In late 1835 John Batman was feted as he proceeded up the Yarra Yarra by 300 dancing aborigines welcoming King Batman to Batmania. Batman had been to-ing and fro-ing between the infant Port Phillip settlement and Launceston, his former home, over several months and this lavish welcome had been organised by his brother Henry and the former convict, William Buckley, to get under the skin of Batman’s nemesis, John Pascoe Fawkner. As always, it worked!

RHSV researcher, Fiona Graham, has put together a new guided walking tour of the south-western corner of the CBD – today it is a slightly raffish, down-at-heel part of town but back in 1835 it was where everything was unfolding. Come and learn something new about your city.

Join Fiona as she explains those early years and shows the surprising reminders of a time long gone.

We will launch this new tour in History Week on Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17 October at 10am. For History Week the tours will be free-of-charge but please book as numbers are strictly limited.

The tour will start at the former Age building on the corner of Collins and Spencer Streets and will take about  90 minutes. Although the distance covered is not vast, you will be on your feet for 90 minutes so please wear comfortable walking shoes.

The tours will go ahead whatever the weather and we ask people to gather under the portico of 655 Collins St (Corner of Spencer St) – the former Age Building (with the big media screen, opp Southern Cross Station).