DTM was pondering this deep philosophical issue this week and we put the question to a few folk. These were some of the responses.

You know you’re a Bendigonian when:

Even though we have an Epsom and an Ascot, you don’t find it odd that our horse race track is in neither, but in the neighbouring suburb of White Hills.

You just know that Pall Mall has always been Pal Mal and always will be. Paul Maul goes off in a Bendigonian’s ear like a penny bunger.

You might never have been to Mickey Mouse Hill with a friend, but you know why others do. You also know why it’s called Mickey Mouse Hill. The dishes on the massive aerial, silly.

It is just natural that Big Hill is called Big because it’s, umm, big and you don’t like it when others poke fun at this alleged lack of creativity. Yes, you also get it that One Tree Hill is covered in forest. In the same manner, it raises little interest when it is pointed out that Strathdale Creek is just three names for the same thing: Creek Creek Creek.

​You have probably been to Europe, Fiji, New Zealand and Tassie, but you’ve never ridden on a Bendigo Tram … even though you’re fond of them and like the fact that visitors are too. Same with the Central Deborah Gold Mine. It’s like the Franklin River – you might never go there, but you feel strongly about it being saved.

You know precisely what QEO stands for, but you’d never use the full name in ordinary conversation.

And on that subject, you know where the Tom Flood Centre is, but have only a vague idea of the Bendigo cyclist, mayor and businessman it was named after. By the way, what’s wrong with a D-shaped velodrome?

Even though there are now about a bajillion cinemas (well, seven) in the Bendigo Cinema complex, you still sometimes call it the Twin Cinemas.

You wonder why out-of-towners can’t pronounce Goornong. Or Junortoun.

It is a never-ending confusion that Channel 8 became Nine but now shows Ten, yet it is still number 8 on the digital channel list.

And you’re mildly annoyed that 3BO is no more and you can’t entertain guests with quips about it being the Perspiration Station. It was pretty funny for the first 300 times.

You still say that the best thing to come out of Ballarat was the Midland Highway. The same could possibly be said for Shepparton.

You go down to Melbourne, but you come up to Bendigo.

And you are never surprised that an important meeting will be held at 9am if it’s in Melbourne, but 11am if it’s in Bendigo.