The house of the meeting place in Taree.
The building that houses MidCoast Council's new Administration and Customer Service Centre on Biripi Way is named in Gathang, the language that binds all Aboriginal people across the MidCoast local government area.
- Yalawanyi means ‘sitting/meeting place’
- Ganya means ‘house’
So Yalawanyi Ganya is effectively the house of the meeting place.
The name was developed in close consultation with Gathang language holders, and was chosen because of the nature of the business in the building and the opportunity the building provides for the community to visit - through the customer service centre, Council Chambers, plus public spaces including The Junction Café and the art gallery.
The decision to use Gathang for the building name both honours the fact Council’s new administration and customer service centre is on Biripi Country, and is a tangible, visible commitment to reconciliation.
