Southern Grampians Calls for Nominations to New Name Bank
Published on 19 October 2026
Southern Grampians Shire Council is inviting the community to help recognise people who have helped shape the region through the launch of a new Name Bank and the release of a draft Put Her Name On It Policy for public feedback.
The initiative forms part of the Victorian Government-backed Put Her Name On It campaign, which aims to create more balanced and representative recognition of women who have contributed to communities across Victoria.
Council has recently completed a preliminary audit of commemorative road names across the municipality. The audit found that while 186 roads were named after individuals, more than 80 per cent recognise men, with fewer than 10 per cent recognising women.
Councillor Jayne Manning said the Name Bank provides the opportunity to better reflect the diverse range of people who have contributed to the Southern Grampians community.
"Across our communities there are countless stories of people who have made a lasting contribution through volunteering, community leadership, sport, agriculture, business, education, healthcare, the arts and many other fields," Cr Manning said.
"The Name Bank is about making sure those stories are captured and preserved so they can be considered when future naming opportunities arise."
"We know there are many women, First Nations people and members of other under-represented groups whose contributions may not be widely known and have gone unrecognised through traditional commemorative naming practices. This initiative gives the community an opportunity to help ensure their stories are told and remembered."
Cr Manning said it is vitally important that we start to balance the ledger when it comes to naming our roads and places.
“Naming more places after women is critical because acknowledgement and recognition encourage respect. A culture of disrespect drives the behaviours that lead to violence against women, which kills a significant number of women in Australia each year. To achieve cultural change, we need more than just good intentions, we need actions and I'm so proud to see us as a Council taking some firm action on recognition of women in our shire,” stated Cr Manning.
The new Name Bank will provide a register of local people to be considered for future road, reserve, facility, public art and place naming opportunities. The purpose of the name bank is not to ensure that all future naming is dominated by one group, but to support a strategic and considered approach that helps address existing imbalances over time and promotes more balanced and representative recognition across the municipality.
Importantly, inclusion in the Name Bank does not guarantee a future naming outcome. All nominations will be assessed against relevant naming regulations and commemorative naming guidelines, including requirements relating to deceased persons, historical significance and community consultation.
Cr Manning encouraged residents to nominate people whose contributions have helped shape local communities.
"We want to hear from people right across Southern Grampians about who should be remembered and how we can better reflect the diversity of those who have contributed to our community."
Council is now seeking nominations for the Name Bank and feedback on the draft Put Her Name On It Policy, which outlines Council's commitment to promoting fair and inclusive recognition through commemorative naming practices.
The draft policy and nomination form are available on Council's website, with feedback invited until Friday 6 November 2026.
For more information, to make a nomination, or to provide feedback on the draft policy, visit https://engage.sthgrampians.vic.gov.au/southern-grampians-shire-commemorative-name-bank
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