Three bridges in the City of Wyndham have been officially named after prominent women who lived in the area, following a community bridge naming competition.
The road bridges over the railway line at Dohertys Road, Davis Road, and Leakes Road have been given the official names to help emergency services find them more easily.
VicTrack conducted an online public nomination process for the bridge names. The community was invited to nominate a name that would commemorate a local community member or event, and follow the criteria set out by the Registrar of Geographic Names Victoria.
The three bridges were built as part of the Regional Rail Link Project, and are of a similar design. The new names will make it easier for emergency services to identify the bridges in the event of an emergency.
The community was invited to nominate a name that would commemorate a local community member or event.
Mary Michelon Bridge
The bridge at Dohertys Road has been named Mary Michelon Bridge after a dedicated educator who devoted her life to teaching the children of Wyndham. While she worked for several schools, Mary had her greatest impact as director at Point Cook Kindergarten.
When she wasn’t teaching, Mary volunteered much of her time at Warringa Park Special School, St Mary's Werribee South, and Werribee Hospital. She was also a dedicated fundraiser for the Royal Children's Hospital and Kids Plus Foundation.
Dulcie Shanahan Bridge
The bridge at Leakes Road has been named Dulcie Shanahan Bridge. Dulcie, who passed away in 2010, was an active member of the Wyndham community. In 1997 she was awarded Citizen of the Year for Wyndham in recognition of her years of volunteer work for the local community.
Dulcie became a life member of the Hospital Ladies Auxiliary for her work raising funds for the Werribee District Hospital, volunteering at the St Andrews School fete, and starting the school’s tuck shop where she also worked.
Gwen Hames Bridge
The bridge at Davis Road has been named Gwen Hames Bridge. Gwen was a local historian, librarian and highly regarded community advocate who first settled in Hoppers Crossing in 1969. She was a well-known and respected historian who embodied the history of Werribee by joining many local groups and advocating for the preservation of local historic buildings.
To recognise her many years of dedicated work, she was presented with a letter of appreciation by Wyndham City Council and the Commonwealth Recognition Award for Senior Australians in 2000.
VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition
VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition allows communities to nominate names for their local bridges and vote for their favourite one from a shortlist. The competition is designed to find names for bridges so emergency services can locate them more easily.
A total of six bridges in the City of Wyndham have now been named through VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition Five bridges in Moorabool Shire have also been named under the competition.
- In 2019 the Tarneit Road bridge over the V/Line track near Tarneit Station was named John Sweeting Bridge.
- In 2022 The Ballan Road bridge was named George Scolaro Bridge and the bridge at Derrimut Road was named Nino Arrigo Bridge.
- Previously, VicTrack also named Ellis Bridge, in Huntly near Bendigo.
Three bridges in the City of Wyndham have been officially named after prominent women who lived in the area, following a community bridge naming competition.
The road bridges over the railway line at Dohertys Road, Davis Road, and Leakes Road have been given the official names to help emergency services find them more easily.
VicTrack conducted an online public nomination process for the bridge names. The community was invited to nominate a name that would commemorate a local community member or event, and follow the criteria set out by the Registrar of Geographic Names Victoria.
The three bridges were built as part of the Regional Rail Link Project, and are of a similar design. The new names will make it easier for emergency services to identify the bridges in the event of an emergency.
The community was invited to nominate a name that would commemorate a local community member or event.
Mary Michelon Bridge
The bridge at Dohertys Road has been named Mary Michelon Bridge after a dedicated educator who devoted her life to teaching the children of Wyndham. While she worked for several schools, Mary had her greatest impact as director at Point Cook Kindergarten.
When she wasn’t teaching, Mary volunteered much of her time at Warringa Park Special School, St Mary's Werribee South, and Werribee Hospital. She was also a dedicated fundraiser for the Royal Children's Hospital and Kids Plus Foundation.
Dulcie Shanahan Bridge
The bridge at Leakes Road has been named Dulcie Shanahan Bridge. Dulcie, who passed away in 2010, was an active member of the Wyndham community. In 1997 she was awarded Citizen of the Year for Wyndham in recognition of her years of volunteer work for the local community.
Dulcie became a life member of the Hospital Ladies Auxiliary for her work raising funds for the Werribee District Hospital, volunteering at the St Andrews School fete, and starting the school’s tuck shop where she also worked.
Gwen Hames Bridge
The bridge at Davis Road has been named Gwen Hames Bridge. Gwen was a local historian, librarian and highly regarded community advocate who first settled in Hoppers Crossing in 1969. She was a well-known and respected historian who embodied the history of Werribee by joining many local groups and advocating for the preservation of local historic buildings.
To recognise her many years of dedicated work, she was presented with a letter of appreciation by Wyndham City Council and the Commonwealth Recognition Award for Senior Australians in 2000.
VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition
VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition allows communities to nominate names for their local bridges and vote for their favourite one from a shortlist. The competition is designed to find names for bridges so emergency services can locate them more easily.
A total of six bridges in the City of Wyndham have now been named through VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition Five bridges in Moorabool Shire have also been named under the competition.
- In 2019 the Tarneit Road bridge over the V/Line track near Tarneit Station was named John Sweeting Bridge.
- In 2022 The Ballan Road bridge was named George Scolaro Bridge and the bridge at Derrimut Road was named Nino Arrigo Bridge.
- Previously, VicTrack also named Ellis Bridge, in Huntly near Bendigo.
