It's official: Birnbial Family Centre

Read the below update to find out more and provide your feedback on the process by telling us how we did.

Manor Lakes North Family Centre has a new name!

Wyndham City is pleased to announce that the name Birnbial Family Centre, has been given final approval by Geographic Naming Victoria.

Birnbial (pronounced Bin-beel) is a Wadawurrung word for rainbow, and this name reflects the aspiration for this family centre to promote bright futures for a diverse, emerging community.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for the centre’s new name, which consisted of a shortlist of names put together in partnership with the Registered Aboriginal party, the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

Located at 84 Holyoake Parade in Manor Lakes, the Birnbial Family Centre will open in early 2023 to support the growing community with three and four-year-old kindergarten, maternal child health, a toy library and other family support services.

Renaming of the new Family Centre coming to Manor Lakes

Initial consultation for the naming of the new Family Centre coming to Manor Lakes North gave community an opportunity to vote on the four proposed names for the Family Centre between 25 May and 3 July 2022. Two options were traditional Aboriginal names proposed by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation , the other two being a location-based name and an environmental name recognising the significance of the local Grey Box Tree in Manor Lakes.

The community's preferred name was Marna Family Centre. However, following the exhibition period we heard that the word 'Marna' translated negatively in languages commonly spoken across the Wyndham community. We are now proposing to name the new Family Centre coming to Manor Lakes North, Birnbial Family Centre. Birnbial is the second most preferred name as voted by our community during the consultation period.

We have engaged with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners who are fully supportive of proceeding with the proposed name change, which was also endorsed at the September Council Meeting.

A second 30 day public exhibition period will now take place from 1 October, closing at 11.59PM Sunday 30 October, 2022.

View the public notice open in new window

  • Birnbial Family Centre

    Birnbial pronounced: Bin-beel

    A traditional Aboriginal name proposed by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners meaning rainbow. Rainbows rise after a storm to bring colour and brightness; they sybmolise hope and diversity.

How community voted

  • During the community engagement period, community were asked to vote on four proposed names for the Manor Lakes North Family Centre. Voting was accessible online via The Loop and in person at one of three drop-in sessions at the Manor Lakes Community Learning Centre.

    43 votes were submitted online

    169 votes were submitted on our voting board in person

    73% of the votes were in favour of a traditional Aboriginal name

Community voting results

How to make a submission

Community members can provide feedback on the name by one of the following methods:

  • Online (below)
  • In writing, via email* to: mail@wyndham.vic.gov.au addressed to the Governance Policy and Projects Officer
  • Post at 45 Princes Highway Werribee 3030
  • Phone: 1300 023 411

*For submissions to be valid, you must include:

  • Full name
  • Address
  • Email or Phone number

All submissions will be responded to by Council.

Submissions close at 11:59PM Sunday 30 October.

  • Next steps

    • We will review and consider any submissions in line with Wyndham's Geographic Naming Policy (refer to document library).
    • The outcomes of the public exhibition period will go before the November 2022 Council Meeting.
    • The preferred name will go to Geographic Naming Victoria (GNV) for final approval.