GIPPSLAND CAMPAIGN AIMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE WOMEN’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNITY A campaign which aims to address the place names gender gap is building on the work Bass Coast Shire Council has been doing to acknowledge local, notable women when naming new streets and places.
The Put Her Name On It campaign, spearheaded by Women
Ms Wastie said the Committee was also working on a Gender
in Gippsland and local Councils, is gaining momentum. It aims
Audit, with 1,500 road names to be assessed, as well as an
to acknowledge the achievements of women by having more
unknown number of named features to be searched for.
locations named in their honour. Warragul resident and campaign co-founder Kerry Wilson
pavilions are named after men, and while this project is not
has lobbied Gippsland's Councils to conduct audits of the
about undoing history, it is about taking the opportunity when
region's streets, locations, and landmarks in a bid to shed
we can to acknowledge the women who helped make Bass
a light on the gender gaps in Victoria's place naming system.
Coast what it is today,” Ms Wastie said.
“Having so few public places named after women is an
“It is a lengthy and difficult process to re-name existing streets
alarming example of gender inequality and sends a dangerous
or places, so we are taking the approach of naming new
message that women (and their contributions) are not as
streets and new places after women as part of this campaign.
important as men,” Kerry Wilson said.
“The research we are doing is great, but the most important
“We want to see that change and are calling on the State
thing is to start seeing the names of women in the community
and Local Governments to prioritise the acknowledgment
for all to recognise. This is where the change will be made,”
of women in public place naming and commemoration.”
Ms Wastie said.
Bass Coast Shire undertook an audit and found under-
The campaign is also focused on naming places after
representation of female place names for localities, roads
First Nations people and working with the Bunurong Land
and streets. Bass Coast Shire CEO Ali Wastie said that the
Council Aboriginal Corporation aiming for greater indigenous
#puthernameonit campaign was important to address the
acknowledgement.
under-representation of women in place names, right across Gippsland. “At Council, our Place Names Committee aims to work with local historical societies and community groups to identify local, notable women who we would like to honour and recognise by ‘putting her name on it,’” Ms Wastie said. “In recent years, Gilmour Track in Cape Paterson was named in honour of Annie Gilmour, a valued member of the lifesaving club who taught many to swim and survive in the ocean, and Davidson Place Wonthaggi was named in honour of Ruby May Davidson, who owned and ran the farm ‘Mayfield’ from 1935, supplying the local community with her hand made produce.”
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“The reality is, the majority of places, buildings, ovals and
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