The 4.2km road is under construction between Baldivis Road and Mandurah Road, and the council is also planning to rename the 0.6km stretch between the Kwinana Freeway and Baldivis Road.
According to a document presented to councillors at Monday’s community development meeting, Kulija is a Nyungar word which means ‘in relation to the penguin, the one that is linked to and travels about this site’.
Through consultation in the development of the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan, there was feedback from Aboriginal people of not feeling connected with Rockingham, largely due to the lack of recognition from the city. This has been cited as one reason for giving the road a name with indigenous meaning.
The report provided 15 different options ” including retaining the Mundijong Road moniker ” with some tongue-twisters including Goordooboodjur, Derbal Nara and Manyinee up for consideration.
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READ NOWShort-listed contenders included Kulija ” pronounced ‘Kul-i-ja’, Manyinee ” a Nyungar place name which refers to a meeting place of seals and Kearla, which means porpoise.
Officers recommended that the council endorse the Nyungar word Kulija for its association with the word penguin, ‘which has a unique sense of identity and relevance to Rockingham’.
If the council endorses the name at an upcoming meeting of the council, the city will then seek approval to use the name from the Geographic Names Committee.