PETA Australia
Animal rights organisation PETA plays an active role in Australia in attempting to stray people away from eating and wearing products that come from animals. Caroline McCredie/Getty

Animal rights group PETA has raised concerns about a bay in southern Tasmania being named "Eggs and Bacon Bay". The Australia-based organisation is now lobbying for the name to be changed to a vegan alternative.

Citing high levels of cholesterol in eggs and bacon, PETA has demanded that the name of the bay be changed to Apple and Cherry Bay instead. According to ABC News, the group has already written to the Huon Valley Council to request for the name to be changed.

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PETA Australia Campaign Coordinator, Claire Fryer, said: "Obviously Tasmania is known as the Apple Isle and Huon Valley produces a lot of apples and cherries, and we think it's a much better, kinder, compassionate and healthy name for this particular area. Considering the high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat in both eggs and bacon, the area might as well be called Heart Attack Bay."

Some people believe that Eggs and Bacon Bay got its name from Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of 18<sup>th century governor John Franklin. The rumour suggests that Lady Franklin was a big fan of bacon and eggs and used to live in the region, hence the bay acquiring its name from her.

Nomenclature expert Wayne Smith has dismissed the rumour. He said that the Eggs and Bacon Bay had been named long before Lady Franklin was around and that the bay was actually named after the yellow and red wildflowers that grow on its shores in November and December.

However, PETA has remained adamant in their efforts to rename the bay to a vegan alternative. Fryer said that it was important to remind people to stay away from fat-laden and high-cholesterol foods, adding that they should instead be focused on eating plant produce.

PETA attempts to win the public over have been in vain, with many telling ABC News that they think the idea is a joke and that they were happy with the name the way it was. One local, named only as Doug, said that PETA should go and "annoy other people" in the rest of the world and "leave us in peace".

"These single-interest groups ought to go overseas and annoy the shit out of Isis," said Doug. "It's a beautiful area, I love it down here... and I just love to think that our grandchildren will have Eggs and Bacon as their name for decades and centuries to come."

PETA has also indicated that they are willing to look into changing other names in the country. However, despite the locals' protests against the name change, Huon Valley Mayor Peter Coad has said he is willing to consider the idea.

Mayor Coad said: "Obviously these issues should be taken seriously and have some merit."