Victorians are being asked to contribute to naming more places in the state after remarkable women and people from underrepresented backgrounds.
On Tuesday, the Allan Government put out calls seeking nominations for remarkable local women to be commemorated through place and road names.
The campaign by Geographic Names Victoria, called Remember a Local – Name a Place, aims to ensure public spaces better reflect the rich diversity and history of Victoria’s community.
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.
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 as Victoria’s cities, suburbs, towns and regions continue to grow.
As part of the Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan 2023–2027, the initiative will ensure 70 per cent of all new places are named after women.
Minister for Planning and Suburbs Sonya Kilkenny announced nominations are now open for women who have made a significant impact to the state or their community in areas like healthcare, science, the arts or public service to honour women like Dr Ethel Mary Vaughan Cowan.
“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.”
Cowan Lane in Carlton is named after Dr Cowan, who was the first female doctor at the Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children, now known as the Royal Children’s Hospital. She set a significant precedent for future female doctors in 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.
“Place names send a message about the contributions we value and for too long Victoria has not recognised the incredible women who have helped shape our state – we’re asking Victorians to help us change this for the better,” said Kilkenny.