From the Belco Owl to Mooseheads: How good is Canberra's Monopoly?

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate that Mooseheads and the Belconnen Owl made it onto the official Canberra Monopoly Board?

Yes, the sticky-floored nightclub you end up at when everywhere else is closed, and the sculpture best known for looking like a penis is representing the nation's capital. (And everyone else all thought we were boring!)

There certainly is a varied selection of squares on the newly unveiled board. But how right did the creators get it? And why is it that Park Lane and Mayfair do not get replaced by Anzac Parade and Northbourne Avenue?

Well, that second point is an easy one. The Canberra edition of Monopoly is one of the city versions of the game and like every other city version, in recent times at least, they use landmarks rather than street names on the board. You can buy the Opera House in the Sydney version and the MCG in the Melbourne version. Which, to be honest, from an external point of view, is more exciting than some random street that only locals know about.

The Belconnen Owl has made it onto the Monopoly board. Picture by Karleen Minney

And some places were always a given when it came to spots on the iconic game board. It's pretty hard to argue that Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial shouldn't be the most expensive "properties" on the board, for example.

But then there are places such as Westfield Belconnen - which is the most expensive red or "shopping" space at $240 (in Monopoly money, obviously) - which did receive a bit of a chuckle from the crowd when it was revealed at the launch on Wednesday morning. And for the record, the Old Bus Depot Markets and the Canberra Outlet Centre were the other shopping experiences available on the board (sorry to break it to you, Hyperdome fans).

Some would argue that the food squares - Brodburger, Mooseheads and Akiba - should have included Kingsley's Chicken. And one does raise an eyebrow when they see that the University of Canberra but not the Australian National University is included. As for the institutions, only the National Museum, the Portrait Gallery and the Royal Australian Mint made the cut - alongside Parliament House and the war memorial, of course.

The Monopoly Man at the launch of the Canberra edition of Monopoly. Picture by Karleen Minney

And you can't help but wonder what happens when GIO no longer has the naming rights to the Canberra Stadium. Will the board be updated to reflect the change? And as for the long-desired new stadium - is it being put on hold to make sure the original (and stinky) Bruce location gets a moment on the board? Canberra's conspiracy theorists can run wild with that one.

It should be noted that while some of these squares were secured because they're a reflection of Canberra. Others were because they were suggested by a specially created Facebook group - which had the highest rate of public input from any of Monopoly's special editions. And the rest? Well, some money was exchanged for certain businesses to be included.

But there is also an opportunity here for other savvy local businesses. Preferably ones with a 3D printer. And that's the customisation of the playing pieces.

The Monopoly Man arriving at the launch of the Canberra edition of Monopoly. Picture Karleen Minney

While the board may let you buy the Telstra Tower and Lake Burley Griffin, you are still doing so because you land on it with a top hat.

I wanted to see little Canberra bus stops collecting $200 as it passed Go and Skywhale handing over money to buy IconWater. Viktor the Viking could have landed on Free Parking, and the Carillon trying to roll doubles to get out of jail.

I get that it would have been too expensive for Winning Moves - which makes the special edition Monopoly boards for Hasbro - to customise the game to this extent. But if there was someone on Etsy (or for that matter, the Handmade Markets, Pop Canberra or the Old Bus Depot Markets) selling these, you bet I would hand over my money.

But I guess that's what's at the very heart of Monopoly. Complaining and criticising to the point of heated debates.

Don't be fooled - Monopoly only looks like a game about property dealing. It's actually the game where you sit down with friends and family to have frustrating arguments about whether or not the banker is corrupt, until someone rage quits. Now you play that same game but with a fun Canberra twist.

What do you think of the choices? Let us know in the comments