John Batman

John Batman (21 January 1801 – 6 May 1839) was an Australian farmer and businessman who was one of the first settlers of the Melbourne area and known for founding Victoria.

Life

The historical monument marking where Batman landed at Indented Head in 1835.

1880s Artist impression of Batman's Treaty being signed

His parents, William and Mary Batman, came to Sydney in 1797 aboard the Ganges. John was born in Rosehill, Parramatta (now a suburb of Sydney). In 1821 John and brother Henry settled on land in the north-east of Tasmania near Ben Lomond.^[1]

During the time of the Black War in Tasmania, Batman became involved in the 'final solution' of forming a line across the island to drive Aboriginals into a 'manageable' area. In December 1825, or early 1826, Batman captured the notorious bushranger called Matthew Brady, resulting in an additional grant of land by the government.^[1][2]

Batman was diagnosed with syphilis in 1833.

Batman sought land grants in the Western Port area of Victoria, but the colonial authorities rejected this. So, in 1835, as a leading member of the Port Phillip Association he sailed for the mainland in the schooner Rebecca and explored much of Port Phillip. Batman negotiated a treaty, now known as Batman's Treaty (also known as the Dutigulla Treaty, Dutigulla Deed, Melbourne Treaty or Melbourne Deed), with some local Aborigines to rent their land on an annual basis for 40 blankets, 30 axes, 100 knives, 50 scissors, 30 mirrors, 200 handkerchiefs, 100 pounds of flour and 6 shirts. It is unlikely that the Wurundjeri people would have understood this transfer of land or agreed to it if they had, but, as Percival Serle wrote, "No doubt the blankets, knives, tomahawks, etc., that he gave them were very welcome". In any case, the Governor of New South Wales deemed such a treaty invalid as the land was owned by the Crown rather than the Aborigines. When he found the current site of central Melbourne he noted in his diary, "This will be the place for a village."^[1][2] and declared the land "Batmania".^[3][4]

Batman and his family settled at what became known as Batman's Hill at the western end of Collins Street, building a house at the base in April 1836, where he lived until his death.^[1] Batman's health quickly declined after 1835 the syphilis had disfigured and crippled him, and he became estranged from his wife, convict Elizabeth Callaghan. They had had seven daughters and a son. His son drowned in the Yarra River. In his last months he was cared for by the local Aborigines.^{[citation needed]} On his death his widow and family moved from the house at Batman's Hill and the government requisitioned the house for government offices.^[5]

Memorials

Statue of John Batman at former National Mutual Plaza off Collins Street in Melbourne unveiled 26 January 1979

Batman was buried in the Old Melbourne Cemetery, where a memorial remains,^[6] but was exhumed and re-buried in the Fawkner Cemetery, a cemetery named after his fellow colonist John Pascoe Fawkner.^[7]

He is remembered by a number of statues around Melbourne, as well as a railway station in North Coburg^[8],bridge in Northern Tasmania, and a street in Thornton, New South Wales are named after him.

His direct descendant is Australian sprinter Daniel Batman.^[9]

See also

• History of Melbourne

References

• Melbourne: John Batman's village, Agnes Paton Bell, Cassell, 1965
• A Pictorial History of Bushrangers, Prior, Wannan and Nunn, 1968, Paul Hamlyn Pty Ltd, Melbourne

External links

• Transcript of John Batman's journal at the State Library of Victoria.
• Batmania: a fun way to explore the people and events surrounding the foundation of Melbourne, images of the Batman Land Deed and other historical documents at the National Museum of Australia.