Changing a place name may be annoying, but it is also not inconsequential; in Australia, it is a subtle attempt at exerting authority, often followed by a bill for ‘reparations’. If we follow the trans-Tasman trend, the activist level will increase, encouraged by every little concession – they would like to change New Zealand’s official name to Aoteroa!

As floods from the north, from Cyclone Alfred, accumulate in Lake Eyre in 2025, its cultural significance has surfaced, along with its traditional name of Kati Thanda. The virtue-signalling South Australian Government Department of Environment and Wildlife, based in Tarntanya (Adelaide), has just introduced a ban on walking, driving, or boating (for two decades, there has been an intermittent boat club on the lake) without permission from traditional owners, the Arabana Corporation. Flying over the lake, another national park, is so far, acceptable. There are also plans to limit oil and gas exploration in the Queensland portion of the lake. Australian activism is already going well; Fraser Island, named after the captain of the ship, Stirling Castle, which ran aground there in 1836, was changed to the unpronounceable K’gari in 2023. The title to increasing parts of the island has been handed by Parks and Wildlife to the local traditional owners.

Ayers Rock was named after Henry Ayers, Chief of South Australia, in 1873; title to the rock was handed over by Bob Hawke in 1985. Controversially, with its renaming as Uluru, climbing the rock was banned in 2019, with fines of up to $10,000. Another adjacent rock formation, the bigger Mount Conner, has so far retained its name, its Aboriginal alternative is Artilla; for the moment, this can still be climbed, helicopters can even land on it!

Access restriction is now planned for the internationally renowned climbing Mecca of Mount Arapiles, named in 1936 for some reason after hills in Salamanca, Spain by the New South Wales surveyor-general. Its traditional name is Djurite, but it has not officially changed, yet. There is much ongoing controversy between the parks management and the local community, about climbing bans, with traditional owners, so far, having sway.

Mount Panorama, home of the Bathurst 1000 car race, was under threat, after the ashes of an elder were scattered there. This has now become a place of ‘deep cultural significance’, where young men’s initiation ceremonies were apparently carried out. Is it about to become Wahluu?

Mount Warning, seen from the sea and named by Captain Cook in his travels and located now in the Wollumbin National Park, is yet another site of Aboriginal cultural significance. During Covid, it was closed to walkers and is yet to reopen. There are concerns that supposed sacred sites may produce a permanent closure. As is the case with other sites, Mount Warning is the subject of conflicting Aboriginal claims, from vested interests.

We have learned nothing from previous spurious claims of sacred sites; perhaps the infamous Hindmarsh Island Aboriginal claim, (now renamed Kumaranjka), from the 1990s, will be reviewed. Initially accepted by the Labor government, a conclusion was that ‘secret women’s business’ was a fabrication.

Across the ditch, the Mount Fuji look-alike, 2,500-metre, dormant volcano, known as Egmont, was named after the first Lord of the Admiralty by Captain Cook in 1770, after his now infamous ‘colonising’ visit to Australia. In 2020 it was renamed Taranaki Maunga. As in Australia, a raft of place name changes has caused confusion to travellers and tourists alike.

In traditional history, Taranaki was expelled from the family of volcanoes, still active in the centre of the North Island, including Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe; it is believed it will one day return to the family. The story of Taranaki has not yet been compounded by climbing bans; having been to the snow-covered summit, I can confirm heat is still emanating from below and it may well erupt once more, as it returns home!

Maori activism is advancing, setting new standards for Australia. The mountain ‘has been released from the shackles of injustice, ignorance and hate’ and has been given the legal rights of a person, by parliament, a literal ‘man-mountain’; legislation was originally enacted in 2014. This is, so far, the third area granted legal personhood, with a river and a national park preceding it. An eight-member entity, no doubt taxpayer-funded, has been tasked with maintaining its health and welfare; one wonders what welfare entitlements it will claim? What will the committee’s role be in the event of an eruption?

Australian activists will, no doubt, learn from this scam, making similar claims for personhood for local landmarks and mythical entities. The failed case of the Environmental Defenders Office, against a Santos gas field development, may have had more success if the rainbow serpent or crocodile man, of confected songlines, had been given personhood. A gold mine development, has, so far, been prevented, with a fictitious blue-banded bee Dreaming story; at least blue-banded bees do exist and do not need personhood!

Darwin is currently back in the news; with the Labor government (very quietly) suggesting we should take back control of the port from the Chinese (i.e. government-controlled) company running it. Its strategic importance is beyond doubt and only kowtowing allows it to remain in foreign ownership. Perhaps the solution is to change its name; the original area was known as Garramilla, the Chinese can have Darwin and we can have Garramilla!

The latest development is with Apple Maps, which has decided to include Aboriginal names, as well as European; Sydney Cove becomes Warrane, Mount Wellington in Hobart becomes Nipaluna, Melbourne is also known as Naarm, Perth becomes Boorloo, Sydney is part of the Eora Nation, Canberra is better known as Ngambri, the list goes on. At least we have received this ‘empowerment’ before New Zealand, they are next up for name changes on Apple Maps. Interestingly, Google Maps has agreed to change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

With each change, Aboriginal activists, most of whom are of majority European ancestry, increase their demands. Despite the failure of the Voice to parliament referendum, several states have progressed their own woke equivalents, giving advantage to this minority; the three per cent who claim some ancestry, have already been given around half the country. We have, yet again, witnessed the ongoing division of our society with, on Australia Day, protest marches and flags demanding separation; this must end, changing names is not progress.

With Labor back in charge again, there is little chance new legislation will make all Australians equal; as in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, some will continue to be more equal than others.