City of Launceston scores Excellence Award

Published on 24 November 2025

The City of Launceston has been presented with an Excellence Award for its use of the video game Minecraft as a community engagement tool.

The Council was recognised at last week's Local Government Association of Tasmania 2025 Awards for Excellence in the Showcasing Innovation category.

Since 2021, the Council has used LiDAR scans of Launceston — usually utilised to understand planning applications — and importing the data into Minecraft to allow gamers to play within maps based on Launceston's topography.

In 2023, the Council released a new series of maps featuring Riverbend Park, City Park, the Cataract Gorge and Civic Square.

These were used during National Science Week at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, with more than 800 Northern Tasmanian students testing the maps during the week.

Earlier this year, the project was also awarded a Social Innovation award at the 2025 TasICT Awards.

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood, CEO Sam Johnson, Councillor Ross Marsden and the Council's Smart City Project Officer Cameron Smith were in Hobart last week to collect the LGAT award on the Council's behalf.

"It’s fantastic to see one of our innovative City of Launceston projects recognised at the LGAT 2025 Awards for Excellence," Mayor Garwood said.

"This one has been such a fun and creative way for young people to connect with their city.

"It’s given Northern Tasmanian students the chance to look at things like open spaces, transport, flood protection and planning through fresh eyes and they’ve come up with some genuinely exciting ideas."

"It’s a real credit to our Innovation and Performance Team at Council, and just one example of how we're using technology in new and meaningful ways here at the City of Launceston."

The 'Parks of Launceston: A Minecraft World' maps can be downloaded here: https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Maps-Apps-and-Data/Minecraft