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Park name endorsed at the August 2025 Council meeting.

At the August 2025 meeting, Council formally endorsed the name ‘balit bargoongagat banhul’ for the new community park within Maribyrnong City Council's Civic Precinct and Community Hub, at 61 Napier Street, Footscray.

Consultation included a newspaper advertisement, a survey sent to 70 surrounding property owners and occupiers, a notice on Council's website, and a survey on Council's online engagement platform, Your City Your Voice.

Council received a total of 20 responses, with 50% supporting the name and 50% not supporting the name.

Council’s endorsement of the proposed name, along with the rationale for the proposal and an outline of community feedback, will be submitted to Geographic Names Victoria for approval by the Registrar of Geographic Names.

You can read the Council Report or view a livestream of the 19 August 2025 Council Meeting on our website.

Background

Following two years of renovation and restoration works, the historic Footscray Town Hall building, which includes a new community gathering space (community park), was completed in late 2024.

The community park, located along the Hyde Street frontage, includes lawns, picnic tables, benches, water bubblers and native landscaping. In the south-east corner of the park there is a rock gathering circle. There is also a vibrant curved wall artwork by artist Tommy Day III.

The community park stands on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people.

We have been working in partnership with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrong Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to ensure cultural links are considered in the design and construction process, including indigenous cultural and historical values.

Council shared a naming proposal for community feedback for the newly developed community park.

Name and meaning

The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrong Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation has endorsed the use of the following Woi-wurrung language ‘balit bargoongagat banhul’.

balit bargoongagat translates to ‘strong people linked together’ (community) and banhul translates to ‘park’ in Woi-wurrung language.

Listen to the audio file below to learn how to pronounce the name. Please note, the audio file only includes a pronunciation of the first two parts of the name, i.e. 'balit bargoongagat'.

'balit bargoongagat'

Community park gallery

A gently sloping path with handrails leads through a landscaped area featuring native plants and large rocks. Colourful Aboriginal artwork by artist Tommy Day the third decorates the retaining walls alongside the path, depicting traditional motifs. In the background stands an old stone church with a dark tiled roof and arched windows. Modern black street lamps line the walkway under a bright blue sky.
A modern public building with large arched windows is seen in the background, surrounded by a well-maintained green lawn and young trees supported by wooden stakes. In the foreground, there is a wooden bench on a paved pathway, with landscaped garden beds and small plants around it. The area is well-lit with contemporary black street lamps, and a few parked cars are visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.
A modern civic building with tall arched windows and white vertical cladding stands behind a grassy lawn. In the foreground, a circular seating area made from large sandstone blocks surrounds a flat paved space, likely used for gatherings or performances. Young trees are planted throughout the lawn, and black street lights are spaced evenly across the landscape. A tall commercial building with signage is visible in the background.