Guidelines for naming or proposing to name or rename a place

Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2

If you are interested in the process and procedures for naming places you will find in the Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 step-by-step information on naming, renaming or changing the boundaries of features, localities and roads in Victoria.

These guidelines, provided for in the Geographic Place Names Act 1998, are mandatory for naming authorities in Victoria. They have been developed through detailed consultation with municipal councils, government departments and emergency response and public service providers. The guidelines are based on national standards and policies and provide a strong basis for standardised and unambiguous naming procedures across the state.

You can either download the complete Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 or download just the sections in which you are interested. Please note that Sections 2 (Features), 3 (Localities) and 4 (Roads) must be read in conjunction with Section 1 (Principles and Procedures).

When using the guidelines please refer to the supplementary documents - Consulting with the wider community, Consulting with Indigenous groups, Checklists - for additional information.The Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 describes the procedures and principles for naming, renaming and adjusting the boundaries of geographic features, localities and roads in Victoria.

Guidelines

The guidelines are divided into four main sections: Section 1: Purpose and Principles, Section 2: Features, Section 3: Localities and Section 4: Roads.

The information in Section 1 should be used in conjunction with the various principles and procedures outlined in Sections 2, 3 and 4.

Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 [PDF File - 1.5 MB]
Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 Table of Amendments [PDF File - 93.0 KB]
Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 Table of Amendments (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 50.5 KB]


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Guidelines by section

Policies and Principles

Section 1: Principles and Procedures

Section 1 includes general information about the naming process and details the principles applying to all cases of naming, renaming or changing the boundary of a feature, locality or road. The information in this section should be used in conjunction with the various principles and procedures outlined in Sections 2, 3 and 4.

Section 1 Principles and Procedures [PDF File - 787.6 KB]
Section 1 Principles and Procedures (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 969.5 KB]

Features

Section 2: Features

This section outlines how features can be named, renamed or have their boundaries and spatial reference points realigned. Information included in Section 2 is to be used in conjunction with the principles and policies outlined in Section 1 of these guidelines.
Section 2 Features [PDF File - 281.7 KB]
Section 2 Features (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 935.0 KB]
For a list of approved feature types please refer to the attached spreadsheet.
Feature types spreadsheet [MS Excel Document - 114.5 KB]
Feature types spreadsheet (accessible version) [File - 73.0 KB]

Localities

Section 3: Localities

This section outlines how localities in Victoria can be named and renamed, and also defines how the boundaries can be altered. Information included in Section 3 is to be used in conjunction with the principles and policies outlined in Section 1 of these guidelines.

Section 3 Localities [PDF File - 592.8 KB]
Section 3 Localities (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 1.4 MB]

Roads

Section 4: Roads

This section provides information on how ‘coordinating road authorities’ (municipal councils or government departments and authorities) can name roads – both public and private – within their jurisdictions. Information included in Section 4 is to be used in conjunction with the principles and policies outlined in Section 1 of these guidelines.

Section 4 Roads [PDF File - 430.8 KB]
Section 4 Roads (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 566.5 KB]


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Supplementary documents to the Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2

 The supplementary documents below should be used in conjunction with the guidelines when naming, renaming and adjusting the boundaries of geographic features, localities and roads.
 Cover of consultation with the wider community

Consulting with the wider community

This document outlines the recommended processes for consulting with the wider community when naming and renaming geographic features, localities and roads.

Consulting with the wider community [PDF File - 357.4 KB]
Consulting with the wider community (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 781.5 KB]

Cover of consultation with Indigenous groups

Consulting with Indigenous groups

This document outlines the recommended processes for consulting with Indigenous groups when naming or renaming a feature, locality or road with a name derived from a traditional Indigenous Australian language.

Consulting with Indigenous Groups [PDF File - 364.7 KB]
Consulting with Indigenous Groups (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 1.4 MB]

Cover of checklists

Checklists

The checklists should be used to ensure correct processes are followed when naming or renaming a feature, locality or road.

Checklists [PDF File - 391.1 KB]
Checklists (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 1.6 MB]



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Quick reference guide for land surveyors - road naming

A quick reference guide is available for land surveyors naming roads. The guide is an excerpt from the Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010 Version 2 and includes a list of the key principles within Section 1 Principles and Procedures and specific principles in relation to road naming in Section 4 Roads.

Quick reference guide for land surveyors - road naming [PDF File - 930.9 KB]
Quick reference guide for land surveyors - road naming (accessible version) [MS Word Document - 135.0 KB]

Examples of Naming/Renaming Proposals

A set of naming proposal examples has been compiled for use by councils. The set of examples include council proposals for feature naming, road renaming, locality boundary changing and public naming competitions. You can obtain these by contacting the Office of Geographic Names on (03) 8636 2525 or by emailing geo.names@dse.vic.gov.au.

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) Guidelines

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is the coordinating naming authority for schools. Local councils are now consulted and invited to comment on any school naming proposal, but are no longer required to coordinate the naming process. See the DEECD Guidelines for the naming of schools.

Recommended spelling of Indigenous place names

For many reasons there are multiple ways Victorian Indigenous languages have been spelt in historical records. If you are using the VICNAMES historical information database to submit historical information relating to a Victorian Indigenous language, please refer to VICNAMES User Guide - Appendix 2: Recommended Spelling for Victorian Nations/Language Groups [File - 7.8 KB], provided by the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL).

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