Upcoming Thomas Oval changerooms given new name

New changerooms being built at Thomas Oval will be named Djandoo Mia, meaning “home of the whistling kite”.

The building’s name, which was officially ratified at last week’s City of Kwinana council meeting, marks the next step for the facility being built in Medina which will be home to Kwinana Titans rugby and AIM Archery clubs, and available for use by the wider community.

The whistling kite is a bird of prey similar in colour but much smaller than the wedge-tailed eagle.

Djandoo Mia was recommended for the building name by Kwinana’s Boola Maara Aboriginal consultative committee, with the birds said to have both spiritual and environmental significance to the Medina area.

Mayor Peter Feasey said the name helped make the facility culturally appropriate and uniquely identifiable.

It will have four changerooms, a covered areas for spectators, universally accessible toilets, umpires rooms, storage areas and a kiosk space.

Completion is now expected in May.