After consultation with the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, the City of Greater Bendigo (the city) is proposing to rename the ‘Bendigo Athletics Complex’ in Retreat Road the ‘Lar Bir Pa Bendigo Athletics Complex’. The City are now seeking feedback until August 5, 2021.

This renaming process follows the City’s purchase of the complex from LaTrobe University in 2020 and the need to acquire a new name that excludes reference to LaTrobe University. The Bendigo Athletics Complex is located on Retreat Road in Flora Hill.

Feedback Invited:

Members of the public – including members of Athletics Bendigo clubs and users of the athletics complex – can provide feedback or submit a name nomination by one of the following methods:

Phone: 03 5434 6000

Mail: PO Box 733, Bendigo VIC 3552

Email: Aboriginalplacenames@bendigo.vic.gov.au

Online:
You can have your say via the ‘Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo‘ submission website here:
https://letstalkgreaterbendigo.com.au/renaming-bendigo-athletics-complex

Please note:

  • All submissions must be received by August 5, 2021.
  • All name submissions must comply with Naming rules for places in Victoria – Statutory requirements for naming roads, features and localities – 2016.

Background Information:

Supplied by the City of Greater Bendigo.

The City of Greater Bendigo is located on the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and the Taungurung Peoples of the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Owners of this land. As the Bendigo Athletics Complex is located on Dja Dja Dja Wurrung land, the proposed new name of ‘Lar Bir Pa’ means “a place to run” in Dja Dja Wurrung language.

The City of Greater Bendigo, through its Barpungu Reconciliation Plan 2021-2025, is committed to respecting and celebrating our Traditional Owners through the promotion and approved use of traditional language for public spaces and features across the municipality. This is an important step in raising awareness of Traditional Owner and all First Nations Peoples, cultures and places.

The City is committed to acknowledging Traditional Owners’ continued connection to the land and to sharing language where we can through Aboriginal place naming.

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