It’s official – Melbourne has its own ‘Kalamata Place’

Melbourne now has a new Greek landmark, after Darebin Council unanimously endorsed that an unnamed laneway in Thornbury would become “Kalamata Place” back on 23 May 2022.

It remained unnamed until yesterday a celebratory post on the Papaflessas Social Club Facebook Page announced that the laneway situated between 2 Gooch Street and 1 Raleigh Street, Thornbury, is now officially named “Kalamata Place”.

Papaflessas proposed the name recognition to Darebin Council last year, as an appropriate way to recognise the contribution of the Greek community to the Darebin area. The Council undertook a public consultation process prior to making its decision.

Since the post-war mass migration, Darebin has been home to a large and vibrant Greek community, including many migrants from Kalamata and Messinia. There are many local Greek businesses near the laneway, such as Psarakos, White Rose Receptions and Tassos cakes and there are many Greek community social clubs in Darebin.

The Papaflessas Committee, whose headquarters is adjacent to the alley expressed their satisfaction at the Council’s decision.

“We had worked on this proposal for some time. We are grateful to all the Darebin Councillors for supporting this proposal, in particular we thank Cr Emily Dimitriadis and the mayor, Cr Lina Messina without whom this proposal would not have been considered”, said the Papaflessas President, Steve Gotsis.

“We are also deeply grateful to the Greek and non-Greek organisations, businesses and individuals who took the trouble to make submissions supporting our proposal, including the Greek Community of Melbourne, the Thessaloniki Association and the Anemones, demonstrating that this proposal had broad support”.

The Committee’s public relations officer Mary Tsaganas also shared her excitement for the decision.

“Kalamata is not just a major Greek city, it is synonymous with its olives and its oil, for which it is internationally famous. It is a name with positive connotations both locally and around the world given its association with the famous Mediterranean diet,” she said.

“All of Melbourne’s Greek community should be pleased that we now have a new Greek landmark. There wouldn’t be an Australian anywhere who would see Kalamata Place and not know that was Greek”.

Neoskosmos.com