The City of Western Port - the name that never became

Cranbourne local government began as the Cranbourne Road District in 1860 and then became Cranbourne Shire in 1868.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Cranbourne

The original Cranbourne Shire Offices, on the corner of High and Sladen Streets

In 1994, Cranbourne Shire was moving towards gaining City status and as part of the process, a new name was being explored.

The first indication of the preferred name was reported in various newspaper articles, including in the Berwick Journal 12 October 1992.  In the article “Cranbourne to become a city” it was announced that the Shire of Cranbourne was to become a City on it’s 125^th anniversary in 1993. 

The name chosen for the new City Council was the City of Western Port. Cranbourne Shire Chief Executive Officer – Terry Vickerman - was reported as saying that the name was chosen to “….reflect the geographic location of the municipality rather than the present name which focused on one major town.”

In that same article, Mr Vickerman said “Council also seeks the views of surrounding councils, particularly in relating to the choice of name because neighbouring councils also have an affinity with Western Port.  Indeed some, like Cranbourne, have an actual frontage to Western Port.”

The support of Berwick Council to the new name was reported in that same article, as Council having “no objection" to the Shire of Cranbourne being named City of Western Port.

But this was no happily ever after.

In Berwick Journal of 19 October 1992, in the article “Dandenong unhappy with name choice”.
“Dandenong does not favour the name Western Port being used by Cranbourne Shire…….  Dandenong said that while it did not wish to interfere with what was a local issue, the name Western Port was already used to describe the region.”

In that same edition, in the article “Name change would be a ‘slap in the face’.”  Springvale Councillor Graeme Duggan was quoted as saying “The term Western Port refers to the whole region and I fear a name change would mean it would refer only to Cranbourne in future.  Cranbourne is a name residents should be proud of as it indicates a municipality that has a long history.”  Springvale Council was reported as having opposed the change.”

In the Cranbourne Independent of 11^th November 1992 article “It’s a no go for Western Port”, it was reported that Flinders Council and the Shires of Bass and Hastings also objected to the proposed name change.  Hastings Council reported that they had “previously considered changing its own name to Western Port” and that it felt “other councils which bordered the Western Port foreshore would see the move as “un-neighbourly.”

The protests were taken on board by the Shire of Cranbourne, as the decision was made to retain the Cranbourne name.  In the booklet released for the Proclamation of the City of Cranbourne, it was reported that Cranbourne Shire did celebrate its 125^th anniversary, but instead of with a name change, it celebrate by having an official opening of the Municipal Offices by the then Premier Jeff Kennett, on 24 February 1993.

Postcard released to celebrate the Shire of Cranbourne's 150th anniversary

Instead, the City of Cranbourne was officially proclaimed at the still relatively new Council Offices, by the then Governor of Victoria Sir Richard McGarvie, on Friday 22^nd April 1994.

City of Cranbourne logo

 

City of Cranbourne Coat of Arms

       

The City of Cranbourne had no time to settle in however, as on 15 December 1994, it was abolished and split into six portions, the largest part of which was merged with the City of Berwick to become the City of Casey.

Michelle McLean

For more of the history of the Shire of Cranbourne, please visit “Cranbourne Shire Sesquicentenary”.