For over 15 years members of the community have sought to change the racist name of Jim Crow Creek with the abhorrent terrors behind the name.  Having it replaced with indigenous titles.

Colonials used this name to degrade and commit heinous acts.  Not only was it an American form of racism but prior to the Jim Crow. The term 'Crow Jim' is a very racist name. It refers to a song in 1828 that was done in blackface by white minstrel performer Thomas Dartmouth "Daddy" Rice. Laws was a sad system of denigration.  Jim Crow has been seen as racist all around the world, including in our State of Vic.  

The creek is situated in a township known as Franklinford near Daylesford on Dja Dja Wurrung country. The creek marked the boundary where the old government Aboriginal protectorate mission was established in 1840s-1867. Many families lived on this mission as a permanent residents when removed forcibly from their lands for assimilation into European/religious reasons. The creek use to be called 'Black Protectorates Creek

The creek was named Jim Crow because it flowed near the volcanoe known as Jim Crow Hill but better known as 'Mount Franklin' or Lalgambuk. The hill and creek was named after a very racist murderous squatter. “When the creek got named, the old people were labelled Jim Crow Natives, Tribe or Jim Crow Blacks.” The Djaara were not allowed to cross the river & using this name enforced the racial fear, many families have reported that if they did cross they were murdered. 

Hepburn Shire Council & Mt Alexander Shire need to implement purposeful, transparent referrals to all agencies that cover our Shire.  Specific inclusion of giving indigenous names to geographical features or places that do not already have a official or assigned name; ensuring provision for replacing existing place names that are racially or historically offensive to Indigenous people; giving additional indigenous names to features that already have official names.  How long will we wait for DUAL SIGNAGE? . So many other LGA areas are proactive and have it completed. When we walk amongst our Shire, their are many historical notice boards but none include the previous histories, for eg. Sailors Falls. A minor mention of Dja Dja Wurrung been traditional owners but indigenous history.  This is concurrent all over our shire. 

Signage for historical significance & remembrance for example the genocide at Larnebaramul for acknowledgement and importance of pre white settlement is necessary.  There are many song lines from prominent families that can educate us. Historical signage for the protectorate and massacre sites should also be displayed for education and remembrance for all people & history, not just colonial history.   The Shire is full of colony landmarks, where is the respect to those who lived prior to this. Parker has his huge monuments  but what about the local clans that lived, farmed, thrived in their lands prior?  Working with other Departments to get this completed should be a priority.  The sadness at our local Protectorate, the deaths, the burials, the child deaths, the true history needs to be told, listened to & felt. Let us all move forward together. 

In HSC Reconciliation Action Plan, one  of your Actions (Action 7) is working with the Dja Dja Wurrung Traditional Owners on developing potential sites for co-naming and locations to increase signage acknowledging Traditional Owners across the Shire.  Dual signage falls under the Councils authority.  Let’s start with Lalgambook and Larnebaramul.  Traditional owner groups have identified these and given consent. Many submissions have been made. This is challenging, allowing everyone to have their say but so many resolutions have happended.

On the 28 March 2013, the Victorian Government and the Dja Dja Wurrung people reached a landmark native title settlement that formally recognises the Dja Dja Wurrung people as the traditional owners of lands in central Victoria. The settlement under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (Vic) was formally signed by the State Government and representatives of the Dja Dja Wurrung people. Years later are still attempting to gain recognition with our Shire

From The Courier, 
”Chief Executive Officer of the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Clans Corporation, Rodney Carter, said it would not only be valuable to his people to have the creek re-named with a name or a word associated with Dja Dja Wurrung language, but it would also be a positive step forward for the wider community.It sets the standard for how we can put language back into landscape which is good for identity and reinforces individuality of community.Rodney Carter" It is also about guardianship, custodianship and setting good examples in leadership."The Dja Dja Wurrung were officially given back their land - which spans from near Creswick across to Woodend, up to Rochester and across to Donald - from the state government in 2013 after a landmark native title settlement formally recognised them as the traditional owners. The whole Daylesford area, Mr Carter said, tells a unique story of resilience and survival but also of oppression."Even the geology and the idea of volcanic type events taking place when Dja Dja Wurrung people were present in the landscape. They talk about the argument between Lulgambook (Mt Franklin) and Tarrengower in their own stories which was really them seeing geological events taking place and crafting an appropriate narrative around it to be used as an education tool," he said.“

Using Indigenous and dual names is an important way to progress reconciliation between all people and would show that Council, DELWP & other partners are committed to broadening the community’s understanding of our rich Dja Dja Wurrung history in the Hepburn Shire.  All parties should find a prompt way to protect surviving heritage elements of the area.  Change the name & update the signage!