A PEAK history group believes a pioneering woman should be honoured at a new housing sub-division at Southend.
The Millicent-based South East Family History Group wants the main road at the new Lake Frome Estate to be named Christina Smith Drive after the woman who lived at Southend from 1846-1854.
History group president Noel Boyle said the group believed the road naming was a fitting honour for Ms Smith and would write to Wattle Range Council.
“She is deserving of it,” Mr Boyle said.
“She worked closely with the local Aboriginals called the Boandiks and later established a school to teach them.
“Christina Smith published a book about the Boandik people in 1880.
“Without the knowledge of Christina Smith, the customs and legends of the Boandiks may have been lost.
“The Millicent National Trust Museum also has some photographs of Christina Smith.”
According to Mr Boyle, the history group last lobbied council about a road name a few years ago.
A road near Lake McIntyre was named in 2017 in honour of Millicent’s first police officer Trooper Patrick Shiels.
Trooper Shiels was appointed on March 20, 1874 and served the district for almost 10 years.
Moves to honour Christina Smith in this way have come from her regional family descendants.
Since 2015, they have obtained the various regulatory approvals to subdivide a portion of their landholding which is chiefly occupied by grazing land.
They have created residential allotments, rural living blocks and rural (farming) allotments and some new roads are now in place.
One of the sealed roads has been gifted to the council by the developers and Rendelsham grazier Graeme Smith has asked for it to be named after his great, great grandmother.
In support of the submission, Mr Smith attached an article published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography that documents Christina Smith’s life and work in Southend and Mount Gambier.
His request was endorsed at the January council meeting at Millicent and the standard 28-day public consultation period now applies before a final decision is taken.
Council is also seeking feedback on two other unnamed roads and the closing date is February 27.
A new road is being constructed in the Burrungule area, located just off the intersection between Fartch Road and Princes Highway.
No name suggestions have been put forward for the roadway.
The third road is in the Wattle Range rural district located to the east of O’Neil’s Lane, directly opposite Cootes Road.
The adjacent landowners have suggested the road be named ‘J A Lane’ in memory of the deceased grandfather of the current property owners.
