A park in Perth's northern suburbs has been officially renamed following a years-long debate over its original name, which was deemed racist. The City of Joondalup council voted to change Blackboy Park in Mullaloo to Koolyanga Park, after an adjoining street with an Indigenous name.
The renaming process cost the council $26,000, which included community consultation, engagement with First Nations groups, and approval from Landgate, the state's land titles registry. The council will now install new signage reflecting the park's updated name.
Joondalup Mayor Daniel Kingston said the former name was no longer considered appropriate, noting the cultural importance of Aboriginal language in the area. 'Council first raised this matter in 2019 and since then the City has undertaken a careful process to identify a suitable replacement,' Mr Kingston said. 'Koolyanga Park represents a respectful and locally meaningful choice, and is a name our community can be proud of.'
The original name, Blackboy, referred to the Xanthorrhoea plant species common in the area. However, some community members argued the term was offensive, outdated, derogatory, and racist. Community consultation in 2025 showed majority support for the change.
