Nearly 1000 people voted for Orange to beat Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Lord Howe Island to score a place alongside Sydney Harbour in the new version.

And because NSW locations received more votes than any other states they scored the premium blue places on the board – occupied by Mayfair [Sydney Harbour] and Park Lane [Orange] in the English version of the landlord, buy and sell property game.

A photo of vines at Borrodell Vineyard on Lake Canobolas Road was chosen to be Orange’s image on the game board.

Orange mayor John Davis was with Borrodell owners Borry Gartrell and Gaye Stuart-Nairn in Sydney on Wednesday when the announcement of the 22 successful regions was made.

Cr Davis said it was a priceless win toward the ongoing promotion of Orange as a tourist destination.

“When it comes to places to land in NSW, there’s Sydney Harbour and then there’s Orange,” he said.

“The image chosen for the board shows a vineyard, autumn leaves and some mountains – all the classic images of Orange.”

Mr Gartrell said they were stunned by the winning announcement.

“We nearly fell over when we heard it,” he said.

“We just have been delighted for the wine industry generally.

“Margaret River [WA] got on it [as did the Barossa Valley] but there is not a shot of a vineyard with it.

“Orange has been the poor cousin to other wine areas like the Hunter Valley.”

Ms Stuart-Nairn said they had been part of the Orange City Council submission to get onto the Monopoly board and they were delighted that their vineyard had been selected.

“It was an Orange campaign, but we weren’t aware how big a campaign it was,” she said.

She said her daughter Luisa Machielse took the winning photo in the vineyard.

State tourism minister Adam Marshall said it was a big win for NSW.

“As a country based minister it’s great to see Orange on the board of the world’s most loved game showcasing regional NSW around the world,” he said.

Hasbro Australia’s brand manager for Monopoly Tiffany Vibert said Orange was one of five NSW destinations nominated by tourism officials to enter a poll held last November to decide the winners.

Mrs Vibert said more than 35,000 people voted.

The most popular place was Sydney Harbour with 6.3 per cent of the votes.

Orange received 2.8 per cent which was more than the other NSW finalists and other tourist hot spots including Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Tropical North Queensland, Victoria’s Phillip Island and Mornington Peninsula and capital cities Canberra, Perth and Darwin.

It was also the second most popular wine region behind the Barossa Valley.