LiveWire

Yes, this is a true story. Because you can’t make this stuff up.

Via WSJ.

Yes, there is a place in Australia named for eggs and bacon. And yes, some people have a problem with that.

It’s not the ridiculousness of the name they object to. It’s the cholesterol.

Peter Coad, the mayor of the area, which is found on the island of Tasmania, has thrown his weight behind a proposal to come up with a different, healthier name. He believes this would help enhance the Huon Valley’s image as a place where foodies can load up on farm-fresh produce and seafood. “If we can promote healthy lifestyles then I think we should,” he said.

“Considering the high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat in eggs and bacon, the area may as well be called ‘Heart Attack Bay,’ ” said a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which supports veganism—and a name change.

Its suggestion: Apple and Cherry Pie Bay….

Graham Victor, a 67-year-old butcher and self-declared “meatarian,” is, unsurprisingly, opposed to the move—and to all forms of arterial correctness. “We’ve been talking about healthier lifestyles for the last 100 years and every time somebody comes up with a healthier alternative, somebody else knocks it back,” he says.

Outside his shop, the Cygnet Butchery, Mr. Victor has placed all-caps sign that declares: “SAVE EGGS AND BACON BAY! DON’T GIVE IN TO SMALL-MINDED PEOPLE.”

No one is quite sure how Eggs and Bacon Bay got its name. Some say the wife of a former governor once ate eggs and bacon there, while others believe it came from a native flower whose yellow-and-red blooms resemble the dish.

Andy Abramowich, a Canadian who owns The Cat’s Tongue Chocolatiers in nearby Huonville, offers a wholly unsubstantiated story about a French explorer named “Monsieur Oeuf Lardon” who may (or may not) have discovered the place. In addition to chocolates, Mr. Abramowich sells “Bacon Soap” which, he says, is a “wonder” for bathing.

A sign on Mr. Abramowich’s counter reads: “Vegetarians live up to nine years longer than meat eaters. Nine horrible, worthless, baconless years.”….

Tasmania, a former penal colony off Australia’s southern tip, once relied on logging, mining and agriculture for sustenance. Lately, the island state has reinvented itself as a culinary tourism destination. Wineries and posh restaurants, which serve up dishes such as wallaby kebabs, made from a native marsupial, have sprouted up alongside orchards and wooden farm cottages.

Mr. Coad, the mayor, often steps onto his backyard jetty with a net to snag a salmon for dinner. “If you look south, the next stop is Antarctica,” he said. “It’s a pretty unique spot.”….

The decision whether to change the bay’s name ultimately rests with the government-appointed Tasmanian Nomenclature Board. The first step is winning approval of the Huon Valley Council, a county authority Mr. Coad heads. Among the guidelines officials must consider: Will a name change remove confusion and enhance public safety, and does it have broad community support?….

On a recent afternoon, Rex Beuganey—who is a vegetarian—bit into a slice of apple and cherry pie and declared: “That’s lovely, but I still wouldn’t want the bay to change its name.” His friend, Jim Farley, munching on eggs and bacon, responded: “It ain’t broke so don’t fix it.”

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