Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has pumped big money into augmented reality with a major investment in Melbourne-based AR start-up Plattar.

Plattar, which markets a cloud-based app builder and content AR management system, yesterday announced it had closed a $1.1 million seed round with most of it coming from News Corp. The Melbourne-based company says it has established a “blue chip early client base” in Australia, NZ and the US with customers including Frucor, Geelong City Council, the University of Otago and ISGM.

News Corp said it had partnered with Plattar in February to test application of the technology with subsidiaries REA Group and the Ray White real estate operation.

Users who download an app can use it to see 3D images of the properties they are interested in, as well as a location map and information about the property, Plattar CEO Rupert Deans said. Deans also said the $1.1 million would be used for product development, marketing and scaling to match demand.