John Batman, a successful farmer in northern Tasmania, also desired more grazing land. In April 1835, he sailed across the Strait and up Port Phillip to the mouth of the Yarra. He explored a large area in what is now the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

On 6 June Batman, as part of a Tasmanian business syndicate known as the Port Phillip Association signed a "treaty" with the local Aboriginal people, in which he purported to buy 2,000 km² of land around Melbourne and another 400 km² around Geelong, on Corio Bay to the south-west. On 8 June he wrote in his journal: "So the boat went up the large river... and... I am glad to state about six miles up found the River all good water and very deep. This will be the place for a village." This last sentence later became famous as the "founding charter" of Melbourne.

Batman returned to Launceston and began plans to mount a large expedition to establish a settlement on the Yarra. But John Pascoe Fawkner, by now a businessman in Launceston, had the same idea. He bought a ship, the schooner Enterprize, which sailed on 4 August, with a party of intending settlers. When his party reached the Yarra on 2 September, they were dismayed and angry to find Fawkner's people already in possession.

The two groups decided that there was plenty of land for everybody, and when Fawkner arrived on 16 October with another party of settlers, he agreed that they should start parcelling out land and not dispute who was there first. Both Batman and Fawkner settled in the new town, which had several interim names -- such as Batmania, Bearbrass, Bareport, Bareheep, Barehurp and Bareberp (in June 1835)^{[5][6] [7]} -- before being officially named Melbourne in honour of the British Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, in March 1837.

An unconference is an event that has no fixed structure and only two rules, no power point and no presentations. The day is split in to sessions during which a series of “tracks” run on a theme with a track leader hosting the discussion, debate and learning. The discussion takes a life of it’s own with atendees bringing their own views, questions and opinions as well as debate. This takes many directions and concludes with real learning and opinion forming. The track leaders have been carefuly chosen from their areas of experience and knowledge and the value they can bring to the “track” and have been drawn from across the globe giving a real global view. We will be adding to the list of track leaders right up to the day of the event (and even during it.)

You are actively encouraged to disagree, argue, debate and question, all we ask is that you respect one another. In addition to the published tracks we will be adding to the list by request right up to the day. If you want to add a track just contact us and we will set it up. We will also be encouraging impromptu tracks throughout the day whenever a new subject comes up. An unconference is about what you want to discuss and is not restricted by any fixed agenda.

Two days in Melbourne Australia will encompass TRU Australia – currently scheduled for the last two weeks in May pending verification from our site sponsor.