Bass Coast Post
  • Home
    • Recent articles
  • News
    • Point of view
    • View from the chamber
  • Contributors
    • Anne Davie
    • Anne Heath Mennell
    • Bob Middleton
    • Carolyn Landon
    • Catherine Watson
    • Christine Grayden
    • Dick Wettenhall
    • Ed Thexton
    • Etsuko Yasunaga
    • Frank Coldebella
    • Gayle Marien
    • Geoff Ellis
    • Gill Heal
    • Harry Freeman
    • Ian Burns
    • Joan Woods
    • John Coldebella
    • Julie Paterson
    • Julie Statkus
    • Kit Sleeman
    • Laura Brearley >
      • Coastal Connections
    • Lauren Burns
    • Liane Arno
    • Linda Cuttriss
    • Linda Gordon
    • Lisa Schonberg
    • Liz Low
    • Marian Quigley
    • Mark Robertson
    • Mary Whelan
    • Meryl Brown Tobin
    • Michael Whelan
    • Mikhaela Barlow
    • Miriam Strickland
    • Natasha Williams-Novak
    • Neil Daly
    • Patsy Hunt
    • Pauline Wilkinson
    • Richard Kemp
    • Sally McNiece
    • Terri Allen
    • Tim Shannon
  • Features
    • Features 2024
    • Features 2023
    • Features 2022
    • Features 2021
    • Features 2020
    • Features 2019
    • Features 2018
    • Features 2017
    • Features 2016
    • Features 2015
    • Features 2014
    • Features 2013
    • Features 2012
  • Arts
  • Local history
  • Environment
  • Nature notes
    • Nature notes
  • A cook's journal
  • Community
    • Diary
    • Courses
    • Groups
    • Stories
  • Contact us

'What's on at Berninneit?'

19/8/2023

8 Comments

 
Picture
Berninneit, the Cowes Cultural and Community Centre
By Catherine Watson
 
BERNINNEIT … get used to saying and hearing it because we’re going to be using it a lot.
 
Following a public vote, Berninneit (pronounced burn-eh-neet and meaning “gather together”) has been endorsed as the First Nations name for the new Cowes cultural centre which is scheduled to open late this year.

​The council will now submit the name to the State Government’s Registrar of Geographic Names for consideration and inclusion in Vicnames.
Berninneit
Meaning: Gather Together
Pronunciation: burn-eh-neet
Of 731 people who voted in the council poll, 65 per cent favoured Berninneit, though there was also a large No vote.
 
Bass Coast Mayor Cr Michael Whelan said he was proud the community had responded in large numbers to the opportunity to name the landmark cultural centre and celebrate the First Nations history.
 
“The overwhelming feedback was that people wanted to honour our First Nations people and that their presence will be at the heart of this community asset.
“The naming of public buildings with First Nations language is a highly visible act of reconciliation and an opportunity to acknowledge First Nations communities in a meaningful and lasting way.”
 
The council followed the official naming process outlined by Geographical Place Names Act 1998 which encourages the acknowledgment of the extensive history and heritage associated with First Nations communities.​
Picture
The Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation provided Council with four naming options on the proviso that no other names were to be considered.
 
But the process was not without controversy, with claims the names were meaningless and were not in the local Boon Wurrung language.
 
While the Bunurong Land Council is the registered Aboriginal corporation for a vast area including Bass Coast, members of the Boon Wurrung people have a current case in the Federal Court seeking native title for the area.
 
Phillip Island Progress Association’s ‘Island Voice’ carried out an alternative survey in which 34 per cent voted for Phillip Island Cultural Centre and 20 per cent voted for  Millowl/Phillip Island Cultural Centre.
 
At Wednesday’s council meeting, Cr Ron Bauer attempted to reopen the debate but received no support from his fellow councillors for revisiting the naming process. ​

8 Comments
Anne Heath Mennell
19/8/2023 03:05:11 pm

Is Millowl a Boon Wurrung word?

If it is, I would have thought that would have been the obvious choice as it is already known and accepted.

Reply
Aleta Groves
19/8/2023 03:45:28 pm

So the Bass Coast has 40,789 residents - so 731 votes is 1.79% of the shires population doesn't that LACK of votes tell you that people were not happy with the choices. When does anyone use such a small statistical sample to make any decisions. Again councillors making decisions that DO NOT reflect the opinions of the residents.

Reply
Jeff Sim
28/8/2023 09:44:12 am

"The worlds run by those that show up"
In this case the 1.79%ers rule, that's about standard.

Reply
Bernie McComb
20/8/2023 02:00:03 pm

Such an unfortunate choice of name for me. From first artists impression, it’s been a monstrosity. WTF Palace (Wastie Tessari Fantasy Palace). Evidently it was theatrical minority who originally wanted a bit more space back stage and for storage. Rental rates are so high that rumour is they’re going elsewhere.

Such an expensive big empty box, constructed with massive structural foam from petrochem industry and how about cladding so many bricks and mortar when BCSC so proud of declaration Climate Emergency?

Reply
Christine Hammond
29/8/2023 03:19:25 pm

Disagree strongly with this dramatic change of name to support so few people.

Reply
Barbara Moje
8/9/2023 02:10:53 pm

WTF Bernie McComb. Your vitriolic comments are pretty low grade and uninformed. Berninneit is built to Passivehouse standard, which will not only save the BCSC millions over its lifetime in energy bills but also thereby tons of carbon emissions into our atmosphere! I am so proud of our Council having committed to this and put our money where our mouth is: Carbon neutrality. Looking forward to more projects such as this one! The naming also makes perfect sense to me: Berninneit, gather together. I can't think of a more beautiful gesture towards reconciliation and celebrating our new community space! C'mon!! Let's do it: Berninneit, it's got your name on it too, Bernie!!!

Reply
Ian Robinson
23/9/2023 09:40:54 am

I'll be calling it the Four Cs:
Cowes
Community and
Cultural
Centre

Reply
Bernie McComb
24/8/2024 01:45:04 pm

Word community was included on banner during build but disappeared when finished. Now Bass Coast Cultural Venue, not Community even JCB said 80% of locals would never go there!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.