Toowoomba council called for official report on renaming Tabletop Mountain Meewah

The mayor has tipped ‘Meewah’ as the red-hot favourite to replace Tabletop Mountain’s name if the community moves forward on a plan outlined by a leading Indigenous elder.

The full deck of Toowoomba councillors have voted in favour of directing council staff to start the process of renaming Tabletop Mountain.

The first step is for staff to report on the bureaucratic and community consultation requirements needed ahead of the historic change.

This includes the role the State and Federal Governments must play.

Mayor Paul Antonio called for the report at a council meeting on Tuesday and said renaming Tabletop Mountain should be done “in recognition of its early history and its cultural significance … to Indigenous people.”

TRC Mayor Paul Antonio.

The report will outline a plan that works collaboratively with Lockyer Valley Region Council as the mountain straddles both local government areas.

It will also set out a plan to find a name that is suitable to all stakeholders, through consultation with Indigenous communities.

Mr Antonio tipped Meewah as the appropriate name.

“For thousands of years it was named Meewah, so I would imagine it would be a red-hot favourite for a new name,” he said.

Councillors Tim McMahon and Carol Taylor raised some concerns around consultation.

“I would like to see the views of the broader Toowoomba region,” Mr McMahon said. “Why was it called Tabletop and was there a group of people involved in that name who would want to be consulted here.”

“Tabletop is not a name, it’s a description of the shape,” Ms Taylor said.

“I am absolutely sure our community would support this, but I think we need some sort of education campaign.”

Council staff are expected to present their report in November.

The move comes about a week after Indigenous Elder Uncle Wayne Fossey used the 179th anniversary of the Battle of Meewah to call for the name change.

At the time he said returning the mountain to its traditional name would bring about a boost in national and international tourist numbers and make progress in bridging the divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

“It is about understanding and truth telling,” he said.

“We should be talking about Meewah as Meewah, we should be talking about the history of Meewah and we should be telling our stories because they are brilliant stories.”