Council keeps the Kempsey name while still representing the Macleay
Published on 16 February 2021
Our shire will remain Kempsey Shire following a decision this week that embraces the term Macleay Valley while retaining the popular Kempsey name.
On Tuesday Kempsey Shire Council brought an end to a conversation that has lasted for the best part of two decades, as the ordinary meeting of Council voted unanimously to adopt a recommendation that no further action be taken on the Renaming the Shire project.
The decision was made in response to the results of market research conducted by Micromex Research in November. As part of the broader biannual community engagement survey, Micromex included questions regarding the potential name change which remained an action in the Delivery Program adopted by the current Councillors at the start of their term.
The survey indicated a clear lack of widespread support for a name change at this time.
Kempsey Shire Mayor, Liz Campbell, said she was delighted with the passion the community had shown for the existing name.
“Ours is a shire that covers a vast diversity of natural beauty, of incredible people and fascinating histories and to try and represent all of that in one name is an impossible task,” said Cr Campbell.
“So we asked the question, and the answer was clear: For the majority of our residents, this is Kempsey Shire, and so it will remain.
“A place can have many names though. This is, and has always been, Dunghutti and Thungutti land. It is also the Macleay Valley. All these names have great resonance for our community and will continue to describe our home, and Council will always represent everyone in the shire.”
The Kempsey name dates back to Enoch William Rudder who moved to the area in 1835 and felt it reminded him of the valley of Kempsey in Worcestershire, England. In 1886, the borough of Kempsey was proclaimed. In 1975 the Kempsey Municipal Council and the Macleay Shire Council amalgamated to form Kempsey Shire Council, which embraces the entire Macleay district.
The renaming issue has a long history, formally dating back to a past Mayor’s Supplementary report in December 2004. In 2005 and 2009, Council undertook community surveys to canvas various options including “Macleay Valley Shire Council”, “Macleay Valley Council” and “Macleay Valley Coast Council”. The 2009 survey returned positive support for a change of name, but no further action was taken at the time.
The decision not to change the name of the shire will not impact the continued use of alternative references by Council to the broader geographic area, such as the Macleay Valley Coast Holiday Parks or the Macleay Valley Food Bowl.