Alwyn Johnson (7/2) contends that the names of Australian cities ought to be change because they were named after insignificant men.

However, in the case of Melbourne, it has a reputation of itself. In Star Trek, the Starship USS Melbourne met its glorious end defending Earth against the assimilating Borgs. In David Fintuch's delightful novel Patriarch's Hope, the interstellar space ship UNS Melbourne is pivotal in ending the coup d'etat against Earth's lawful government. Of course, Melbourne was also devastated by the alien fish creatures earlier in Fishermen's Hope.

Yes, I enjoy Sci-Fi, but that is not the point. If fiction writers find Melbourne an inspiring city to name starships after, does it matter for whom it was named. Melbourne is one of the World's great cities; things are named after us!

The Australian, 10 January 2000