180 years of marvellous

 As Melbourne prepares to celebrate on 30 August, why not get your class involved?

Here's how.

Junior Lord Mayor Competition 2015

Be the little big boss of Melbourne

Details will be officially announced in June but you can pre-register your interest by emailing Education@MelbourneDay.com.au

We're proud to announce 13CABS as our official 2015 Junior Lord Mayor Competition partner.

The competition is free and open to students in grades five to seven. Teachers can get students to enter as a classroom activity while learning about Melbourne history. It fits within Australian History AusVELS education requirements.

Reigning Junior Lord Mayor Ebony Chiazor, from Stella Maris Primary School, Point Cook, helped Lord Mayor Robert Doyle perform official duties, appeared in the Moomba Parade, raised the Melbourne flag on Melbourne Day, got interviewed by the media, visited the Royal Melbourne Show as a VIP, and more!

Pictured above: Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Melbourne Day chairman Campbell Walker in the historic Melbourne Town Hall council chamber with 2014 Junior Lord Mayor finalists: William Long, Mill Park Heights Primary School, Mill Park;  Sachi Debski, St Mary's Primary School, Ascot Vale; Ebony Chiazor (centre), Stella Maris Primary School, Point Cook; Jacob Browne, Our Holy Redeemer Primary School, Surrey Hills;  Alexandra Lekkis, Penleigh & Essendon Grammar School, Essendon.

Melbourne Regatta Chorale

Attention all music teachers

Schools groups are invited to perform at the Melbourne Regatta in the Docklands as part of official Melbourne Day program.

School choirmasters please register your interest with Bill Reid via email BillReid@iprimus.com.au and to receive information on the program, songs, music and rehearsal times.

Docklands will again be a sight to sea during the Regatta and Blessing of the Fleet. Watch highlights from last year in this short video.

Special e-book and teaching resource

Students will love learning about their city through the eyes of Gilbert, Melbourne's first cat — the Tassie tabby who arrived on the Enterprize with the first settlers.

Gilbert and the Guardians of Melbourne tells the story of Melbourne, including Aboriginal history, via a series of city "guardians", or historical landmarks, representing culture, industry, events and other elements that shaped Melbourne — reminding us of how far we've come as a city. 

Developed by the History Teachers' Association of Victoria and Melbourne Day Committee, the engaging and colourful e-book is ideal for teachers to use in classrooms and parents at home. It will be available as a free download in August from the HTAV and Melbourne Day websites: HTAV.asn.au and MelbourneDay.com.au

Birthday card competition

Do your students have a creative flair? Need an activity for a wet day? Get your class entering the 2015 Design Melbourne’s Birthday Card Competition.

The competition is free and open to all Victorian primary school students. Entries open 1 June to 30 June. It’s simple to enter — students line draw
six specially chosen Melbourne icons.

The winning entry becomes the official birthday card and doubles as a fold-out party hat design. The winner gets a framed certificate, a gift pack presented at their school, and their work displayed publicly.

Download the entry form from MelbourneDay.com.au from 1 June.

Or email Education@MelbourneDay.com.au

Pictured above is the 2014 birthday card on display during the Royal Melbourne Show. The card was designed by Amy Barnett, 9, from Our Holy Redeemer Primary, Surrey Hills.

Poster competition: Travel to
Melbourne Day safely by train

Enter your design urging Melburnians to travel to Melbourne Day events safely by train in this exciting competition run by Metro Trains Melbourne.

Open to students in grades five and six, the competition runs from June and coincides with Rail Safety Week in August.

The designer of the most creative poster wins a visit to his or her school by characters from Dumb Ways To Die, the popular award-winning rail safety campaign video.

Watch your inbox for more details, or visit MelbourneDay.com.au

To pre-register your interest, or learn more about Metro Trains' Public Transport in Schools Safety Education Program, email your details to community.education@metrotrains.com.au

Museum Victoria’s Marvellous Melbourne

Learn more about how the city was founded, its early years, the 1850s gold rush, the 1880s boom, the 1956 Olympics, and more in this fabulous mini-site.

Looking for more class activities and school excursion ideas?

Historic party celebrations

See what else is planned to mark the 180th anniversary.

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