The iconic South Fremantle Power Station is a great divide in North Coogee, which locals want to split into two new suburbs.
Camera IconThe iconic South Fremantle Power Station is a great divide in North Coogee, which locals want to split into two new suburbs. Credit: Mogens Johansen/The West Australian

North Coogee locals continue to fight for name change as council supports ‘Catherine Point’

Gabrielle Becerra MelletPerthNow - Cockburn

Catherine Point has emerged as the new name of choice for some in the suburb of North Coogee after a previous attempt to rename it South Beach failed.

The City of Cockburn has backed a proposal to split North Coogee and for the northern half to be renamed Catherine Point.

A bid by the Catherine Point Community Group — previously known as the South Beach Community Group — for the South Beach name was rejected by the Geographic Names Committee and Landgate last year.

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The State Government body baulked at the proposal to rename North Coogee to South Beach, but at the same time showed support for the area south of the old South Fremantle Power Station to become Port Coogee.

At a December 14 Cockburn council meeting, the community group returned with a new proposal and name.

CPCG representative Neil Chamberlain said Catherine Point had been “well received” and “understood” by the community.

“Catherine Point is a significant nautical and geographical coastal landmark going back to the 1870s,” he said at the meeting.

“Our community group recognises that North Coogee has not gained traction among the residential areas we represent ... we struggle to define where we are.

“If we say we live in North Coogee, it’s assumed to be in Port Coogee. If we say we live in South Beach, it’s assumed we live in South Fremantle.”

Mr Chamberlain said there was a “compelling need” for the name change and asked the submission to Landgate be expedited.

Group members also said the name North Coogee has no “geographical significance” as the name was taken from the Coogee Lake, some 4.5km south of the proposed Catherine Point area.

Mr Chamberlain previously told PerthNow the group was committed to finding the right name.

“It’s really out of the frustration of having a lack of physical identity or association with the area named as North Coogee,” he said.

The Cockburn council voted 5-3 to support the new name and will send a submission to Landgate for consideration and, subject to support, public consultation.


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