Community feedback sought on new name for Vickers Street Community Hub

Residents are invited to have their say on Sebastopol’s new community hub being officially named the ‘Vickers Street Community Hub’.

The transformational community facility is nearing completion, with an officially registered name now being considered for its expected opening in January 2026.

Throughout the project period, the facility has been given the interim name of Sebastopol Community Hub.

However, the naming of the facility must be compliant and requires approval from Geographic Names Victoria.

The City of Ballarat is proposing to name the facility the Vickers Street Community Hub, with the adjoining educational facility to be known as the Vickers Street Kindergarten.

Community consultation is now being undertaken to determine the community’s feedback on the proposed new name.

Why can’t it be named the Sebastopol Community Hub?

All names must comply with the Naming Rules for Places in Victoria, as set by Geographic Names Victoria, before being approved and registered.

Advice from Geographic Names Victoria is that there is potential for confusion given there are multiple existing facilities in the suburb that already include Sebastopol in their names. This includes the ‘Ballarat South Community Hub, Sebastopol’ and the ‘Sebastopol South Kindergarten’.

This level of repetition can cause confusion for emergency services and the public, potentially leading to safety issues.

To ensure clarity and compliance, names must be distinctive, while still being locationally relevant.

The Vickers Street name is proposed as it resonates with the location and is unique to other facilities in Sebastopol.

The Vickers Street Community Hub and the Vickers Street Kindergarten would have different registered names, as they are separate facilities sharing the same building.

Community consultation  

Community consultation is now open and closes 5pm, Monday 8 September, 2025. Residents can view the proposal and make submissions online at the City of Ballarat's MySay page.

Submissions can also be made in writing, marked as NP246: Naming of the new community hub and kindergarten in Sebastopol and mailed to: The Naming Officer, Property and Facilities, City of Ballarat, PO Box 655, Ballarat 3353 or emailed to info@ballarat.vic.gov.au.

Hard copies of the naming proposal will also be made available at Sebastopol Library and Phoenix Customer Service Centre.

All feedback gathered through the consultation period will be used towards a recommendation going to Ballarat City Council later this year.

Once a proposed name has been adopted by Council, it will be sent to Geographic Names Victoria for approval and registration. 

For more information about the construction, visit the Sebastopol Community Hub (interim name) project page.