Official name announced for Cardinia Shire’s next Child and Family Centre

Currently under construction on Thewlis Road in Pakenham, the facility has to date been referred to as Thewlis Child and Family Centre; an interim name based on the location of the site, pre-subdivision.

The facility will facilitate the delivery of essential early years’ services such as kindergarten, Maternal and Child Health, and other allied health and wellbeing activities for the local community.

It will feature three kindergarten program rooms, one community room (convertible to an additional kindergarten room in future), three consult rooms to cater for Maternal and Child Health and other allied health professionals, staff room with kitchen space and planning room, outdoor play spaces, off-street carparking, public art project, and other community amenities.

The selection of the name, endorsed by Council at its August 2024 meeting, last night, follows an extensive and inclusive consultation process that commenced late-2023, and reflects Council’s commitment to honouring the cultural heritage and history of the local indigenous communities.

The naming process for a project of this scope is comprehensive and involved multiple phases of community engagement.

Following the same approach as Council’s last three Child and Family Centres, Kone-wark, Kurm-boon and Toun-nun, as well as aligning to the advice of Geographic Names Victoria and Council’s Place Naming Policy, the consultation involved identifying a name of indigenous connection or significance to the area.

In collaboration with the Cardinia Shire Place Names Committee and the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC), three indigenous names were thoughtfully shortlisted as potential names for the centre: ‘Benup’ (meaning White Gum), ‘Boollam Boollam’ (meaning Butterfly) and ‘Nearkey Biik’ (meaning Take Care of Country).

Following this, Council conducted an extensive 4-week consultation process throughout June 2024, inviting the community to vote on a preferred option from these three indigenous names. The results of the poll showed that 63% chose Boollam Boollam as their first preference.

Naming our community facilities with reference to the local indigenous languages is an important step towards honouring the rich cultural heritage of the shire.

To our local Bunurong people, ‘Boollam Boollam’, meaning butterfly, symbolises growth, development, and change. It represents the journey of our community and how we evolve, mirroring how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. Just as the butterfly undergoes a transformative process, it serves as a reminder of the constant evolution and growth that occurs within us and our surrounding community.

In the nurturing environment of the Boollam Boollam Child and Family Centre, children are like the butterfly, and just as a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, the children grow and flourish within the supportive and enriching atmosphere of the centre. Here, they will develop the confidence, skills, and resilience needed to transition seamlessly into primary school, ready to embark on new adventures and reach their full potential.

By choosing an indigenous name, Council aims to foster a deeper connection with the local community and promote a sense of pride and respect for the cultural history that contributes to shaping our shared identity.

Council would like to thank everyone who participated in the consultation process – your valuable input and support have been instrumental in selecting a name that truly represents the spirit and vision of the new centre.