The Queensland town of Deception Bay has revived an ongoing debate regarding the town’s name, with some vocal locals campaigning to change it to ‘Summer Bay’.
Yeah, the fictional setting of Home and Away. That Summer Bay.
Deception Bay was so named because in 1823, some berk named Lt John Oxley sailed in and thought it was a river (it wasn’t). The area got something of a bad reputation during the 80s and 90s, and the nickname “Depression Bay” has kind of stuck, so it’s understandable that some locals – or more accurately, some recently acquired locals – are a bit off it.
OG D-Bay resident and former mayor of Caboolture Shire Tom McLoughlin is not impressed by the recent swell of support behind picking a new name. He told the Courier Mail:
“I have noticed that nearly every time new people come to live here they want to change the name. The name Deception Bay has been in existence for nearly 250 years.“
One of those newcomers is Sam Dearlove, who said:
“I understand the historical significance. I just hear the tone when people mention Deception Bay… or as it’s more commonly known, Depression Bay.“
The debate has been going back and forth since at least 2007, when locals floated a name change (suggestions included ‘Endeavour Bay‘ and ‘Discovery Bay‘) to coincide with a council merger, but obviously to no avail.
And I mean, look, sure, I understand not wanting to live in a town with a downer name – but maybe instead of changing your locality’s moniker to something lifted directly from Australia’s second-longest running soap opera, you should ask the residents of Accident, Arse, Cockburn, Boring, Nowhere Else, or Bell End how they deal with it.
Or even better: call the place Quandamooka, the Indigenous word for the Moreton Bay area. I see your 250 years, Mr McLoughlin and raise you several thousand. Problem solved.
Source: Courier Mail.
Image: Seven Network.
