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Kondinin residents asked to vote as Shire considers name change

Campbell WilliamsonNarrogin Observer
Swan fly over Kondinin lake which is now full of water.
Camera IconSwan fly over Kondinin lake which is now full of water. Credit: WA News

The Shire of Kondinin has called on residents to take part in a poll to gauge community support for a potential name change.

With tourism ramping up over recent years, Kondinin’s population has undergone a gradual shift towards the eastern end of the shire.

The new poll, suggested by the Hyden Progress Association in August 2020, aims to ensure the Shire’s name is representative of the broader community.

If more than 50 per cent of respondents vote in favour then the recommendation will be to consider a name change.

If under 30 per cent vote for the name change it will likely be recommended that the council does not proceed with the process.

No alternative names have been suggested as yet and the poll will be non-binding.

The shire’s name came from Kondinin Lake. Kondinin is an Aboriginal word but its original meaning is not widely known.

Shire president Sue Meeking said that the Shire was only gauging interest at this point.

“The eastern end of the shire has grown primarily because of the tourist industry built around Wave Rock and its development as a centre for businesses servicing agriculture in the eastern ends of the shires of Kondinin, Narembeen and Kulin,” she said.

“With the aforementioned growth there has been a shift in the population distribution and industries across the shire.

“It is this change that has motivated the request for consideration for a name of the Shire that is reflective of the greater region.

“At this time, the Shire is only gauging the community interest in the change of the name of the shire.

“The changing of the name of the shire will involve some cost and the community may need to vote on a selection of names proposed by its members, but if the majority of voters wish for the Shire to consider a name change, then these options and impacts will be examined by the council before a final decision is made.”

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