WIRADJURI elders would like to see the name of Albury's QEII Square changed to reflect the city's Indigenous heritage.
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A group of around ten has conveyed that message to Albury Council in feedback on a masterplan for the area which was named for Queen Elizabeth II to coincide with her visit to the city in 1988.
Albury councillor Graham Docksey has also floated the idea of altering the name after the Queen dies.
Aunty Edna Stewart and Uncle Tunney Murray both said they wanted to bring the wider population with them in pursuing a switch for the square which has also been badged Market, Dean or Civic at different times.
"We'd like to involve the community because we don't just want to go ahead and say 'we want the name change', I'd rather it be all of us," Aunty Edna said.
Uncle Tunney said with a laugh that it was important to have broad support so "it doesn't look like we're taking over".
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He suggested it also be canvassed among school children who could propose English names that could be translated into Wiradjuri language for use as a title.
"I'd like to hear what the schools and the community come up with," Uncle Tunney said when asked if he had some suggestions.
"It all depends on what people say, it's people power.
"I'm only one, Aunty Edna's only one, you're only one and the council's only one."
Cr Docksey told Monday's council meeting, amid debate on the masterplan, that the monarch's death could trigger a new name.
"Perhaps it's time, when the Queen passes on, that we then go back to the Indigenous community and take their input in relation to the renaming of the square," Cr Docksey said.
A non-Indigenous Albury republican Liz Kuisma told the council she would like the QEII moniker dropped and the name Civic restored or a local pioneer honoured.
"I was always pretty annoyed it was changed when the Queen visited because the council was sucking up," Ms Kuisma told The Border Mail, adding she had no objection to a Wiradjuri name.
"I think it was really inappropriate to call it QEII.
"Why not take the opportunity to right a wrong?"
Lavington philanthropist Mary Callaway, who funded Indigenous artworks at Wonga Wetlands, told the council in a public forum on Monday night she would like to undertake similar work as part of a revamp of QEII Square.
She said she had spoken to elder Liz Heta and Aboriginal artist Treahna Hamm about her submission and they had given her preliminary support.
Mrs Callaway told councillors that times had changed and "we need to do justice" to our Indigenous heritage in the square and a water feature may fit that bill.
