Winter Valley.

Council is required to seek public comment before making any decision on a naming proposal. This document is issued to encourage informed discussion and comment on this proposal. Naming proposals are conducted according to the Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010, V2.

Submissions and Objections

You are invited to make a submission either for or against the proposal, but please read the information supplied in the downloads to ensure your submission is valid - the official Naming Proposal Comment Form MUST be used. If no valid submissions are received, it will be assumed that there are no objections to this proposal. Only written submissions can be received and these need to reach the Place Names Officer, by 5pm on Friday September 25th, 2015.

Further Information

Further details about this proposal may be obtained from Council’s Place Names Officer, Lani Smith on 53205500. The City of Ballarat has also prepared an information sheet to provide guidance for anyone who wishes to request a place be named or renamed, or who may be affected by a naming proposal.

Further information may also be obtained via the following website links:

Background to the Proposed Naming

In 2014 a naming proposal was conducted seeking to create and name a new suburb in the Ballarat West Growth Area. No objections were received in relation to the creation of the suburb and its proposed boundaries, however, in relation to the proposed name of Mullawallah, 109 immediately affected residents/ratepayers expressed objections and the number of these objections outweighed any support. Council therefore resolved to abandon the proposal to assign this name to the suburb. The Council resolution also called for the creation of working group to research alternative names. The working group, comprising affected residents/ratepayers and interested stakeholders, conducted research throughout early 2015. A list of names was compiled and then the group worked to narrow down to several preferred and compliant names.

A list of three names which were compliant with the Guidelines for Geographic Names 2010, V2 (The Guidelines) were proposed and then in June/ July of this year survey of the immediately affected residents took place. The result of this recent survey is that out of 661 surveys, 288 were returned with 159 selecting Winter Valley as their preference, 97 for Winter Rise and 4 for the name of Dorney. 28 Surveys were incomplete. As Winter Valley was demonstrated to be the most supported name from the surveys, a request was made to Council to endorse this name for final consultation. This is in line with the state government naming requirements. Council subsequently endorsed the name for consultation.

Winter Valley background

The Winter family were landowners in the proposed suburb area for many years. John ‘Jock” Winter bought land in the area in the 1840’s and his large estate was known as Bonshaw. Part of this area was later named Delacombe and Smythes Creek. Mr Winter made his considerable fortune through gold that was mined on his land. His sons also later worked this land. Research reveals that John Winter was known to be compassionate and as one of the early settlers gave generously to those less fortunate than himself. The name strikes a chord for those seeking a gold rush pioneering name. The location to be named is also close to Winter Creek and many longer term residents have an affiliation and identify with, the name Winter. The name has a restful connotation and the local community are acquainted with the name already so there is possibly a greater level of ease in accepting it. Due to this familiarity, it is considered this name would make for a smooth transition for the community. The proposed name also fits the criteria for naming as outlined in the current Guidelines.

Rationale for the Naming Recommendation
As a result of the recent survey it is apparent that the immediate community feels an affiliation with the name Winter and it is linked to the place being named as uniquely “Ballarat” and in particular a Delacombe and Smythes Creek related name. The name is compliant with the mandatory naming Guidelines and; that after canvassing of the local community there is much informal support indicated due to many residents and ratepayers feeling they can identify in some way with this name.

Locality and Details : The proposed changes are to take place within the Ballarat West Growth Area (BWGA). The BWGA is 1,675 hectares of greenfield land located to the west of Alfredton, Delacombe and Sebastopol and will cater for residential growth and provide services and infrastructure for new communities(please see attached map). At full development the Growth Area will provide more than 14,000 new houses to accommodate a population of over 40,000 people. The Growth Area encompasses four residential planning precincts: Bonshaw Creek (Precinct 1), Greenhalghs Road (Precinct 2), Alfredton West in the north Ward now known as Lucas (Precinct 3) and Carngham Road (Precinct 4). This proposal will affect Precincts 1, 3 and 4 (North and South Ward areas). See map below and attached. (Development in Precinct 3, with the creation of the Lucas locality began in 2011).

New Subb