A community in Melbourne's inner north has decided to create a new Indigenous name for their council after a push to replace a decades-old name linked to slavery.
Moreland City Council will decide on Sunday whether or not to adopt the new name Merri-bek, which means rocky country in the Woi-wurrung language.
The change will come after a month-long survey period during which 6,315 members of the community choose from three options put forward by the Aboriginal Heritage Council.
Merri-bek beat out other options Jerrang meaning leaf of tree and Wa-dam buk meaning renew comfortably, with more than half of respondents choosing it.
Moreland Mayor Mark Riley said that this is the most engagement we've ever had on a council project.
Sunday's special council meeting was the first step in official change of the name, with the renaming having to be approved by Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane.
The approval will need to be sought from the Governor in Council Linda Dessau.
It could take a few weeks or a few months for a decision to be made, according to Cr Riley.
Cr Riley said that there was no possibility that the council would continue under its current title because of the racist and offensive nature of the current name.
He said that he can't imagine that happening.
One of these will have to be one of the ones that we want to pursue a new name. A financial cost will not be a factor in the likely name change.
With $500,000 allocated over two years to make it happen, major signage on buildings and facilities will need to be altered to reflect the change from Moreland to a new name.
The area was named by the state government in 1994 when the Brunswick, Coburg and part of Broadmeadows merged to form the new city of Moreland Moreland was originally named by land speculator Farquhar McCrae in 1839, who named it after a Jamaican slave plantation run by his father and grandfather.
The council is expected to change its corporate name on digital materials and major signage later this year.