Aussie towns star in Monopoly special edition

Instead of famous streets in far-off London, a new Monopoly board features Australian towns and regions to raise funds for communities impacted by bushfires, floods and COVID-19.

Gippsland and Mildura in Victoria are featured on the limited edition Australian Community Relief board in place of the traditional squares of Mayfair and Park Lane. South Australian locations replace the red section of the board game, which usually features Trafalgar Square, Fleet Street and the Strand.

Twenty-two communities from across regional Australia are present on the board including Mount Gambier (with a photo of the Umpherston Sinkhole), Port Augusta and Coober Pedy (SA), Batemans Bay (NSW), Noosa (Qld), Belconnen (ACT), Kalgoorlie (WA), Tennant Creek (NT) and Port Arthur (Tas).

As well as showcasing some of the regions that were severely impacted in 2020, the game has also been created to highlight the community spirit and strength of these locations.

A proportion* of the sale price of the game will go to the Australian Red Cross.

Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said Gippsland has had a difficult few years with the impact of drought, bushfires and pandemic.

“Any opportunity to showcase the region is something that I welcome,” Mr Chester said.

“We live in one of the most beautiful regions in the country and Gippsland is open for business, our local businesses need support now more than ever so this is a great way to reinvigorate* regional tourism as we head towards Christmas.”

Mildura Regional Development chief executive Brett Millington said the image of the Murray River on Park Lane would show off one of the region’s top assets.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to get our brand out there,” Mr Millington said.

“There’s a recognition there’s been some challenges for our region, but it also shows the position we hold within the broader landscape.”

Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin was excited by her home city’s inclusion.

“This is wonderful recognition for our area, and I hope that people who play the game are interested to learn more about our beautiful city and feel compelled* to come and visit,”

Mayor Martin said.

A representative from Winning Moves Australia Charlotte Waalkens said they wanted to highlight “how incredible our own backyard is”.

“The communities chosen have all gone through a tough time for one reason or another as everyone has in 2020 and we thought they deserved something special to remind everyone how incredible they are,” she said.

Ms Waalkens said choosing what location to put on the board was “unbelievably difficult”.

“We wanted to showcase places above and beyond the usual cities or hot spots … and shine a positive light on regions that otherwise may not normally receive such exposure*.”

The Australian Community Relief Monopoly board will be sold through retailers nationwide and $5 for each game sold will be donated directly to The Australian Red Cross.

GLOSSARY

• proportion: part of a whole amount
• reinvigorate: boost; give new life to
• compelled: forced or make someone feel it is important to do something
• exposure: publicity

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What three difficulties has regional Australia faced recently?
2. Which Western Australian location is included?
3. Who is Darren Chester? Why is he quoted?
4. Who is the Mayor Mount Gambier? Which state is it in?
5. Which charity does the $5 go to?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Tell us where to go
Choose one of the locations that is featured on the Australian Community Relief Monopoly board. Find out about some of the attractions in that location and use what you find out to create a 30-second radio advertisement that highlights the area’s best features. Do your best to convince tourists to visit.

Time: allow 40 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

2. Extension
Wouldn’t it be great if your town or region could be featured in a game!? Create a one-page display that includes at least 5 pictures of great things that can be found where you live, and a paragraph telling why your town should be featured next time.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Visual Arts

VCOP ACTIVITY
Proper Noun Police
A proper noun is a noun that names a particular person, place or thing. It always has a capital letter.

How many proper nouns can you find within this article? Find them all and sort them into the category of name, place, time (date/month).

Can you find any proper nouns included in your writing?

What are they?

Can you sort them into their categories?