Australia is about to gain its first major Lego attraction after Merlin Entertainments reached a deal with Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping mall to open the country’s first Legoland Discovery Centre there.

Due to open in mid-2017, the indoor attraction will cover 2,800sq m (30,100sq ft) and will offer an interactive and educational experience specifically designed for families with children between the ages of 3-10 years old. The new centre will follow a similar theme to its counterparts worldwide, featuring of a range of Lego play areas, including a brick pool, master classes from a Lego Master Builder, a Lego-themed ride, special party rooms for birthdays, a 4D cinema, and the popular Miniland exhibition – which will be themed around Melbourne landmarks nominated by the local community.

The Chadstone Lego attraction will be the first discovery centre, not only to open in Australia, but also to open in the southern hemisphere. The mall itself is currently undergoing a AU$600m (US$437.6m, €393m, £279.5m) expansion and redevelopment which will add a new office tower apartments and expansion of leisure facilities. Once complete, the mall will be Australia’s largest.

“We have no doubt that the centre will be popular in Melbourne, and we are delighted to be working with Federation Centres on this exciting new project," said Merlin’s chief new openings officer, John Jakobsen.

"Australia and Asia are very important development areas for Merlin. We already have a cluster of exciting attractions in Sydney and now we want to build our business here in Melbourne, which is a vibrant, exciting city with a high proportion of families with young children, all looking for high-quality leisure options."