The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre is urging authorities to adopt nipaluna as the dual name for Hobart, in an act of reconciliation.

The name comes from the revived Aboriginal language of palawa kani and is pronounced nip-ah-LOO-nuh.

The name was revealed at a meeting between the Hobart City Council and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) today.

Its adoption would be symbolic and an official name change would need further approvals.

Heather Sculthorpe says the palawa kani name nipaluna is well documented. ( ABC News: Scott Ross )

The TAC unveiled the name as part of Reconciliation Week in Tasmania.

The TAC's Heather Sculthorpe said nipaluna was documented as the name given to the area by the Indigenous community at the time of European settlement.

Local leader Wurati was instrumental in sharing the name with controversial conciliator George Augustus Robinson.

"Wurati gave it to Robinson on the 16th of January 1831, and Robinson records that in conversation with the natives Wurati gave him this name and informed him that was the name for this town of Hobart," Ms Sculthorpe said.

"And later on in that same year, on the 11th of July 1831, Wurati gave more details that this was the name of this area and how people had watched the ships come in overlooking this area.

"So we have dates, we have times, we have speakers and we know it's right."

Controversial conciliator George Augustus Robinson recorded the name in conversations. ( Supplied: NGA )

The name has been warmly embraced by Lord Mayor Ron Christie, who said at the unveiling he would use it as often as possible.

The 1806 oil on canvas portrait of Robert, Lord Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire (1760-1816) by Sir William Beechey. ( Supplied: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery collection AG3186 )

Alderman Christie said he did not care if it had not yet been officially recognised, and he would start using it at events like civic receptions.

"I'd like to see this in future signage, Hobart, our street signs identified on the top of the sign where we have many colonial names; Macquarie, Brisbane," he said.

"Why not have nipaluna/City of Hobart on top of those street signs?"

A wider, formal adoption for use on signage and maps would require approval by Tasmania's Nomenclature Board.

Ms Sculthorpe said adopting nipaluna meant more to the community than "morning teas" which had become the norm for Reconciliation Week.

'Divide and conquer' attempt: Dillon

Thomas Bock's 1837 watercolour titled: Wurati (Woureddy), native of Bruny Island, Van Diemen's Land. ( Supplied: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery )

The plan caused division in the Aboriginal community, with the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance (TRACA) warning the council it should not formally accept the name until it had consulted others.

"It is a form of divide and conquer that the Hobart City Council is using and I am pretty sad that council would do that when it has got other Aboriginal ratepayers in it," co-chairman Rodney Dillon said.

"I am very supportive of having Aboriginal names of places, I think it is the most important thing that we can do but you have got to let all the groups have a say in it, not just let one group dictate it. We haven't got Idi Amin here.

"The council should know better than to deal with one group, and then in the next breath they talk about reconciliation."

Ms Sclulthorpe said the TAC had spent 30 years researching the palawa kani language and other groups adopting dual naming in other areas had not consulted the TAC.

"It's not just about picking a name, it is well-researched," she said.

In a statement the South East Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation said it supported a dual name for Hobart but only if all Tasmanian Aboriginal groups were consulted.

"The TAC's reliance upon Robinson's journals is one source, however not all people think his actions were in the best interest of Aboriginal people and history bears this out.

"Promises were broken and people were disappointed in the outcomes."

Government against nipaluna

Lord Mayor Ron Christie wants to eventually see the name on signs. ( ABC News: Rhiannon Shine )

In a statement, the Tasmanian Government said it was not in favour of the dual name and said it was reviewing the dual-naming policy in an effort to make it more inclusive.

"While the Government does not support a dual name for Hobart, it is optimistic the TAC will contribute to the consultation to ensure their views are included in the review process," it said.

Australia's second-oldest city was named after Colonial Secretary Lord Hobart.

While the adoption of kunanyi for Mount Wellington has been embraced by the community, the suggestion to build a Truth and Reconciliation Art Park at Macquarie Point has proven more divisive.

In 2016, the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) unveiled a vision for the former industrial precinct which acknowledged the colonial conflict and included memorials to Aboriginal warriors.

The then-lord mayor, now state MP Sue Hickey, railed against the strong focus on the Indigenous history, saying she "didn't kill Aborigines".