Barwon Coast and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation have received an award for the Bukareeyoo naming process.
The groups received the 2023 Victorian Excellence in Geographic Place Naming award last month during the Geospatial Excellence Awards.
Barwon Coast chief executive Gary McPike said he was pleased that the groups received the award for the project, which returned the Wadawurrung language to a part of the Ocean Grove coastline.
“This is significant recognition of the highly valued partnership we have with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation,” he said.
“It underlines the importance of returning their language that has evolved over the millennia and is now returning following a brutal disruption over the last more than 150 years.”
The space informally known as The Ocean Grove Spit was named Bukareeyoo (pronounced Book-ar-ee-you), meaning between, in August to help return the Wadawurrung language to the Country.
Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation cultural strengthening general manager Corrina Eccles said Barwon Coast had worked “tirelessly to make change” in the region.
“The renaming of Bukareeyoo, returning it to Country and place will see our language grow and flourish for decades,” she said.
“Our language will be spoken by many every day, but we truly hope they listen to the story of the name.
“Stand, look and feel the story Bukareeyoo, between two waters a beautiful place on our Country, Wadawurrung Country.”
The Geospatial Excellence Awards aim to celebrate the achievements of outstanding individuals and organisations within the geospatial sector.
