Mini Melbourne makes Minecraft magic for Victorian OSHC children

Supported by the Victorian Government, popular children’s computer game, Minecraft, has received an educational and creativity boost through the creation of a virtual world of Melbourne’s underground history and landmarks – including the Metro Tunnel.

The advent of the new features will be of interest to those working with school-aged children in outside school hours care (OSHC) settings, with Minecraft being one of the most popular games ever made, featuring a monthly user-base of 74 million players. An educational version of the game was released in 2016, which is widely used in many educational settings, including OSHC sites.

Victorian Minister for Education James Merlino and Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan launched the Minecraft collaboration between the Department of Education and Training, and the Metro Tunnel Project today.

Minecraft enthusiasts around the world will be able to immerse themselves in ‘Mini Melbourne’ featuring familiar sights such as Flinders Street Station, St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne Town Hall and Federation Square.

The Mini Melbourne edition is available to all Minecraft users for download. Players can explore, build and design their own virtual corners of the city. Those attending OSHC in government schools around Victoria can take part in an ‘Archaeology Adventure’ as virtual archaeologists working at the Metro Tunnel dig site in Swanston Street and learn about artefacts recently uncovered.

Mini Melbourne is a Minecraft world-first – the first ‘virtual city’ built as an educational resource for students to learn more about our great city, representing a significant opportunity for OSHC services to avail themselves of “history in the making”.

Mr Merlino said that innovations such as this may inspire young people to work on “city shaping” projects in future, saying Mini Minecraft was “a fantastic resource that will enable Victorian government school students to learn more about Melbourne and its past”.

More information about the Mini Melbourne add on is available here.