Moreland City Corps renamed to acknowledge First Nations people

Corps Officer Lieutenant Steph Glover stands behind the new Merri-bek Corps flag with corps members, dignitaries and visitors who attended the historic ceremony on 26 February.

By CLIFF WORTHING

The past, present and future came together as a key theme at the 26 February ceremony in Melbourne’s north, renaming Moreland City Corps to Merri-bek Corps.

“We acknowledge the faithful service of so many Salvos over the last 105 years under the Moreland Corps flag,” said Colonel Kelvin Merrett, Victoria Divisional Commander. “Our new flag is a symbol acknowledging the journey with our First Nations People, council, and local community.”

The process of changing the name of the corps to Merri-bek, in many ways, mirrored that of the local council. Elders of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, traditional owners of the lands and waterways in the area, and other community representatives asked the city council to consider renaming the area.

Merri-bek City Council CEO Cathy Henderson, Corps Officer Lieut Steph Glover, Mayor Cr Angelica Panopolous and Victoria Divisional Commander Colonel Kelvin Merrett with the new flag.

Most participants in the community consultation process chose Merri-bek as the preferred name from a list of three proposed names. After being approved by the city council and Victorian Government, the change from Moreland City to Merri-bek City came into effect on 22 September 2022.

The main reason for the change was because Moreland was named after a 19th-century Jamaican slave plantation. Merri-bek means rocky country in the local Indigenous language.

“The Salvos fight for justice, so why would we align with something that causes harm,” said Lieutenant Steph Glover, Merri-bek Corps officer. “As we discover the truth, we should change.”