You can appeal to Geographic Names Victoria after Council has made a decision on a naming proposal and the adopted name has been lodged with GNV.

Appeals relate to the process and compliance with the Naming Rules, rather than whether someone likes or dislikes the chosen name.

Appeals must be in writing and must meet the requirements of the Naming Rules for Places in Victoria (2022).

Geographic Names Victoria can only consider appeals that raise one or both of the following concerns:

• Council did not consider objections during its deliberations, or
• The proposal does not reasonably conform to the Naming Rules for Places in Victoria.

Appeals that do not address one of these grounds cannot be considered.

In your written appeal, you should include:

• Your name and contact details
• The name of the place or road you are appealing
• A clear explanation of how you believe:
• Council did not consider objections, and/or
• The proposal does not reasonably conform to the Naming Rules
• Any supporting information or evidence you think is relevant.

Send your written appeal to:

• Registrar of Geographic Names Geographic Names Victoria Department of Transport and Planning GPO Box 2392 Melbourne VIC 3001 or email: geo.names@transport.vic.gov.au

Please note: appeals must be sent directly to Geographic Names Victoria. Council cannot determine or assess appeals.

For more information about naming rules and the appeals process, visit Geographic Names Victoria on the Victorian Government website.

You can also visit “Naming the City of Ballarat’s Places and Roads” on MySay to learn more about how we apply the naming rules locally and how you can suggest future names.