The Auswine Forum

News DOT com DOT au wrote:THE BAROSSA Valley has taken the top spot in the new Australian version of Monopoly, nudging out some of the nation's most recognised landmarks.

The new Australian “Here and Now” version of the famous Monopoly board was launched this morning, with the Barossa Valley and Adelaide taking residency in the highly sought-after dark-blue property spaces.

While the “Mayfair” space could be brought by players in the original version of the game for $400, players would have to fork out $4 million in Monopoly money to buy the Barossa Valley property.

Barossa’s head of tourism Julian Maul said the placement was a great coup for the South Australian region.

“Monopoly is Australia’s and the world’s best loved game and we have no doubt that this will lift the profile of our beautiful region and be a boost for tourism,” Mr Maul said.

The places on the board were decided in a nationwide poll which recorded nearly 17 million votes earlier this year.

South Australia recorded the largest number of votes with about eight million wanting their favourite landmark in the game.

More than two million of those votes were in favour of having the Barossa Valley as the most expensive property on the board.

The traditional boot, top-hat and dog tokens were also replaced with a ute, surfboard and thongs in the new game.

Western Australian centres Kalgoorlie, Broome and Perth claimed the slightly less expensive green squares, while Victoria’s Sovereign Hill, the Great Ocean Road and Melbourne landed on the yellow squares.

Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and the Great Barrier Reef were placed in the cheapest squares in the game, after a late surge of votes for ACT landmarks Anzac Parade, Lake Burley Griffin and Cotter Reserve.

But the nation’s biggest city, Sydney, didn’t receive enough support from voters and failed to claim a spot on the board, leaving Broken Hill, Tamworth and the Snowy Mountains to represent New South Wales.

Tasmania’s Launceston, Cradle Mountain and Hobart; along with the Northern Territory’s Katherine Gorge, Devils Marbles and Kakadu also made it into the game.

Hasbro’s marketing manager Amanda Blackhall said that although it was the first time in 25 years that the board game maker had revised an Australian edition, the results of the vote were unexpected.

“While the somewhat surprising results will no doubt be disappointing to those that didn’t make it onto the board, there are no real losers in those that did,” Ms Blackhall said.

“To secure any one of the spots on the new Australian board of the world’s most famous game is a great achievement.”