The first person to swim across Port Phillip Bay, just over 40 kilometres from Portarlington to Frankston, has won a public vote and received Council approval to have North Bellarine Aquatic Centre named after her.
The community overwhelmingly supported the official name to be the 'Linda McGill Aquatic Centre' in honour of the late record-breaking Australian pool and marathon open water swimmer. The names of two other influential women with strong connections and contributions to the Bellarine, Jean Cull and Jenny Bourke, had also been suggested.
Commonwealth Games medallist and Olympian Linda McGill MBE was renowned for her extraordinary endurance feats, making history in 1965 to become the first Australian ever to swim the English Channel. She set the fastest women's time on her third channel crossing.
Ms McGill's groundbreaking 1968 Port Phillip Bay swim, around 13 hours in a shark cage, cemented her status as a trailblazer in Australian marathon swimming who shattered perceptions of what female athletes could achieve.
She was the first person to ever swim from Townsville to Magnetic Island, Saudi Arabia to Bahrain and around Hong Kong Island.
The swimmer was the youngest Australian to become a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and is in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM
It is fitting to name the aquatic centre after the swimming pioneer.
Linda McGill MBE's legacy and connection to Port Phillip Bay and the Bellarine coastline deeply resonates with locals and has increased the popularity of open water swimming and community participation in the area.
Linda consistently broke new ground and inspired generations of swimmers, especially women, to pursue long-distance and open water challenges.
We hope naming the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre after her will continue to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to get moving, push boundaries and feel empowered.
Deputy Mayor Eddy Kontelj
Consultation was a key part of naming the swim facility.
The three naming options were shortlisted by the Bellarine Historical Society and the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre Community Advisory Panel, before being voted on by the community.
More than 83 per cent of community submissions came from Bellarine residents.
Many highlighted the importance of the venue's name reflecting someone who was a pioneer in the sport and would continue to inspire a love of swimming, while others reflected on Ms McGill having been an inspiration to them.
With Linda's family watching last night's council meeting via livestream, we unanimously supported the outcome of the public vote and thank the community for being involved in the venue's journey.
As project names can't be registered with Geographic Names Victoria (GNV), the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre name needed to change.
The Linda McGill Aquatic Centre name will now be submitted to GNV for gazetting.
Construction of stage two of the facility is nearing 60 per cent finished, with completion expected in July next year.
