Now, despite the somewhat curious title, this is not a story about the Caped Crusader, nor is it an hallucinatory tale of crazed, swooping bats attacking a scheduled flight across Bass Strait.
It’s simply a few words to highlight the fact that Launceston and Melbourne share much more than the Hawthorn Hawks and chilly, wet winters. In fact, the two cities go way back – back to Melbourne’s birth.
…Launceston and Melbourne share much more than the Hawthorn Hawks and chilly, wet winters.
In 1835, an entrepreneurial grazier and explorer by the name of John Batman sailed from Launceston across to Port Philip Bay; and, when he found the site that is now central Melbourne, he noted in his diary, “This will be the place for a village” and declared the land “Batmania”.
At that time, “Van Diemen’s Land” was already becoming known, unofficially, as “Tasmania” – a very early attempt to shake off those convict connotations. So, it seems that Mr. Batman took a leaf out of Mr. Tasman’s book, as he must’ve thought, well, if the Dutchman was “Abel” to be remembered, why not he? And so his new city was dubbed “Batmania” – at least for a little while.
But can you just imagine, had the name remained, Melbourne might have been left with: “The Batmania Cup”, the “BCG”, the “Batmania Demons” or, perhaps worst of all, the vampire-ish “Batmania Bitter”!
Sanity prevailed and the city got its reasonable sounding name a few years later; but at least there WAS a Melbourne thanks to the ambitious John Batman. Just where would this country be without our pioneering spirit?
These are the kinds of things I might ponder on one of my frequent flights between Tasmania and Victoria. That, and how technology continues to condense physical distances to the extent that the ‘What’ and the ‘How’ is now vastly more important than the ‘Where’. Yes, ideas have never been so mobile.
For example, in my role at at+m, I’ll often be in Melbourne to meet a new client or present creative concepts but the majority of our work will have been completed remotely – often off the back of a phone conference or an emailed brief. So, there you go, Launceston and Melbourne now also share at+m integrated marketing.
From Launceston, we’re able to service Melbourne clients “door-to-door within 2 hours”. That’s even quicker than the time it takes to get down to Hobart! When I’m visiting Hobart clients, it’s a minimum 2-hour 15-minute drive (at legal speeds, of course) and that’s not even allowing for the mandatory pit-stop at Mood Food!
Yes, Melbourne, you could say we’re practically neighbours. Even if you did once have a funny sounding name, we’re always here for you. In fact, at+m is wherever you want it to be because we’re a keen lot. Much may have changed since John Batman’s time but not the human desire to extend one’s horizons. And I reckon that’s a good thing.
The “BATmania Cricket Ground”? That has a nice ring to it.
I think The Don would have approved.