NORTH COOGEE residents are having another crack at splitting their suburb in two and giving it a rebrand, hoping that choosing the names Catherine Point and Port Coogee will get the initiative past regulators.

Since 2019 residents from South Beach/Shoreline and Port Coogee have been at the task since 2019 but say they got a hint from Landgate in January this year that the latest proposal had a good chance of getting up. 

This weekend (Saturday April 29 and Sunday April 30) the communities will be holding information sessions from 10-11am to ensure the community is well informed about the proposal and has an opportunity ask questions.

South Beach Community Group chair Neil Chamberlain says Landgate rejected South Beach as a name, so his group is backing Catherine Point as it is a major feature on the coastline and appeared on some of the earliest maps of the European settlers, dating back to 1830.

“A suburb name of Catherine Point could be a more representative and inclusive suburb name for the two applicable residential areas,” 

Mr Chamberlain says of the neighbouring South Beach and Shoreline developments.

Catherine Point, now little more than a groyne, is at the southern end of the North Coogee dog beach.

Mr Chamberlain said the area was only named North Coogee in 2005 and has little meaning to the people now living in the area. Residents were not consulted on the name change, and significant development has created two unique areas with different characteristics, which might confuse people as to whether they should be heading to the northern or southern section. 

In February 2021 a petition of more than 2000 signatures was circulated within South Beach/Shoreline and Port Coogee community calling for two new suburb names. But the name South Beach was rejected by Landgate because the popular beachlovers destination is actually across the border in South Fremantle.

Mr Chamberlain says Landgate is liasising with other agencies and planning documents to assess the impact of any change, and if they’re satisfied, Cockburn council would then run a full consultation with the community.

He says without a distinct name it’s hard for the community to develop an identity, while location confusion and delivery issues will persist.

Saturday’s event will be held at Fraser’s sales office on Pantheon Avenue while Sunday’s event will be held at the playground at the end of Rollinson Road.

by DANIEL SPENCE