Inverleigh community’s disappointment that its preferred name was rejected. Following the rejection, Council worked with and supported the community to appeal against the Geographic Names Registrar’s decision, however, this was also rejected in July 2020. The Geographic Names Registrar has now suggested a public vote on four alternate and compliant names.

Engagement Update

Community members were invited to vote for their favourite of four potential new names for the park containing Inverleigh’s newest play space at 1 East Street. Following the rejection of the community’s preferred name by the Victorian Geographic Names Registrar, voting was open from 16 December 2020 to 29 January 2021 on four compliant names:

  • Leigh River Park;
  • Inverleigh Community Park;
  • Inverleigh Play Park; and
  • Yerram Yaluk Bun (translation: bank of the morning river).

At the close of voting at 5pm, Friday 29 January, Council had received 115 votes. Council received the voting results at its February 2021 Council Meeting, with Yerram Yaluk Bun receiving the most votes:

  • Yerram Yaluk Bun: 35
  • Leigh River Park: 34
  • Inverleigh Play Park: 24
  • Inverleigh Community Park: 22

At its March Meeting, Council resolved to name the play space Yerram Yaluk Bun after it received the highest number of votes.

How You Can Be Involved

In line with advice received from the Victorian Office of Geographic Names, community members were able to submit any final objections in relation to the naming process within 30 days. These objections were able to be made online, by email or by post. Objections needed to be made in accordance with the Victorian Government’s Naming Rules for Places in Victoria. Details can be found at land.vic.gov.au/place-naming. Any objection needed to explain the objector’s interest in the naming proposal and the reasons for the name being inappropriate, unsuitable, unsupported, and include how it does not comply with the naming rules.

Objections will be assessed against this criteria, and objectors will receive a letter of response advising how they can appeal if Council continues with the endorsement of Yerram Yaluk Bun. Objections closed at 5pm, Friday 23 April, 2021.

What Happens Next

If Council determines it is appropriate to proceed with the name Yerram Yaluk Bun, it will request to enter into a language agreement with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and request the name be endorsed and gazetted by the Victorian Office of Geographic Names.

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