As Mandurah's waterfront projects inch closer to completion the City worked with Indigenous leaders to name the new features.
Aboriginal community leader George Walley facilitated consultation with relevant Traditional Owners and Elders to confirm the Aboriginal Place names for the Eastern Foreshore, Western Foreshore and surrounds as well as provide suggested naming for the new Estuary Pool and Play Space.
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On Tuesday, council approved for the City to officially apply for naming of the new features and to restore the traditional Noongar place names to these areas. Approval from Landgate is now needed before the names are official.
'Kwillena Gabi' meaning dolphin waters is the name put forward for the Estuary Pool while 'Koolaanga Waabiny' translating to children playing and also referring to the swamp sheoak trees is the name suggested for the Play Space.
With a strong reference to sheoak trees in the design of the play space the Traditional Owners and Elders thought the name 'Koolaanga Waabiny' was fitting.
"The Noongar name for the swamp sheoak is koolyaanga and there is a symbolic association between tree and children with the name for children being koolaanga," a spokesperson wrote.
"A deeper meaning is that the river part of waterways, are called bilya. Bilya is also the name for the umbilical cord when we refer to the koolyaanga or swamp sheoak along the waterways, it is also recognising that the children are near the waterway or umbilical cord."
The Eastern Foreshore and Western Foreshore are also set to be given dual Noongar names.
The Indigenous committee said the Western Foreshore should be referred to as 'Didaalamaap'.
'Didaalamaap' has words within the word. Daa means mouth in reference to the mouth where the ocean enters/exits the Djilba, Maap means skin and others reference maap as the spleen. Didara means the middle and other dialects reference didara as sea or ocean.
While the ancient name for the Eastern Foreshore is 'Djeridjinap'.
"It means the 'happy place'. In every family or festival activity that happens along the Eastern Foreshore or 'Djeridjinap', it is aligned with our ancestors using that space in a different time but in a similar way," a spokesperson wrote.
"It is appropriate that our ancestors provided a name meaning happy, for a happy place, and happy activities done there."
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According to a council report, the Traditional Owners and Elders are eager to see the english translation of the names on the signage so that people know the meaning of the names.
Waterfront projects almost complete
Mandurah's city centre will be unrecognisable by 2022 with many waterfront projects on track for completion by the end of the year.
Worth $22 million, the City Centre Waterfront Project will revamp the eastern and western foreshores with a large-scale adventure play area, an estuary pool and upgrades to the Smart Street Mall.
Estuary Pool
According to a City council report, the estuary pool is expected to be open to the public before Christmas.
Concrete walling and shelters around the pool are currently in the works. Lighting on the floating pontoon is also set to be complete once faulty lighting components are rectified.
Western Foreshore Play Space
The completion of the play space near the Mandurah skate park has been delayed due to weather and supply issues.
Completion is now expected in early 2022 with the installation of the main play tower continuing.
Smart Street Mall
Most of construction to Smart Street Mall is complete with minor works left to do.
Outstanding works include tree and shrub planting, installation of bollards, tactile surface indicator at Sholl Street intersection, installation of bike parking rails, and cleaning and sealing of pavers.
Initially set to be delivered by October, the revamp is now due to be complete by the end of the year.
