A GROUP of North Coogee residents hoping to block a proposed name change for their suburb have gathered a 300-strong petition, saying it shows a rival group’s choice is too divisive.

In December last year Cockburn council submitted a proposal to the state’s Geographic Names Committee to split North Coogee in two, with the northern half to be renamed Catherine Point and the southern half Port Coogee.

• Calling it North Coogee Gate, a group of residents say the process behind a proposed name change hasn’t been transparent enough, but showing how the issue has divided the community, as they posed for the Chook’s photo several others walked by and cheekily called out “Catherine Point” to show their support for the alternative. Photo by Steve Grant

The name change is backed by the Catherine Point Community Group, after an initial bid to be known as South Beach was knocked back by the committee in 2021.

But resident Kereth Harris says while the CPCG consulted widely about becoming South Beach, it was strangely silent about moving to plan B.

“Residents signing the petition are angry they haven’t been told about this,” Ms Kereth said.

“This is about our identity and we don’t relate to the Catherine name.”

Ms Harris says how the point – these days little more than a groyne – got its name seems to have been lost in time, but it harked back to the state’s colonisation and that didn’t sit well with her supporters.

Roadblocks

“Coogee is an Indigenous name, and it’s one of the most beautiful suburbs, really connected and social,” she said.

“But this name change has created this great division.”

Ms Harris says she tried to reach out to the CPCG to discuss the issue, but faced roadblocks.

“We’ve had our posters with the QR code pulled down, and Facebook posts have been altered and blocked.”

Ms Harris says a submission from CPCG to the council suggesting Catherine Point was riddled with “hyperbole” and said the council should have done more fact-checking before contacting the Geographic Names Committee.

• North Coogee supporters gathered more than 300 signatures opposed to the name change, but say their posters with Q-codes kept getting ripped down.

“Cockburn appear to have been hoodwinked by the Catherine Point group – the group said they speak for all of us in North Coogee and this simply is not true.”

Ms Harris said the final insult was a sign on Rollinson Road now welcomes people to Catherine Point because of the community group’s recent name change, which she acknowledges was done under the rules of its constitution.

The CPCG issued a statement to the Herald saying it recognised a 300-strong petition demonstrated significant opposition and it had requested more information.

“A petition which includes a significant number of relevant community signatures, demonstrating opposition to the proposal, can potentially represent new and important data for the CPCG committee to consider,” the statement said.

But the CPCG said it’s done its best to communicate with residents.

That initially came when it decided to change its own name from South Beach when that name was knocked back.

Communicate

“The community group committee then undertook took to try and communicate this proposed community group name change and why this was being considered – via flyer drops, social media, commercial media, email and at community meetings. 

“At the June 2023 community group AGM this considered community group name change was proposed and voted on, with the proposal being passed.”

The CPCG says it seemed obvious that Catherine Point was the most likely name to be accepted by the names committee and with the Port Coogee Community Association it developed a proposal which was submitted with the council.

It says Landgate is likely to make a decision on whether the name change can proceed by June, and after that the whole shebang would have to be sent back out for formal consultation by the City of Cockburn.

by STEVE GRANT