The Wodonga Place Names Advisory Committee presents park names to the council to endorse for naming consideration within the Wodonga area to better identify the location, in case of an emergency, and to commemorate the park with a person that has made a significant contribution to Wodonga.
The names have been gazetted with a history of the commemoration available to the public on VICNAMES - the register of Geographic Names website.
The developer of the Riverside Estate has submitted a proposal to the PNC to consider naming the open space located at the entry to the Riverside Estate, at the intersection of the Murray Valley Highway, Riverside Boulevard and Klim Street, Butko Park.
The PNC has proposed to name the open space Butko Park.
Olexa and Helene Butko were refugees from Ukraine during World War II. They were in labor camps in German-occupied Poland in 1942. After escaping on foot to Austria, then Switzerland and Italy with two children, they boarded the ship “Wooster Victoria” bound for Australia. In 1949, the family stayed in Bonegilla for a month, then the women and children were sent to Uranquinty. Later, they built a house in Killara from waste timber and handmade mud bricks. They planted fruit trees and bred animals to provide food. They had three children and lived the remainder of their lives in Albury-Wodonga.
The Naming Rules for places in Victoria – Statutory requirements for naming roads, features and locations (2016) document is the result of extensive stakeholder consultation and emphasises the important role naming rules have under the Geographic Places Names Act 1998.
The rules advise naming authorities the immediate and extended community should be consulted when naming features. Family members of listed nomineed are consulted as part of the process.
For information on the naming rules, click here.
