Information for Schools

Schools are invited to join the Melbourne Day celebrations by hosting their own birthday parties. Bake a cake, decorate your classroom and download some fun activities for your class to celebrate Melbourne's birthday.

Please see links on this page for a birthday hat and birthday card to cut and colour. You can also print a colour City of Melbourne flag to stick to your ruler and wave, or print the colour-in version for another activity and attach to your ruler to wave.

The fun doesn't stop there. Print and teach the children about the history of Melbourne and follow it with a similar trivia/activity sheet.

For the class that wants to engage in a little more craft and fun, create your very own Melbourne Day banner. Schools are invited to create a banner, display on their school fence or in their school, take a photo and email to admin@melbourneday.com.au. Your photo will be uploaded to the Melbourne Day Facebook page where you and all your friends are invited to vote the one you like most. The entry with the most likes wins a class field trip to the Eureka Skydeck 88 (conditions apply).

What is the Melbourne flag?

The City of Melbourne's flag features a white background divided into four quadrants by a red cross, which is the cross of St. George, the patron saint of England and taken from the English flag.

In the centre, a crown is visible, signifying the Australian city's links to the British Monarchy. Other items featured are, going from top left clockwise, fleece hanging from a red ring, a bull, a ship and a whale.

The four cantons (flag) represent the main activities of which the economy of the City of Melbourne was based in the mid 19th century. They were wool growing, cattle raising, shipping and whaling.