In recognition of the Aboriginal country on which Macquarie University is located, the Macquarie University Namesake Working Group is proposing the North Ryde campus be renamed ‘Wallumattagal campus at North Ryde’.
The proposed name change is built upon mutually respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and is one of a number of significant measures being undertaken by the University as part of its 10-year Indigenous Strategy launched in 2017. Under this Strategy, Macquarie has employed more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff in teaching and research positions and welcomed more First Nations students.
The proposal for a campus name change came from the Namesake Working Group formed at the Vice-Chancellor’s request and chaired by Pro Vice-Chancellor for Indigenous Strategy, Dr Leanne Holt. Membership of the Working Group was drawn from interested Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal academic and professional staff across the University and representatives of the local Dharug community.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to make a unique and lasting contribution to the identity of this land. Adopting Wallumattagal as a campus place name, acknowledges the traditional custodians of the Macquarie University lands, connecting its ancient history through to the beautiful contemporary campus,” says Dr Holt, a Worimi/Biripi woman.
“All around Australia the names of geographical locations/features, buildings, roads, waterways and other entities serve as reminders of the past,” said Dr Holt.
“For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, this can highlight the impacts of colonisation. In many instances these names reference acts of violence, displacement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and offensive racial terms.”
“Re-naming the campus provides us with the opportunity to tell a true history,” Dr Holt said.
Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor, Professor S Bruce Dowton, said this is an opportunity to change the narrative, recognising historical and contemporary impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“Macquarie University acknowledges and honours the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia as the nation’s first people and recognises that, as the traditional custodians and occupants of the land, they have a spiritual, social, cultural and economic relationship with their traditional lands and waters,” says Professor Dowton.
Dr Holt describes adopting the Wallumattagal name as a pinnacle time in Macquarie University’s evolution, recognising our First People’s contribution as custodians who have sustained our local environments, education and culture for thousands of years.
“As an educational institution we have the opportunity to embrace the world’s oldest living culture,” she says.
The Vice-Chancellor says University Council and the University’s Executive Group have supported the proposal for consultation with stakeholders and the University community.
“A greater integration between place-naming and Indigenous culture and languages can help us all to better connect to the beautiful land on which our University is situated. I look forward to your feedback.”
Contribute to the conversation via walangamuruadmin@mq.edu.au before 31 March 2022.
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Great idea. But given this decision is now 2 years old, maybe someone should advise Google Maps, so anyone searching for the Wallumattagal campus will be directed to the correct location? Right now, in Feb 2024, they have Wallumattagal campus at the school of management in Sydney city.
Great News re: ‘Wallumattagal Campus’ – an important change.
yanama budyari gumada,
walking with good spirit,
This comment responds to the following:
Anthony Lanati
15 March 2022, 5.24pm
“Wallumattagal” is the name of the local tribe within the Eora nation. The name (from memory) is drawn from the name given to the local black snapper that was used for sustenance and trading(?). I remember it being in the acknowledgement of country.
As for why the Uni would choose any other name, that seems rather obvious once you know it is adopting the name of the local tribal group. The University is on stolen land after all.
Anthony Lanati, you are incorrect to say that Wallumattagal is part of the “Eora Nation”. By who’s authority do you say this? Wallumatta is part of the Dharug nation. As I teach our students, I encourage you to read Attenbrow, V. (2010). Sydney’s Aboriginal Past, p.35 where she addresses the ‘dilemma’ (a soft term). In short the word ‘eora’ is Dharug language for people/human beings, so to speak of the Eora Nation is to speak of the People Nation, which doesn’t make sense. The spread of this misinformation as Attenbrow shows, is based on whitefella anthropologists (so called “experts” on us) in the late 19th century, deciding to call the Sydney people this term. This was then taken up by the Australian museum, who published it as fact in a brochure in the early 20th century. Because the Museum said so, therefore it was considered “fact”. Briefly, when Aboriginal people from all over the State were arriving to find work, after leaving the missions, and trying to find family, settled in Redfern with other mob, and so over time they labelled themselves Eora, without consulting with Dharug, the traditional custodians of the majority of the Sydney basin. The history of Redfern and the Land Councils has arisen from these beginnings.
Please don’t keep spreading misinformation about our mob. If you want to learn more, you are welcome to join ABST1020 Dharug Country: Presences, Places and People, and I will happily better inform you.
yanama budyari gumada,
walking with good spirit,
Dr. Jo Anne Rey, Dharug community member, Wallumatta grown.
Thank you for setting me straight on that. I will be sure not to spread that misinformation further, my apologies!
Is the course offered as an online, or pre-recorded format? I am based out of Germany for the remainder of my PhD but would definitely be keen to learn more.
This is great news. Thanks so much to Leanne Holt.
This is great! How long after the consultation process will finishes will the name come into effect?
Also will this be simply symbolic or will there be a requirement/ will it be permitted for academic staff to include this as part of the affiliation in papers, grants, and the like?
Either way it feels long overdue
I’m hoping we can add this to our affiliation on papers, grants, theses.
Wouldn’t it make sense in this article to briefly mention what the meaning of “Wallumattagal” is (if any), and why it was selected rather than any other option?
“Wallumattagal” is the name of the local tribe within the Eora nation. The name (from memory) is drawn from the name given to the local black snapper that was used for sustenance and trading(?). I remember it being in the acknowledgement of country.
As for why the Uni would choose any other name, that seems rather obvious once you know it is adopting the name of the local tribal group. The University is on stolen land after all.
I think the proposal to rename the campus location in a way that recognizes the profound ancient history of the site is an excellent one.
If “Wallumattagal campus at North Ryde” is considered too cluttered, “Wallumattagal campus” would surely suffice. If a ‘modern’ geographical indicator is considered necessary, could I ask why that is not “Wallumattagal campus at Marsfield”, Marsfield being the earlier designation following European intrusion in this area?
That, of course, is a side issue. The spirit of the proposal is excellent.
This is fantastic news. I will be very proud to say I work at the “Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde”.
Incredible. Well done to all involved.