We’ve known for a wee while that the most livable city in the world was going to finally be on the Monopoly map but what we didn’t know was which iconic streets, buildings and locations were going to make it on the board.
Today at Fed Square, Mr Monopoly and our Lord Mayor launched the very first Melbourne Monopoly board!
And, (*drum roll on the old school thimble token*) we can reveal that this is the list of locations:
BLUE: MCG, Fed Square
YELLOW: Bells Beach, St Kilda Beach, Brighton Bathing Boxes
BROWN: Hosier Labe, Hardware Lane
ORANGE: Etihad Stadium, Rod Laver Arena, Flemington Racecourse
LIGHT BLUE: Great Ocean Road, Dandenong Ranges, Eureka Skydeck
RED: National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Exhibition Building
PINK: Emporium, Queen Vic Market, Chapel Street
GREEN: University of Melbourne, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne Zoo
UTILITIES: Melbourne Water
RAILWAYS: Flinders St Station, Southern Cross Station, Parliament and Melbourne Central
What do you think? Was anything missed? Is it the right representation of our city?
And of course the Community Chest and Chance cards are Melbourne-esque with one example being a Fitzroy Hipster who takes too long ordering a half strength, decaf, soy-mocha frappacino setting you back 3 spaces. Those darn hipsters.
Local roadways also come into the game, for instance you will have to pay $M15 for being stuck on the Monash (Seriously as if it doesn’t already drive us nuts!!)
For the first time ever in Australia, we have unique Melbourne tokens. We have a tram, Phar Lap, a Sherrin, a graffiti spray can, a takeaway coffee cup and a literature book. The coffee cup looks a little like an urn and as our Lord Mayor rightfully pointed out the book is a little geeky…so on that note, shotgun the graffiti can for our first game.
Ok moment of truth, playing Monopoly as a kid I was always the banker for one cheeky reason…no I did not steal money but I did like to hide it. Stash some secret cash away for a rainy day when Mayfair came up for sale and no one else had the coin. I would spring them with my secret stash and (evil laugh) buy a hotel.
If you check out Monopoly on Wikipedia is says the skills required to play this game include negotiation, resource management and strategy. So I put my secret stashes down to resource management.
I can’t wait to have the pleasure of stashing my cash to finally buy the MCG.
The first Monopoly game originated in the US in 1903, I always thought it started in England, and there are some cheeky variations of the game I never knew about. The one that caught my fancy (but not the general public’s) is Ghettopoly. Ain’t no body buying anyfing in my hood. There’s also Make Your Own – OPOLY, Anti-Monopoly and Turism sold in Romani (really missing that opoly twang to it).
So, do not pass go, do not collet $200 (so obvious!) – but do head online and for a cool $49.95 grab yourself the first Melbourne Monopoly board.
Oh and look out for the Melbourne tram wrapped to look like the tram icon – it will be around for the next 8 weeks!
