About the Geographical Names Board

Learn about how and why we assign place names, and meet the board members.

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About us

The Geographical Names Board (GNB) is governed by the Geographical Names Act 1966 and recognises the importance of unambiguous and official place names. The GNB has a statutory responsibility to establish, update, preserve and publicise place naming in NSW.

Place names reflect the relationship between people and place and create a link that forms the basis for communication, location and addressing. Authoritative place names are essential for emergency services, postal and service delivery as well as professional and personal navigation.

Since its establishment in 1966, the GNB has officially recorded more than 65,000 place names for geographical features such as rivers and mountains, suburbs, railway stations and reserves. 

Our mission

To provide NSW with expert, customer centric services that are easy, fair, accessible, transparent and empathetic.

To create enduring, fit for purpose, community driven place naming, through open and transparent practices and procedures, that reflects contemporary Australia; our diversity, history, identity and values.

What we do

As set out in the Act, the GNB has the following powers and functions:

  • assign names to places
  • approve that a recorded name of a place will be its geographical name
  • alter a recorded name or a geographical name
  • determine whether the use of a recorded name or a geographical name will be discontinued
  • adopt rules of orthography (spelling), nomenclature (naming) and pronunciation with respect to geographical names
  • investigate and determine the form, spelling, meaning, pronunciation, origin and history of any geographical name
  • the application of any geographical name with regard to position, extent or otherwise
  • compile and maintain a vocabulary of Aboriginal words used or suitable for use in geographical names and to record their meaning and origin
  • compile and maintain a dictionary of geographical names with a record of their form, spelling, meaning, pronunciation, origin and history
  • publish a gazetteer (dictionary) of geographical names
  • inquire into and make recommendations on any matters relating to the names of places referred to it by the Minister
  • compile, maintain and publish a list of road names.

Meet the board

Board members are appointed to the GNB in accordance with the Act.

The board is made up of 9 members, 4 of whom are:

  • Surveyor-General of NSW
  • State Librarian
  • nominee of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI)
  • nominee of the Department of Customer Service (DCS).

The remaining positions are nominated by:

  • governing bodies of the Local Government and Shires Association of NSW
  • governing body of the Royal Australian Historical Society
  • governing body of the Geographical Society of NSW
  • NSW Aboriginal Land Council
  • chairperson of Multicultural NSW.

These 5 members are appointed by the Governor and hold office for a period not longer than 5 years. They are eligible for one re-appointment after the completion of their term.

Members of the board

Profile image of Narelle Underwood
Chair

Narelle Underwood

BE (Surveying & SIS), EMPA

Narelle Underwood is the Surveyor-General of NSW and Executive Director Spatial Services, where they work at the intersection of technology and regulation to protect the integrity of the state cadastre and deliver foundation spatial data services for the benefit of the community, business and government.

Narelle is also:

  • President of the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information (BOSSI)
  • NSW representative on ANZLIC – the Spatial Information Council.
Portrait of James Bates
Deputy Chair, representing the Department of Customer Service (DCS)

James Bates

BA, MPA

James is an Executive Director at the NSW Department of Customer Service. The focus of the Department's work is to make it easier to deal with government by driving improvements in customer service.

Since joining the NSW public service in 2009 James has worked in a variety of public policy and implementation roles, including Chief Data Officer, Executive Director of Customer, Data & Insights, and Director, Premier’s Implementation Unit.

Portrait of Aoife Wynter
Board member representing the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI)

Aoife Wynter

BTP (Hons), RPIA (Fellow)

Aoife has spent her career in the NSW planning system in local and state government as well as private practice. She has comprehensive development assessment and statutory and strategic planning experience across NSW.

She has worked extensively on land use planning policy with a focus on systems improvement and planning reform.

Aoife is currently Director of Planning Panels, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. Her team case manages regionally significant and complex development across NSW.

Portrait of Richard Neville
Board member representing the State Library of NSW

Richard Neville

BA (Hons), MA (Hons)

Richard is the Mitchell Librarian and Director, Engagement, at the State Library of NSW.

With a research background in 19th century Australian art and culture, he has curated many exhibitions and published widely on colonial art and society.

He has been extensively involved in the acquisition, arrangement, description and promotion of the library’s renowned Australian research collections.

Portrait of Simon Chan
Board member representing Multicultural NSW

Simon Chan AM

BS, BArch (Hons)

Simon is the Director and founder of Art Atrium, an art gallery exhibiting contemporary Australian, Asian and Aboriginal art. He is a practising architect and Director of SCA Architects.

Current and recent roles include:

  • Chair of VisAsia Advisory Council at the Art Gallery of NSW
  • Director on the board of the Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation
  • council member of the Power Institute Foundation at The University of Sydney
  • Director and former Chair on the board of the Aboriginal Benefits Foundation
  • President of the Chinese Australian Forum.
Portrait of Cr Alice Glachan
Board member representing Local Government NSW

Cr. Alice Glachan

BA, BEd

Alice began her career as an Instructor Officer with the Royal Australian Navy before becoming a franchisee.

Her current and recent roles include councillor, Deputy Mayor and 4 terms as Mayor of Albury City Council. Alice is a recipient of the 'Paul Harris Fellow' Rotary award and is an active member of Rotary.

Portrait of Carol Liston AO
Board member representing the Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS)

Carol Liston AO

BA (Hons), PhD

Carol is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Western Sydney University.

Her research covers early colonial history in NSW, with interests in people (convict, colonial born and free immigrant), local history, heritage and the built environment.

Her publications include histories of Campbelltown, Parramatta and Liverpool.

Former roles include:

  • President of the RAHS
  • Co-editor of the RAHS journal.
Portrait of Dr Alanna Kamp
Board member representing the Geographical Society of NSW

Dr Alanna Kamp

BA, BSc (Hons), PhD

Alanna is Senior Lecturer in Geography and Urban Studies, School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University (WSU).

Her teaching and research focus is Australian multiculturalism and cultural diversity, experiences of migration and settlement, racism and anti-racism, historical geographies, and intersectional experiences of belonging/exclusion.

Alanna’s current and recent roles include:

  • Academic Program Advisor, Geography and Urban Planning (WSU)
  • researcher at the Challenging Racism Project (WSU)
  • researcher at the Young and Resilient Research Centre (WSU)
  • researcher at the Centre of Resilient and Inclusive Societies
  • Academic Member of the NSW Education Standards Authority Technical Advisory Group (7-10 Geography syllabus & HSC Geography elective syllabus).
Portrait of Anne Dennis
Board member representing NSW Aboriginal Land Council (ALC)

Cr. Anne Dennis

BEd

Anne was first elected to the NSW Aboriginal Land Council in 2011. She is a Gamilaraay woman with a strong background in education, spanning more than 30 years as a teacher and administrator.

Anne believes in the role of independent and self-sufficient Local Aboriginal Land Councils in delivering better educational outcomes and social justice for Aboriginal people.

Counsellors to the board

Professor Jakelin Troy

PhD

Jaky advises on language matters.

Professor Terry Kass

BA (Hons), MA (Hons), PhD

Terry advises on historical and geographical matters.

Thomas Grinter

BA, MA

Thomas advises on GNB policy and governance.

Julie Christie

Julie represents Australia Post and advises on addressing matters.

Marina DeGabriele

Marina represents Fire and Rescue NSW and advises on Emergency Services matters.

Board meeting dates

The board will meet on the following dates. Submissions close a month before the meeting.

  • 4 March
  • 6 May
  • 1 July
  • 9 September
  • 4 November
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