A new station named after traditional Aboriginal owners has been unveiled, but the decision has divided locals.
The yet-to-be-built metro station in Sydney has been officially named “Gadigal Railway Station” by the New South Wales state government and was announced on Wednesday.
The station, which will be built by 2024, recognizes the Gadigal people, Aboriginal owners of the land known as today’s Sydney CBD.
A new yet-to-be-built metro station in Sydney has been officially named ‘Gadigal Railway Station’ (pictured) by the New South Wales state government.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns took to Twitter on Thursday evening to confirm the naming which he said recognized Sydney’s Indigenous heritage.
“Welcome to Gadigal Station – coming in 2024,” Mr Minns wrote.
“We are proud to announce that the new Sydney Metro station will be named after the traditional custodians of the land – the Gadigal people.”
The station, located beneath Pitt, Park and Bathurst streets in the heart of the city, has received overwhelming support to be named after its traditional owners.
The name ends the dispute over what to name the $500 million infrastructure that is part of the $21.6 billion Sydney Metro City and Southwest project.
The premier’s social media post was flooded with hundreds of comments from users who approved of the name given to the station.
“Excellent choice of station name.” “Well done,” one user wrote.
“It’s about time,” wrote another.
‘To like!’
The station (pictured), which will be completed in 2024, has received overwhelming support to be named after its traditional owners.
Others, however, expressed opposition to the move, which some called a form of “virtue signaling.”
“I will never call this station by that ridiculous, virtue-signalling name. For me it will be Pitt St. (sic) station,” one user said.
“More virtue signaling nonsense from a party that specializes in virtue signaling nonsense,” said another.
“Nice station, crappy name.”
The Sydney Metro City and Southwest is a 30 kilometer underground railway project that will connect North Sydney, the Sydney CBD, the inner west and parts of the western suburbs.
Tube stations are planned to be built at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street, Waterloo and several other Central Station tube stations.
Commuters could get from Gadigal station to Crows Nest in less than ten minutes, while journeys to Chatswood and Sydenham would take well under 15 minutes, with trains expected to run every four minutes.
Gadigal station (pictured) will be part of several metro stations to be built in Sydney’s CBD, including Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo and Martin Place.
The Sydenham and Chatswood lines will form a rail link spanning 16.5 kilometers between the two suburbs.
The key element of the project is Sydney Metro West, which will also speed up travel times between western Sydney and the CBD.
The service will also connect Western Sydney International Airport to Badgerys Creek.
The Sydney Metro Northwest is the only metro project that has been opened so far after rail services began operating from May 2019.
The Gadigal station announcement comes after Australians overwhelmingly rejected the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Every state and territory votes no to constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.
