Time for Bell Post heal

Council open to talks on suburb name change

GEELONG’S mayor says the council is open to discussions around changing the name of Bell Post Hill after community leaders highlighted the painful past attached to it.

The northern suburb is named after a bell — erected on a once prominent hill in the area in the 1830s — rung by settlers to sound a warning when Aborigines came near.

Historical documents and stories suggest the indigenous people were then either chased away or slaughtered by the pastoralists.

When passing the city’s Reconciliation Action Plan this week, northern suburbs councillor Anthony Aitken argued it was time for Geelong to rethink the suburb name.

Many of Geelong’s indigenous community leaders supported the call.

Geelong Mayor Stephanie

Asher yesterday said the council acknowledged the historical significance of the name “and the distress it causes many indigenous members of our community”.

“At this stage, we have not had a submission to change the name of the suburb,” Cr Asher said.

The council’s director of customer and corporate services, Michael Dugina, said any renaming would have to follow statutory requirements.

“Any proposed name change is subject to extensive public consultation, and this would of course include indigenous groups and members of our community,” Mr Dugina said.

He said the city was unaware of any previous instances in Greater Geelong of a suburb being renamed to respect the history of the indigenous community.

The issue divided Addy readers, with a poll asking,

“Should the suburb of Bell Post Hill be renamed” attracting 536 votes by 6.30pm yesterday — 49 per cent said yes, and 51 per cent said no.

Bell Post Hill’s indigenous name was Morongoo.

Historian Christopher Mayes, a research fellow at Deakin University’s Alfred Deakin Institute, said he believed such local histories were important for local communities to address.

“I think whether it’s renamed or not there’s still an important question of how as a community do we respond to this history? How do we ethically and morally remember the past and what are our ethical obligations?” Dr Mayes said.

Western Victoria MP Andy Meddick said it was “beyond time” for a “difficult conversation”.

“We can do two things, they cost us very little. Time and recognition,” Mr Meddick said.