Even what we call our states, cities and towns can reveal whether we are really local.

Take “Benders” for example. We’re not sure where that came from, but it’s risen in usage in the past decade and is now a widely-accepted chummy nick-name for Bendigo.

It defies logic, but you now know that if you are from Bendigo, it’s okay to call it Benders.

It shouldn’t be.

If you look up the word “benders” you will find it used to refer to bouts of heavy drinking, devices for bending pipes, an antiquated term for a sixpenny bit, a gay man, a frolic or a rough shelter made of sticks.

Until now, we don’t think there’s been a widely-used nick-name for Bendigo. East Eaglehawk was the only one we could find and we doubt it was widely used. Typical of The Borough!

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How do we know what to call our cities and states in a way that doesn’t reveal us as totally ignorant of unwritten rules?

Also, in recent times we have seen – mainly in social media – Ballarat referred to by young Ballaratians as The Rat. But is that acceptable or is it just being sarky?

Is there an acceptable short-hand nick-name for Geelong? It can’t be The Gee, because that’s the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It cannot possibly be The Long.

Yet, you seem to automatically recognise The Gong (Wollongong), Shepp (Shepparton), Wang (Wangaratta), Tat (Tatura), Rochie (Rochester), Wagga (Squared), Brissy (Brisbane), The GC (Gold Coast). How do these things take root?

Why, for example, do we know that it’s okay to say Brissy, but it is definitely not acceptable to say you’re going to Syddy or Addy or Mel or Hoey?

Heh, poor Hobart.

It’s just starting to get a cool reputation which is bringing in about $3 billion a year in tourism, and its Lord Mayor Ron Christie wants it all to stop and has called for his city to go back to being known as Slow-Bart.

It’s the same with Australian states.

In the past few weeks, a TV weatherman has started referring to South Australia as “Ess Ay”. Is that acceptable now and why didn’t we get the memo?

WA is okay. Or The West.

NT is fine, but not The North.

Queensland is just Queensland. You cannot call it Queens or Q-L-D. (Sydney to Hobart yachtsmen know that the Q.L.D. is the quiet little drink which takes place at the end of the race.)

Victoria is never just Vic, or Vicky or V.

New South Wales is NSW, but only in writing. You never say you’re going to Enn-Ess-Doubleyou.

Or, The N.

Tasmania is nearly always Tassie. Taswegians sometimes refer to their state as Taswegia.

The Australian Capital Territory is, however, known as The Ay Cee Tee. Why, is anybody’s guess.

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History has an odd habit of repeating itself.

DTM recently came across a proposal that Bendigo Airport be developed as a national airline pilot training academy. It said our beaut climate and uncluttered skies were well suited.

All we had to do was beat off pesky Tamworth in the bid.

That was 1988, and the airline pushing the idea was Ansett.

Now, have a look at this week’s news. Spooky, eh?