There is a dirt track in the Bendigo suburb of Long Gully called "Bong Gully Road". At least according to Google Maps.
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It is unclear if the name is a jibe at the suburb of more than 4000 people. If it's right. Or if it's an error.
The council does not have a record of the track's name.
Neither do multiple state government groups including the Department of Transport and Planning and Parks Victoria.
ACM's Bendigo Advertiser has reached out to Google for more details on the naming. The tech giant said it was looking into it.
Bong Gully Road appears to be a dirt track on undeveloped land off of Dean Street, within city limits.
The land was previously used for mining.
Resident surprised by name
Laurie Heeps lives in a house at the top of a hill that overlooks Bong Gully Road.
He has lived there for five decades and had never heard the name "Bong Gully Road" until Tuesday, June 12.
The Long Gully resident burst out laughing when this journalist showed him the map on Google.
It reminded Mr Heeps of road signs defaced in the area, including one close by at Sheepshead Reef Track which had once been changed to "Shithead Reef Track".
He did not seem offended by the name "Bong Gully Road" and living near the old mining area had been great for multiple generations of his family.
"It's like having 200 acres as our backyard," he said.
"We've been here since 1970 and we have never had any problems with anyone. We see the occasional motorbike riders - but they don't do anyone any harm - and walkers."
Bong Gully Road is not the only place in central Victoria where Google Maps has raised eyebrows this year.
The company fixed a glitch earlier in the year after people kept driving down a Yandoit farmer's driveway.
Google Maps was mistakenly telling people the driveway was Yandoit's High Street.
"We use multiple sources to accurately model the real world, including third-party data, user contributions, along with Street View and satellite imagery," a Google Maps spokesperson said after the Yandoit fix.
"When there are inaccuracies, we work to fix them as quickly as possible.
"If people see an issue on the Map, they can let us know via the Report a Problem button."
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
