Historical Monument to City Founder Broken in Half, Toppled Ahead of Australia Day

The monument was one of three defaced in Melbourne the day before Australia Day.

The remains of a obelisk-shaped memorial honouring one of Melbourne's founders, John Batman, after vandals cut and toppled the structure at Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 25, 2025. AAP Image/Rachael Ward

A monument from colonial-era Victoria has been cut in half and toppled, and an ANZAC memorial has been doused in paint, in the latest incident of vandalism in the leadup to Australia Day.

An obelisk-style memorial honouring one of Melbourne’s founders, John Batman, at Queen Victoria Market was cut in half in the early hours of Saturday—the first day of the national day long weekend.