City crane gets a name

THE crane helping to build a $140 million redevelopment of Geelong Arts Centre now has a name which acknowledges the region’s Indigenous heritage.

The arts centre has christened the 50-metre structure as Moorpanyul, which translated to ‘white crane’ in the Wadawurrung language.

Torquay resident Nicole Roache proposed the winning entry from nearly 400 community submissions during a naming contest in September.

Commended suggestions included Craney McCraneface after a notorious British tug boat, Frasier Crane for the ’90s sitcom character, Cran-ye West as a nod to the famous rapper and Max Gawn, Melbourne’s AFL premiership captain.

Moorpanyul is in Geelong’s skyline to build the Little Malop Street redevelopment of the city’s arts precinct. Project officers expect construction to finish in 2023.

Geelong Arts Centre CEO and creative director Joel McGuiness said the crane’s new name drew on creativity from the local community while ensuring a sense of belonging and cultural safety.

“The Little Malop Street redevelopment site stands on land that has long been a significant site for gathering, belonging and storytelling for the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation, and we believe the name ‘Moorpanyul’ beautifully intertwines the rich history of First Nations culture on this site with the developments of the present day,” he said.