Project Status: Closed

Thank you to everyone who made a submission to name the park in Campbell.

After considering the list of candidates put forward by the community, the ACT Place Names Advisory Committee identified Electrical engineer, signals trainer and women’s advocate Violet McKenzie as the preferred candidate.

Its recommendation was supported by the Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman MLA. The instrument for Violet McKenzie Park has been approved and notified on the legislation register.

How you had your say

The ACT Place Names Advisory Committee invited the community to put forward names for the park adjoining Blamey Place and White Crescent in Campbell, which did not have a formal name.

The suburb theme in Campbell is 'defence'. Given that women are currently under-represented in public place names, the Committee expressed interest in nominations of women in defence.

Nominations were accepted through an online form and via email to the Place Names Committee at placenames@act.gov.au.

Place name eligibility

To be accepted, nominated persons had to meet the following criteria:

  • be a deceased female person (a 12-month grace period applies before a name can be commemorated)
  • fit the suburb’s theme of Defence personnel or be a woman who had a long association with the place
  • be unlikely to cause confusion or offence
  • not be in use as a place name already.

Suggestions can be checked by searching through the ACTmapi Place Names Search.

The opportunity to suggest names closed on 1 December 2022.

The Listening Report shows the findings of community engagement.

Park location

The park is behind the Campbell shops on Block 17, Section 49 Campbell—between White Crescent and Blamey Place.

The ACT Government would like to thank the local community that has adopted the park and helps maintain it.

Blue shading indicates park area Block 17, Section 49 Campbell

Blue shading indicates park area Block 17, Section 49 Campbell

Place naming process

The ACT Place Names Advisory Committee considers each nomination in accordance with the Public Place Names (Naming of public places) Guidelines 2021. This includes consultation with close relatives of the people suggested for commemoration and, where needed, further research.

The Committee then provides advice to the Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman MLA (or his delegate) for consideration. The Minister may then approve the place name proposal, and a disallowable instrument to determine the approval of the park name can be notified on the ACT Legislation Register.

This process is now complete and the instrument for Violet McKenzie Park has been approved and notified on the legislation register.

Next steps

After the Minister presents the decision in the ACT Legislative Assembly the instrument can be subject to a motion to amend or disallow for a period of 6 sitting days.

After six sitting days have passed without a motion to amend or disallow, the ACT Government can commission new signs for the park to explain the origin and significance of the name.