Call for entries

2017 Junior Lord Mayor competition opens

It's free, fun and you learn about Melbourne.

Entry is open to Victorian students in grades five to seven (10 to 12 years of age).

The Junior Lord Mayor gets to raise the official flag on Melbourne Day with the Lord Mayor at Enterprize Park (your whole class gets invited, too), cuts the official birthday cake, walks in the Moomba parade, joins city councillors and the Lord Mayor on official and other fun duties during the year, and more! 

Why not get the whole class to enter?

The competition, now in its fifth year, aims to educate Victorians about the city and its history. Entries close 14 August 2017.

To enter is easy: Simply answer nine questions. From six finalists, the winner is chosen on 24 August 2017 by a panel of judges, including Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, radio 3AW presenter Denis Walter, 13 CABS' Head of Client Services Simon Purssey and Melbourne Day Committee chairman Campbell Walker.  Judging is held in the historic Council Chambers at Melbourne Town Hall.

Mason's year (clockwise): At Enterprize Park with classmates from Aspendale's St Louis de Montfort’s School, hoisting the Melbourne flag, launching the city's Christmas Festival with Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Santa, aboard the Enterprize.

'It's fantastic', says reigning Junior Lord Mayor Mason Dwyer

Mason Dwyer tells radio 3AW that being Junior Lord Mayor is fantastic, giving speeches is fun and wearing mayoral robes "makes you look and feel more special than you are."

He appeared on the Afternoon show, hosted by Denis Walter, on 6 June 2017, and was interviewed by Denis and Channel Nine news presenter Peter Hitchener, one of the competition judges.

Peter Hitchener said Melbourne Day was "probably the most important date on the calendar" for Melburnians. He said last year's finalists were "unbelievable, amazingly articulate, they had a very clear vision of the world and what they want to do".

Mason urged students to enter, saying it's a fantastic role and "would look great on your resume".

Denis asked Mason if he still had time to do schoolwork among the official civic duties.

"I've managed to fit it all in," His Worship smiled assuredly.

Teachers, how to enter your class in four easy steps

• Use the school resources and education kits at MelbourneDay.com.au designed for use in classrooms to help teach about the city's founding and history.

• Enter the competition using the online form or download the entry form (PDF).

• Contact us to book a free incursion and our experts will talk to your class about Melbourne Day and the competition.

• Get students to enter before 5pm, 14 August 2017.

Bringing history to life: Did you know?

Melbourne's first colonial baby: Mary Gilbert, the first migrant woman settler, gave birth to a son, the first white child born in Melbourne on 29 December 1835.

Yes, Melbourne was founded by a cat: Mary Gilbert brought with her from Tasmania a cat, dubbed Gilbert - the Tassie tabby.

We almost got called Batmania: Our city had many unofficial names in its first years, including Batmania, Barebrass, Bearport, Dutergalla, Bareheep, Glenelg and most popularly "the Settlement".

Aboriginal Australians were here long before: Melbourne Day is also a time to celebrate and support our city's indigenous culture and heritage, and also to remember the impact of European arrival on the people of the Kulin nation: the Wurundjeri, Boonerwrung, Taungurong, Djajawurrung and the Wathaurung.

The Yarra's waterfall: The falls beside Enterprize Park, where the first settlers landed, were dynamited at the turn of the century as part of work to straighten the Yarra River to stop it flooding.