The debate, whether to call the park in the Vista Park development Bankbook Park or Garreeaira Reserve was discussed at the council meeting on Monday night.

One name reflects the town's mining history and the other reflects the town's Aboriginal past.

The majority of councillors voted to submit Bankbook Park to the Geographical Names Board for consideration.

Read more: Wollongong councillors back flip over Aboriginal park name 'too hard to pronouce'

Cr Vicky King said it was important for councillors to support the views of the community who overwhelming wanted the name to reflect the suburb's mining roots.

“We need to give the use of Aboriginal names a significant place,” she said.

“We are having numerous suburbs and places developed within the West Dapto area and with proper consultation with the [Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council] we could find a meaningful place to call Garreeaira.

“We need to listen to the community. We need to have the history kept for this area.”

Bankbook Park was originally proposed by the developers in 2016 but was ruled out by the council as some residents said it was historically used as a derogatory name for the poverty stricken miners.

During the consultation process, 132 signatures of support were collected in favour of Bankbook Park.

The two residents who objected to the name later signed the petition of support once they learnt about the history of Bankbook Hill.

The Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council suggested the name Karreuaira Reserve, as this is the Dharawal word for Moreton Bay Fig tree. A fig tree is in the reserve.

The councillors, in April 2018, voted to withdraw support for the Aboriginal name.

Wongawilli resident Dawn Goldman spoke at the council meeting in favour of using the name Bankbook Park.

"The history of Wongawilli as a mining village with many original families still residing in houses brought down from Bankbook Hill has to make more sense than naming the park after a Moreton Bay Fig which has no real historical significance to the area," she said.

Wongawilli Residents Committee member Ron Cooper said he was pleased the council had listened to what residents wanted.

Councillor Dom Figliomeni said he supported the preservation of Indigenous culture and naming as long as the site was of Aboriginal significance.

“The park is predominately be used by local people but yet to not recognise the needs of the local people is a travesty,” he said.

Cr Ann Martin said naming the park Garreeaira was an opportunity to redress and acknowledge many years of grief and loss through a simple gesture.

Cr Janice Kershaw said she had received a number of emails from residents explaining why they wanted the park to be called Bankbook Park but had not been inundated with people calling for it to be named Garreeaira.

“It often amazes me being a councillor just some of the issues we don’t think will cause so much grief actually do and it is often the little local things that mean the most," she said.

“I don’t see how we can go against the community’s wishes.”

Cr Cath Blakey said even though Garreeaira was difficult to pronounce, residents would learn how to say it and become proud of the unusual names from the Indigenous culture.

The proposed name will go on public exhibition with the Geographical Names Board, which will then decide the name.