Lake Monger officially reinstates Whadjuk Noongar name, Galup, after Geographic Names Committee endorsement

West Australian

17-06-2025

Lake Monger's Whadjuk Noongar name, Galup, has officially been reinstated following formal endorsement by the State's Geographic Names Committee.
On Tuesday, the Town announced the popular Wembley waterway will now be known as Galup after it was endorsed by the independent advisory body to Landgate and the Minister for Lands John Carey.
Despite Cambridge council voting on a five-year transition to the name 'Galup (Lake Monger)'' in August, the Committee determined that the a transition period was unnecessary.
'Galup–Lake Monger will likely be used interchangeably by the community in the near future,' a Town spokesperson said.
Meaning 'place where the home fires burn', the final endorsement of the Indigenous name is a step forward in the Town's reconciliation and recognition of Whadjuk Noongar people and culture.
Whadjuk Noongar Elder Glenda Kickett said the change led by the Town of Cambridge is a positive step in the journey to reconciliation.
'The time is right, and it's significant for our people, so I think it is a great model for other areas and other councils to follow,' she said.
'But I'd like to see the State Government and also Federal Government take more of a lead in with these sort of things, where First Nations, cultures and languages and places of significance are recognised and acknowledged in the forefront, not at the back.'
For thousands of years, Galup was home to Whadjuk Noongar families, where they raised and nurtured communities for countless generations prior to British settlement.
It is believed between 30 and 40 Noongar people were killed at the site in 1830.
'We have a long, continuous connection and history to those places that have only been disconnected since colonisation,' Mrs Kickett said. 'So it's important to acknowledge those places and acknowledge the First Peoples that lived in those places, and sustain those places.'
Cambridge mayor Gary Mack said the name restoration reflects the Town's respect for Whadjuk Noongar heritage and the importance of place names in preserving cultural identity.
'This is a proud and meaningful moment for our community,' he said.
'The name Galup holds deep cultural significance. By formally recognising it, we acknowledge the enduring connection of Whadjuk Noongar people to this land and take another step forward on our reconciliation journey.'