Bendigo's historic and modern sites, like Pall Mall, Rosalind Park or the Great Stupa could soon feature on a new customised Monopoly, as the global family-friendly board game gets a Central Victoria makeover.
Bendigo tourism operators and advocates hope fun, promotional tools like the local Monopoly board game will help bring visitors back to the regional city.
Monopoly was created in 1935 and its creator Winning Moves, under license from Hasbro, is now making a Bendigo version where people can buy, and sell, Bendigo's attractions on the way to being a real estate mogul.
Local attractions will replace Mayfair and Park Lane from the original London Monopoly board, and will accompany a customised "Community Chest" and "Chance" playing cards that will reflect the city of Bendigo.
It has excited the region's tourism advocates and Bendigonians can vote for which locations and landmarks they would like to be featured on the edition of the famous board game when it was released by October.
James Reade is the CEO of Bendigo Heritage attractions and said he would be voting for the Joss House Temple and Bendigo Tramways to be immortalised in a Monopoly board.
"The tramways have been running since continuously 1903. That's after the running of the first tram in 1890. So, lots of history.
"And as a kid, you're bouncing around the Monopoly board; it will be a good learning opportunity to promote and share the stories of Bendigo's history and culture as well."
Michael Counsell from Winning Moves said it was looking for places that had culture, history, and location to adapt into the board game.
"We customise the whole board. What will go onto the edition will be decided by the people," Mr Counsell said.
Mr Counsell said the hardest part of his job was whittling down the positions to 22 locations on the board.
Hopes for tourism spending boost
The news coincided with the federal government's announcement that Australia's borders would reopen to double vaccinated tourists by February 21.
The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions said total tourism expenditure in Victoria was $12.8 billion in the year ending June 2021, a 50 per cent drop from 2020.
The Tourism Industry Council says Victoria lost $20 billions over the last two years of the pandemic.
The council's chief executive Felicia Mariani said reopening the borders to international travellers would not provide immediate relief for tourism operators, but it was a step in the right direction.
"When you go overseas it takes time to plan a trip, that's why having a date is so important," Mr Mariani said.
"Operators can prepare, and people overseas can have the confidence to plan a trip."
Bendigo locals can vote for which locations and landmarks they would like to be featured on the edition of the famous board game via the official Bendigo Monopoly Facebook page or through emailing info@winningmoves.com.au.
