Road naming

New roads require naming early in the development process to ensure that addressing can be allocated prior to the sale of any new land parcels.

As part of the addressing process, existing access roads or unnamed road reserves may be highlighted for naming to ensure more precise addressing can be allocated to any properties' accessed via that road.

The naming process takes several months and requires consultation with the Geographical Names Board along with two advertising periods.

The Geographical Names Board Guidelines for the naming of roads identifies that the preferred sources for street names include the following:

  • Aboriginal names
  • Local history
  • Early explorers, pioneers, settlers and other eminent persons (not living)
  • War/casualty lists
  • Thematic names such as flora, fauna or ships

Names cannot relate to a living person or a commercial interest. Names cannot be more than two words in length including the street type (for example, Bloggs Avenue rather than Fred Bloggs Avenue). Names containing geographical features (for example Black Springs Road) may be accepted. Names should also be reasonably easy to read, spell and pronounce, and should not duplicate a name already in use in the Council area.

Road naming process

Step 1.Call for submissions

The process begins with a call for submissions, usually by letter to neighbours of the street or road being named and also with advertising on Council’s website and in the local media. After a period of 21 days all submissions are compiled into a preliminary report to Council where a preferred name is chosen.

Step 2.Consultation 

Consultation with the Geographical Names Board then occurs to ensure that the preferred name will be approved. Public consultation then continues with a further period of advertising for 21 days requesting submissions for or against the preferred name.

Step 3.Report to Council 

At the end of that period, all submissions are included in a report to Council where formal approval for the preferred name usually occurs.  If there have been objections to the preferred name, Council may start the process again.

Step 4.Gazettal

Once approved, the name is submitted to the Government Gazette for gazettal and any new addressing required will be processed. The new name and any new addressing will be entered into address databases from GURAS (the geocoded urban and rural addressing system) to emergency services, telecommunications agencies and electrical service providers. 

Pre-approved names

On occasion Council will receive a naming submission at a time when there are no new or unnamed roads requiring naming. There are also worthy names submitted in the naming process that are unsuccessful on that occasion. These names can be approved by Council to be included in a list of pre-approved names for street and road naming (also bridge and place naming). This list is included along with any submissions from the public when new or unnamed roads require naming.

The list is also available to members of the public via a request to Council’s Customer Services department, or Revenue and Property Department, or by email to council@midwestern.nsw.gov.au