At this week's October monthly ordinary meeting, MidCoast Council councillors voted unanimously to name the administration and customer service centre to honour Aboriginal culture and as a sign of council's commitment to reconciliation.

MidCoast Council staff has been working in conjunction with Gathang language holders for several months on a suitable name for the building, which opens in January 2021.

The name Yalawanyi Gunyah - which means sitting or meeting place - is significant because of the nature of the business that will occur in the building and the opportunity the building provides for the community to visit, MidCoast Council mayor, David West said.

"Within the community area of the building there will be a café, council chambers, gallery space and customer service space providing numerous opportunities for interaction with our community," Cr West said.

"This decision is a tangible, visible commitment to how important reconciliation is to us as an organisation."

Gathang language holder, Jay Davis said the decision to honour language was significant given how integral language was to country and the knowledge of country that was embedded in the Gathang language.

"This decision, and the unity it represents, is monumental for our community at this point in time," Mr Davis said.

"We are so proud that our language is going to be sitting so prominently at the entrance to our town."

https://youtu.be/eOMIY1QcfSg

Council's commitment to honouring Aboriginal culture in the building also includes the incorporation of Aboriginal art and story-telling into the building design.

The work of two proud Biripi women has been selected to inspire a number of design elements in the building - you can learn more about the work of Raechel Saunders and Brittany Cochrane and how it will appear in the building here https://youtu.be/VLHbi4fa3Xw.

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