Photo credit to Josie Withers
Melbourne was originally called Batmania.
Named after John Batman, (who didn’t own a batmobile or a cape as far as we’re aware), who explored central and northern Melbourne in May and June 1835. He negotiated a purchase of 2400 square kilometres with Wurundjeri elders.
Australian Rules Football was invented in Melbourne in 1858 by Tom Wills and friends by mixing football, rugby and Gaelic football as a way to keep cricketers fit during the off-season.
We don’t reckon they could ever have predicted how well it would take off!
Founded in 1880, MacRobertson’s Steam Confectionery Works created famous chocolate products like Cherry Ripe, Crunchie and Freddo Frog. The company was based for over 100 years in Fitzroy, before it was sold to Cadbury in 1967.
Stretching along 244 kilometres of track and with 450 trams, Melbourne has the largest tram system outside of Europe, and the fourth largest in the world overall.
You may have heard and quite possibly said ‘feels like someone just walked over my grave’ or a variation of, but have you ever thought about someone driving over it?!
Well if you have ever parked at the historic Queen Victoria Market, you very well may have driven over someone else’s! This is due to the fact that the Old Melbourne Cemetery (1837-1922) is now largely located under the market car park. When the market was being extended in 1917, some 900 of the named graves were relocated to Fawkner and the General Cemeteries, but many more were in unmarked graves and it is thought some 9000 souls remain below the car park.
Melbourne was the capital city of Australia for 26 years between 1901 and 1927, before the capital shifted to Canberra.
Melbourne is officially the fox capital of the world, according to the RSPCA, with between 6 and 23 foxes per square kilometre in the urban area of the city.
Being a Victorian sheep wouldn’t exactly be a barrel of laughs…
The National Gallery of Victoria has the world’s largest stained glass ceiling - 51 metres (167.3 feet) long by 15 metres (49.2 feet) wide!
Melbourne was host to Australia’s first Olympic games in 1956
The first to be held in the southern hemisphere!
Melbourne has more cafes and restaurants per capita than anywhere in the world.
Melbourne is a cultural, interesting and diverse city which definitely deserves a visit! Why not bid for your next break, check out our full list of Victorian auctions.
Photo credit to AFL media