Mount Gambier City Council must have run out of ideas when somebody started allocating the names of early explorers and New South Wales governors to streets in a relatively new estate near us.
The names include Matthew Flinders, James Cook, Stirling, Dampier and Macquarie.
Most councils these days name streets after local historical figures, native flora and fauna, or use Aboriginal words.
Having reported local government for many years, and worked in the sector, I’ve seen many different approaches to this issue.
Most councils have policies which they formed after community consultation. Search Google for “street name policy” and see what I mean.
Naming a street or road can be controversial, especially in rural areas when two established families both want the track to the swamp named after their grandfather.
I think in areas undergoing intensive development there is a casual attitude towards it all. I saw that near Mandurah in Western Australia where some unimaginative bureaucrat had plucked out place names from across Australia to adorn streets at Florida Beach.
Using the names of early explorers from other parts of Australia seems a bit weak to me too.
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Councils don’t name the streets. It’s the developers responsibility to submit street names for approval by the Council