Roebourne Residents Push to Rename Streets

0:00Here's more Sydney news from March 11, and the remote Pillbarra town of Roborn, about 1,600 kilometers north of Perth, some residents are pushing to rename streets, honoring colonial figures tied to violence against First Nations people. The town, home to around 1,000 people, with 73% identifying as indigenous, has rose like with no street and show street. Named after men involved in the 1868 flying foam massacre, were 30 to 50 Yabbarara people that massacre started after a flower theft led to a police killing and retaliatory hunts ordered by Robert Shull, the area's first government resident, with pastoralist John Withno leading one party. The town itself is named for John Septimus Roe, linked to another massacre further south, even though he never visited the region. Community members have mixed feelings on the names. Some, like leaders from the Engar Lumayanji Barney Foundation, see them as reminders of ongoing trauma in a place facing big social challenges.

1:01Others argue they should state to teach younger generations about the past. Recently, the foundation submitted a plan to the city of Karatha for renaming discussions, stressing it needs real reconciliation steps too, not just. Name changes. Traditional owners know growing support for shifts that honor local history better. Meanwhile, city leaders are open to talks as they draft their first reconciliation action plan this year. They point to other spots in Western Australia, like dual names for landmarks or a lake reclaiming its traditional name as ways forward guided by community input. This episode is proudly sponsored by our partner. Your favorite podcasts, music, or sleep sounds coming from your pillow, no earbuds, no distractions, just listen and relax, solypillow.com