Coon Island name change: Lake Macquarie councillors vote against rescission motion

“Hot on the name change for Coon cheese, it was a headline.” A Lake Macquarie councillor said community opinion on the controversial Coon Island name change was ignored. 

A Lake Macquarie councillor said a bid to overturn the future name change of Coon Island, which was labelled offensive and racist, was more about the importance of community consultation.

Independent Cr John Gilbert was one of three councillors at Monday’s meeting that put up a rescission motion, voting against a proposal to rename the island Pirrita Island, and Coon Island Point to Miners Point.

“I’m all for reconciliation, and initially when it came up, I was on side with it, however this notice of motion is not about that, it’s about community consultation, which effectively means councillors ignored a majority of what people wanted,” Cr Gilbert said.

Lake Macquarie Independent councillor John Gilbert. Supplied.

Consultation was held between March and June with a council-run survey of 2120 people finding 44 per cent supported the name change, while 56 per cent did not. Of those who supported the change, 86 per cent deemed Coon Island offensive.

“In community consultation in Lake Macquarie Council, council staff tell us that 60 or 70 people that reply is a good number and we can use that as a good yardstick of the entire LGA, yet when we have more than 2,000, they’re happy to say it is not an indicator,” he said.

“The motion came up then they said we need to go and find the evidence as to why it had a racial origin, it was the cart before the horse, there was no previous evidence.

“It was grandstanding by a councillor trying to cook something up. It was hot on the name change for Coon cheese and it was a headline and that is what happened.”

Despite support from councillors Grigg, Jones and Cubis, with Cr Jason Pauling unable to attend the vote, the rescission motion was defeated 8-4, which means the proposal for the name change will stay.

“We’re not going to take any further action,” Cr Gilbert added.

“No councillor changed their mind because they believed something and I respect that, they believed in it the same way that I did at the start, before I realised it was a bit of a political thing.”

Coon Island is located in the Swansea Channel at Lake Macquarie. Picture: Google Maps.

Lake Macquarie councillor Kevin Baker, who led the charge to rename the island, preiously told The Newcastle News the milestone was an opportunity for reflection and healing within the community.

“We had a name that was genuinely racist and genuinely hurtful to a lot of people in our community,” Cr Baker said.

He said public feedback on the decision had been considered alongside the opinions of key stakeholders including traditional land owners, with the name change part of upgrades to the island, including a new boardwalk, public art and signage.

The island, which is a low-lying area at the head of the Swansea Channel, and significant to the Awabakal, was named after miner Herbert Greta Heaney, the one-time sole occupant of the island whose nickname was ‘Coon’ because of the coal dust that collected on his face.

Coon Island’s ‘racist’ name to be changed

July 26

Coon Island will be renamed with Lake Macquarie councillors voting to scrap the offensive moniker at Monday night’s meeting.

The council will submit a proposal to the Geographical Names Board to rename the island Pirrita Island, and Coon Island Point to Miners Point.

Councillors voted 8-5 in favour of the change despite a survey showing the majority of public respondents were opposed to a new name.

Lake Macquarie councillor Kevin Baker. Picture: Supplied.

Consultation was held between March and June with a council-run survey of 2120 people finding 44 per cent supported the name change while 56 per cent did not. Of those who supported the change, 86 per cent deemed Coon Island offensive.

Pirrita, an Awabakal word meaning oysters that grow from mangrove trees, was the preferred new name of survey respondents, while Birraba Point was the preferred new name for Coon Island Point.

Lake Macquarie councillor Kevin Baker, who led the charge to rename the island, told The Newcastle News the milestone was an opportunity for reflection and healing within the community.

“We had a name that was genuinely racist and genuinely hurtful to a lot of people in our community,” Mr Baker said.

“It was a name that stopped people within our community from being able to enjoy what is a beautiful part of the world and it was not in line with community expectations.

“The motion (of both Pirrita Island and Miners Point) balances the recognition of the European history of the island and the significant contribution miners have had to our area, but also the 60,000-plus years of Indigenous history that the place has.”

Mr Baker said public feedback on the decision had been considered alongside the opinions of key stakeholders including traditional land owners.

“With something like this there will always be people on both sides and people who are disappointed, whichever way it goes,” he said.

“Some people have been really negative and frankly really horrible to some of the traditional owners groups throughout this process.

“Nasty things have been said and I’ve had feedback that in some cases, the comments and trolling have prevented people from wanting to publicly support the change.

The island is a low-lying area at the head of the Swansea Channel, and significant to the Awabakal, with archaeological evidence of their presence there 7800 years ago.

It was named after miner Herbert Greta Heaney, the one-time sole occupant of the island whose nickname was ‘Coon’ because of the coal dust that collected on his face.

Mr Heaney’s descendants were among those consulted about the change.

Signage across the island will be upgraded with the name change. Picture: Google Maps.

His daughter opposed the renaming, while his grandchildren supported the island being given an Awabakal name, and Coon Island Point being renamed Miners Point to recognise the contribution of all miners.

Bahtabah Local Aboriginal Land Council was in favour of the name change and considered Coon Island offensive, but did not propose any new names.

Awabakal Descendants Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Awabakal Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation also supported the change, proposing the traditional names Pirrita Island, Purramai Island, Birraba Point and Kunbul Point.

The name change is part of upgrades to the island, including a new boardwalk, public art and signage