Traditional Aboriginal name honours cultural heritage
Published on 17 July 2024
The name bunjil nganga Parkland, was endorsed at the July Council Meeting for the area known as Quarry Hills, following a period of community consultation.
Meaning ‘eagle view’, the traditional Aboriginal name speaks to the breath-taking panoramic views from the site and was the preferred name nominated by Traditional Owners.
The new name is proposed to be used in conjunction with the informal name of Quarry Hills for a period of up to five years to support the transition to the new name.
bunjil nganga Parkland
Quarry Hills
City of Whittlesea Administrator Peita Duncan highlighted the significance of the name to honour the unique cultural heritage and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung custodianship of the largest parkland in the municipality.
“The land is incredibly culturally significant where artefacts and ceremonial sites have been found, along with trees and quarries which hold significant cultural value. It’s also the site for our Aboriginal Gathering Place which is currently under construction,” said Peita.
“The name reflects a profound connection to the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the custodians of this site, a responsibility that is passed down through generations.”
“The City of Whittlesea has the second largest Aboriginal population in metropolitan Melbourne and adopting a Woi-wurrung name for this iconic site demonstrates our commitment to acknowledging and deepening our understanding of our shared history as part of our reconciliation efforts.”
The name was identified from a cultural values study that informed a future directions plan for the site which was developed in partnership with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
The City of Whittlesea would like to thank the community for providing their feedback on the proposed name during a consultation period earlier in the year.
The name bunjil nganga Parkland will now be formally lodged with Geographic Naming Victoria.
The 330-hectare parkland will ultimately expand to cover approximately 1100 hectares and will be home to an Aboriginal Gathering Place, the Granite Hills Major Community Park and an extensive trail network.