Community members have the chance to recognise the achievements of remarkable local women by nominating them to be commemorated through place and road names.
Nominations are now open for the Remember a ‘Local–Name a Place’ campaign by Geographic Names Victoria.
As Victoria’s cities, suburbs, towns and regions continue to grow, it’s expected that over the next three years, more than 6,000 new places, including new streets, suburbs, schools, parks, community facilities, and buildings, will need to be named.
A sample of more than 5,000 place and road names across the state found that 1,400 were named after men, while only around 200 were named after women.
Nominations are open for women who have significantly impacted the state or their community in areas such as healthcare, science, the arts or public service to honour women like Dr Ethel Mary Vaughan Cowan.
Cowan Lane in Carlton is named after Dr Cowan, the first female doctor at the Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children, now known as the Royal Children’s Hospital, who set a precedent for future female doctors in Victoria.
Planning and Suburbs minister Sonya Kilkenny said, “Dr Cowan is just one example of the many remarkable women whose contributions deserve to be recognised and this campaign is all about ensuring our public spaces reflect the rich diversity and history of Victoria.”
The campaign is also open to nominations of remarkable Victorians from underrepresented groups, including First Nations, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and culturally diverse communities.
Details at: engage.vic.gov.au/name-a-place.
