Eddy Kontelj seeks government support for Highton to Queens Park switch

What’s in a name? Quite a lot, according to a group of Geelong residents that have the backing of the mayor and their local councillor, who in turn has sought state government support. HAVE YOUR SAY.

Geelong councillor Eddy Kontelj is leading the charge to have this part of Highton reclassified as Queens Park. Image: Supplied.

A years-long push to rename a leafy pocket of Highton has got legs again as a Geelong councillor, backed by the mayor, seeks support from the Victorian government.

Brothers Eddy and Stretch Kontelj co-signed a letter to planning minister Sonya Kilkenny that formally requested her support for Geelong council to commence public consultation on renaming northern Highton to Queens Park.

“The purpose of this proposal is to give the area its own identity, reclaim the history of the original Geelong zoning and empower ratepayers to have a more direct impact on the local area,” they wrote.

The area immediately to the west of Queens Park is officially Highton. Picture: Peter Ristevski.

Eddy Kontelj, whose Hamlyn Heights ward takes in the area, said “identity is important” and the proposed change was appropriate considering the support among those it affected.

“Residents living in this beautiful pocket of Geelong located between the Barwon River, Queens Park Golf Course and reserves and the water basins (in Highton), identify with being from Queens Park,” he said.

“And in fact, most Geelong people commonly refer to the area as Queens Park.”

A petition launched in 2022 has been signed by the vast majority of “Lower Highton” residents – as the petition refers to the area.

Organiser Daniel Senia denied the change had anything to do with adding prestige to residents’ properties.

Rather, he believed it would give them greater influence on getting ratepayers’ money spent on upgrades to the area, including the one-way bridge and “tidying up our side of the river”.

“There has been a huge sprawl of Highton … and the area in question was called Queens Park back in the 1800s,” he said.

“The area has a strong community feel and most of the blocks are around 1500 sqm … and we believe the change would give us greater control over where our rates are spent.”

Daniel Senia and Eddy Kontelj are leading the charge to rename a part of Highton to Queens Park. Picture: Brad Fleet.

The renaming process involves extensive review and consultation among various authorities, including other states and territories, emergency services and Australia Post.

Any appeal against the proposal must be considered by the council prior to a final review by Geographic Names Victoria (GNV).

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan in February. Picture: Valeriu Campan.

Mr Kontelj acknowledged in his letter to Ms Kilkenny that GNV had previously raised multiple issues with the proposal.

This included the potential for a delay in the provision of emergency services because two other localities are named Queens Park nationally – one in NSW and another in WA.

“The City notes this feedback, however, given that both the above-mentioned locality names are in completely different state of the country, the City considers the risk of any confusion to be minimal,” Mr Kontelj said.

A spokeswoman for Ms Kilkenny said any proposal would be considered on its merits.

Originally published as Eddy Kontelj seeks government support for Highton to Queens Park switch