Renaming duplicate street names
Have your say!
This community consultation has now closed.
JOHN STREET, COOKTOWN
(near the cemetery)
BROWN STREET, COOKTOWN
(Keatings Lagoon)
IDA STREET, MARTON
(To the boat ramp)
Cook Shire Council is inviting community members to participate in the renaming of three streets within our region:
These streets have been identified for renaming due to duplication of existing street names within our region, which can cause confusion for emergency services, and navigation systems. Unique street names are essential to supporting public safety, emergency response times, and service delivery accuracy.
John Street, Cooktown (near cemetery)
Brown Street, Cooktown (Keatings Lagoon)
Ida Street, Marton (to boat ramp)
Why we are renaming these streets
Street name duplication—particularly within close geographical areas—can lead to delays in emergency response, misdirected delivery, and general confusion for residents, visitors, and service providers. The renaming of these streets will help ensure consistency with national addressing standards and improve clarity across critical services.
How you can get involved
We are now calling on local residents, community groups, and other stakeholders to contribute their ideas for new street names. We’re looking for names that are meaningful, culturally respectful, and enduring—names that celebrate our region’s unique history, people, places, flora, fauna, and identity.
Submissions can be made via the online submission form.
Submissions must be made online .
Submissions close at 9AM on Monday 11 August 2025.
No late submissions will be accepted.
What happens then?
All valid submissions will be assessed against the relevant criteria and presented to Council for consideration. A final decision on the new street names will be made at an Ordinary Council Meeting in coming months. The selected names will be announced via Council’s website, social media channels, and local media outlets.
Things to remember when making your submission
You may nominate names under categories such as:
- Historical references
- Cultural or heritage significance
- Notable people or groups (note: deceased individuals only, with appropriate permissions)
- Locality-based names
- Native flora or fauna
- Other names with strong links to Cook Shire
To guide your submission, please refer to Council’s Naming of Road Assets Policy and accompanying Naming of Road Assets Procedure, which outline the criteria, principles, and process used to assess and determine street names.
Before completing your submission, please have the following information ready:
- A brief explanation of your name suggestion and why it’s appropriate
- Information on how long the name has been known or used in the region
- (If applicable) details about the person or group being commemorated:
- Confirmation they are deceased (must be at least 2 years)
- Consent from surviving family members (if applicable)
- Background, contributions to Cook Shire, and any official recognitions
To strengthen your submission, you may also upload supporting documents such as news articles, Council minutes, or historical references.
Thank you
Your voice plays an important role in shaping the identity and functionality of our region. Thank you for contributing to this important process and helping us ensure that our road network reflects the history, culture, and community of Cook Shire.