Types of names we're looking for

Suggested names include people or events that have cultural or historical value to the community. Other ideas include flora, fauna or places that have significance to the area.

When naming infrastructure after a person, it is generally only considered if the person has been deceased for 2 years and has made a significant contribution to the community. This is to prevent any future actions by that person from negatively influencing the community and potentially resulting in a need to re-name the infrastructure.

Naming infrastructure after a person who is alive will not be accepted.

Naming submissions must meet all mandatory selection criteria to be considered — all submissions that meet the requirements will be judged based on the merit-based criteria.

Your naming suggestion must meet these principles in order to be considered.

Wayfinding

Names must support the community in orientating, navigating or identifying the infrastructure.

Any new names or changes to existing names for infrastructure must:

a) not negatively impact on navigation for emergency services

b) promote tourism wayfinding

c) maintain current communication systems, including postal and delivery services

d) prevent confusion to transport services

e) consider urban and regional planning.

Does the name conform to all the above requirements?

Community

Names must have a link to the Cape York Region.

The name should consider community expectations and provide a sense of identity. It should have relevance to the area in which the infrastructure is located.

Does the name:

a) enable the community to identify with the infrastructure through historical, cultural, heritage, environmental or natural linkages

b) commemorate an individual or individuals that have made a significant contribution to the local community, be of good character and enjoy broad community support.*

* Proposals to name infrastructure to commemorate living person will not be considered.

For posthumous commemoration, it is recommended the person be deceased for at least 2 years. This is to mitigate the risk of the individual being associated with inappropriate actions or activities after the name is approved, which may then necessitate a name change.

Appropriateness

Names that are offensive, demeaning or harmful to the reputation of individuals or group/s within the community will not be accepted.

Does the name meet all the below requirements?

a) the name is not offensive, demeaning, or harmful to the reputation of individuals

b) the name is not likely to cause offence to individuals, groups (social, ethnic, religious or other)

c) the name is likely to be widely respected within the community.

Dual naming

Only 1 name will be used per piece of infrastructure.

While TMR recognises Indigenous Australian cultural heritage through dual naming or places and locations, dual naming of transport infrastructure assets (such as the Queensland Government "Strategy for Naming and Co-naming of public buildings and facilities') is not supported for wayfinding purposes.

Is the name suggestion for a singular name?

Unique

Names must not duplicate or cause confusion with other names in the region. To ensure your suggestion is unique, avoid adjectives such as Upper, Lower, Old, New or Little.

The name cannot be a product, an existing company or organisation name, or the same name as an existing piece of infrastructure in Queensland.

The name does not include any of the following:

a) homographic names (words spelled the same but not necessarily pronounced the same)

b) homophonic names (words that sound the same)

c) origin to destination names (AS/NZA 4819:2011 Rural and Urban Addressing, S4,4,9)

d) adjectives such as Upper, Lower, Old, New or Little

Language

Names should be in Australian English, or Indigenous Australian languages only.

The ease of spelling, pronunciation and length of the name will be considered in this category.

Place names will be printed on to signs, maps and guides so the name should be easily written and read.

a) is the name in Australian English, or Indigenous Australian language?

b) is the name length suitable?*

c) is the name easy to pronounce?**

d) the name is not hyphenated (AS/NZA 4819:2011 Rural and Urban Addressing, S4,4,9)

e) the name does not contain abbreviations, initials or acronyms, or articles ('a' and 'the')

* For example, less than four words/ or 30-character limit

** Indigenous Australian naming suggestions may be exempt from this criterion.

Longevity

Names must endure the life of the infrastructure and have inter-generational significance.

Long-term benefits to the community must also outweigh any private or corporate interests, short-term effect, and the impact on the community in making the change.

If the name suggestion meets the mandatory selection criteria, it will then be assessed against the below merit-based criteria.

Sense of identity and link to the Cape York region

a) How well does the name build or reflect the identity of the Cape York region?

b) Would the name be easily recognisable as belonging to the Cape York area?

Character

a) How does the name reflect on the Cape York region?

b) Is it a positive representation of the community?

Cultural significance

a) How well does the name represent Cape York region culture? Consider local arts, customs and Indigenous heritage.

Historical significance

a) Does the name reflect or commemorate an important aspect of Cape York history?

b) How significant was this aspect in shaping the region we know today?

Any community member, group or organisation can make a submission. If a submission is made on behalf of a group or organisation, evidence the proposed name has been endorsed by the group or organisation is required. Contact details for 2 other members of the group must be provided.

Submissions by people under the age of 18, must be supported by a parent or guardian, with a signed letter attached as part of the supporting documentation.

Anonymous submissions

Submissions without a name and contact details for the person or group making the nomination will not be considered.

You may also be contacted during the assessment process to verify information provided in your nomination.

Individuals may make up to 5 naming suggestions.

If you have more than 1 name suggestion, please complete a separate submission for each name to aid in the assessment process. If you have previously contacted TMR with a naming recommendation, you will need to submit your naming suggestion via the formal process for it to be considered.

It is recommended you provide evidence to support your naming suggestion in relation to the selection criteria. Examples of suitable documents are council records, media articles, excerpts from books or brochures. You will be asked to upload all relevant documents at the end of your submission. If this documentation cannot be provided, you can attach supporting statements from 3 independent people or groups.

Please provide only copies of supporting material, and not original documents. All submissions become the property of TMR and will not be returned.

How TMR will handle your evidence

All contact details collected during the nomination process will be collected and stored in accordance with TMR's privacy policy.

The information provided to support your naming submission will be given to the committee and may also be shared with TMR and Ministerial staff during the assessment process. It may also be made public as part of the naming event, if successful.

Please provide only copies of supporting material, and not original documents.

All documentation received will be managed in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009

The naming submissions will be assessed by a voluntary committee made up of community members who have been chosen for their knowledge, experience and connections to community.

The committee will be governed by a Terms of Reference and be responsible for an unbiased review of the submissions in reference to the mandatory selection criteria.

The committee will make a recommendation of the successful name/s and shortlisted options to the relevant Minister who will ultimately name the infrastructure.

Once the name has been decided, TMR will contact all shortlisted applicants prior to the naming announcement.

As part of the announcement, you may be mentioned as the successful applicant and be approached for media interviews. Please advise in the additional information section if you do not wish to be identified as the successful applicant.