20 November 2020
Victorians are invited to have their say about the rules for how places in the state are named as part of the review of the naming rules, undertaken once every five years.
The review, led by Geographic Names Victoria (GNV), is an important opportunity to make sure the rules, processes and procedures are appropriate.
The 2020/21 review will focus on encouraging greater gender equality and diversity when deciding on names for the future. This means ensuring best-practice naming including more places and streets named after women, Aboriginal people, or in an Aboriginal language.
Naming is essential to identify locations for managing emergencies, efficiently delivering goods and services, protecting communities and preserving our cultural heritage.
The review is an important process that means names remain useful, equitable and meet community needs.
It will also be an opportunity to highlight significant people and sites that may not be widely known in the community, but worthy of acknowledgment.
Anyone can nominate a name for a street or road, a feature like a park or reserve, or even a locality like a new suburb, by submitting a proposal to the relevant naming authority.
Depending on the feature being named, naming authorities include local councils, government departments and some private organisations. Read more about how to name a place.
Naming authorities, such as local councils, catchment management authorities, Parks Victoria and others, check that nominations comply with the naming rules under the Geographic Place Names Act 1998. They then provide the nominations to the Registrar of Geographic Names.
All Victorians are encouraged to have their say on the naming rules review through the Engage Victoria website.
Read more on the naming rules review:
Page last updated: 11/07/23