People living in the vicinity of Western Sydney International Airport are in uproar over plans to create a new suburb called Wianamatta.
The new suburb would be bounded by Elizabeth Drive, The Northern Road and the Badgerys Creek Environmental Conservation Zone.
If it goes ahead, it means at least part of some historic suburbs such as Luddenham will have their name changed and be called Wianamatta.
The Luddenham Progress Association is calling on the Geographical Names Board to reject the proposal to create a new suburb named Wianamatta over the Western Sydney International Airport precinct, citing duplication, poor consultation, and unnecessary disruption to long‑standing local communities.
Under the proposal, the “new’’ suburb would absorb large portions of Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Bringelly and Greendale, even though most of the area is Commonwealth land associated with the airport.
Progress association president Wayne Willmington – whose family has links to the area going back more than 100 years – said the proposal makes no practical sense and has no historical connection to the land.
“The airport precinct sits on land that has been known as Luddenham for over 200 years,” Mr Willmington said.
“If the State Government insists on naming the airport precinct, that name should apply only to Commonwealth land, not to the remaining private land in Luddenham that has already been heavily impacted by acquisitions and infrastructure.”
The association has also raised concerns that the name Wianamatta is already in use for the Wianamatta Regional Park at St Marys-Ropes Crossing 15km away.
“Using the same name for a new suburb around the airport will create confusion for emergency services, deliveries, navigation systems and visitors,” says Mr Willmington, pictured at the graves of his ancestors.
“The Geographical Names Board’s own naming principles emphasise clarity and uniqueness. This proposal does the opposite.”
The association also says the proposal has not been properly communicated to residents.
“There has been no public information session, and no proactive communication,” Mr Willmington said.
“Most locals only found out because a single MP posted about it on Facebook. That is not genuine consultation.”
The association emphasises that the airport precinct sits on land with deep European‑settler heritage, including:
- James Badgery’s 1806 Exeter Farm
- John Blaxland’s 1813 Luddenham Estate
- Bringelly’s orchard and vineyard history with Greendale’s pastoral farming legacy
“These names are woven into our community’s identity,” Mr Willmington said.
“Renaming long‑standing suburbs is unnecessary and erases the heritage of the families who built this region.”
And if the State Government insists on naming the airport precinct, the name should be Badgerys, not Wianamatta, says the association.
“Everyone has called it Badgerys Creek Airport for decades,” Mr Willmington said.
“It’s familiar, practical, and historically accurate. It respects both our European‑settler heritage and the Aboriginal recognition already incorporated into the airport through art, road names and language signage.”
The Luddenham Progress Association is urging residents to lodge submissions before October 10 via the Geographical Names Board website.
“This proposal is unnecessary, confusing, and poorly aligned with future planning,” Mr Willmington said.
“We ask the Geographical Names Board to reject the creation of Wianamatta and retain the existing suburb boundaries.”
I’m with the Luddenham Progress Association….NO name change….it smacks of Donald Trump and all the name changes he has put forward…. totally unnecessary and confusing
Leave it alone.
Wianamatta Is a wonderful name for the area. The Bringelly shale on which Luddenham sits is part of the Wianamatta group of rocks. I can’t think of a more suitable name.
Looks like the Luddenham Progress Association should be called the Luddenham Luddite Association.
Wianamatta is the way forward.
It’s understandable the grief it may cause to long standing residents who have family lived in the area for generations.
Australia is built on fair for all, we must practice this not only in words, but action.
We have progressed in leaps and bounds as a Nation in the last 200 years.
NAMING IS THE FIRST and foremost forms of identity.
The idea of changing the name of the land is illogical in one sense. I live at Ropes Crossing: 30 kms away from WSI. On both sides of our suburb is the Wianamatta Regional Park. The new name has no geographical or historical connection to Badgerys Creek.
The argument is that because the WSI land is made up of land in Luddenham and Badgerys Creek, a new name will cause less confusion. The simple solution is to have the new airport address as Elizabeth Drive Badgerys Creek (or Badgerys).
The board and the member for Leppington see it as an act of reconciliation to our Aboriginal folk. Wianamatta has already been used in that way, by naming the 800 acre Wianamatta Regional Park where I live.
It’s ironic that the NSW government chose to name Australia’s new city, Bradfield (right next door to WSI) after an Australian civil engineer, rather than an Aboriginal name.
REALLY …. We do not need to change the name …
Leave it as Luddenham, its how we’ve always known it and how it should remain.