There are countless young people in Ballarat that make an incredible contribution to the city and the time is now for them to have their moment in the spotlight.

Nominations have now opened for the City of Ballarat 2024 Youth Awards and people are being encouraged to think about someone they know who is worthy of an accolade. Nominations close at 5pm on Monday 17 June, 2024.

Since 2005, the City of Ballarat Youth Awards have recognised the outstanding contributions that young people make to the Ballarat community.    

The awards shine a light on the leadership, innovation, kindness, and exemplary commitment to community that young people demonstrate.  

Open to people aged 12-25, the awards are designed to celebrate the achievements of young people, as well as recognising influential adults who empower our youth and create opportunities for them to thrive.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson encouraged people to nominate a young person they believed was worthy of an award.

“Every year I’m blown away by what I am seeing young people achieve and the contribution they make to Ballarat,” he said.

“We would love to see the nominations flow through once again this year because we know that there are so many young people in the community who are doing incredible things.”

This year, there are 10 nomination categories and all nominations are considered for two overall major award categories.

Award categories in 2024

• Personal Growth Award  
• Group Project Award  
• Leadership in Sport & Recreation Award
• Young Creative Award
• Positive Leader Award  
• Compassion and Care Award  
• Youth Volunteer Award  
• Influential Adult – Volunteer  
• Influential Adult – Worker  
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award
• Major Award, 12-17 years old
• Major Award, 18-25 years old

The City of Ballarat Youth Awards Event Ceremony will be held on Friday 9 August 2024 at the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts. All nominees will be recognised and invited to attend this special event.  

For more information on the awards and to access the nominations form, visit the Youth Awards page on the City of Ballarat website. 

Words & Image: Supplied

The City of Ballarat has released the names of its local neighbourhood parks that are next slated for improvement works under an ongoing rolling program focused on improving and maintaining these local open space gems.

Neighbourhood Parks are the smallest open spaces for Ballarat’s residents, designed for short regular use by residents living within 500 metres, and there are some 200 reserves in this category across Ballarat.

Each year the City of Ballarat team design and implement changes for up to 10 reserves where the improvements are needed the most.  

The latest instalment of neighbourhood parks set for improvements are:  

• Kowree Court Park, Sebastopol
• Drummond Street Reserve, Lake Wendouree
• Yarana Drive Park, Mount Helen  
• Victoria Street Reserve, Sebastopol
• Gregory Street Reserve, Soldiers Hill  
• Clover Street Reserve, Wendouree
• Marigold Street Reserve, Wendouree
• Rizal Park, Invermay  

Several factors are considered when choosing what park to upgrade, including:  

• The age and condition of play equipment  
• Park conditions  
• Demographics of the suburbs, where the need is the highest  

Over the past two years of the Neighbourhood Parks program, there have been 18 reserves in the pipeline for engagement, design and construction.  

Parks recently completed or near complete include:  

• The Horsham Crescent Park in Alfredton  
• The Hearn Road Park in Brown Hill  
• College Street Park, Wendouree  
• Cuthberts Road Reserve, Alfredton  
• Vale Street Park, Alfredton  

Improvements across some of these open spaces included park shelters and seating, circuit paths throughout the reserve, new playspaces and tree plantings.  

Concept plans are available for another seven parks, which can be viewed on the MySay, while the remainder of parks are in draft design, ready for a second phase of consultation.  

The community can now review the progress of all the parks via a new MySay page. It offers a map and listings to see what stage each park is currently at, and to see the designs and construction updates.  

The page offers the community a one-stop-shop to find out more information, see designs and upcoming plans and ask questions of the City of Ballarat design team.  

City of Ballarat Councillor Ben Taylor said the annual program allows community collaboration to develop and implement improvements into local small parks.  

“Having input from our community members, those who use these parks on a daily basis is a great way to shape the parks and make them fit for purpose,” he said.  

“It’s great to know that a park that may be used for a lot of walking, could get a dedicated path throughout it, or a park that is used a lot by young families may have improved play equipment and seating for parents added.”  

The latest instalment of the Neighbourhood Parks program is now open for community feedback via the City of Ballarat’ MySay page.

Ballarat’s Brown Hill Splash Park Precinct is a step closer to reality following the recent release of new concept designs.

In a major milestone towards completion of the new splash park, the concepts feature an adventure zone, an exploration zone, and a toddler development and discovery zone.

The park would have a mixture of water play features ranging from a large dumping bucket and water cannons to more gentle and predictable water effects.

A City of Ballarat MySay page has been established where people can provide feedback on the concepts.

A community information session was also be held at the Brown Hill Community Hall last week, organised in conjunction with the Brown Hill Progress Association.

The splash park is the first significant step towards the implementation of the Brown Hill Recreation Reserve Master Plan and is expected to open for the summer of 2024/25.

There is an election commitment from the state government of $1 million towards the overall redevelopment of Brown Hill Recreation Reserve, while the City of Ballarat has also committed $660,000 from the 2023/24 budget towards the Splash Park Precinct.

Further funding will be finalised as part of the City of Ballarat’s upcoming 2024/25 budget.

The splash park has been identified as the initial priority item in the master plan, which will later also include further upgrades to the precinct.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said it was exciting to see a vision for the splash park precinct starting to come to life.

“To be able to see how that space could be transformed is extremely promising,” he said.

“We have already seen how popular our other two splash parks at Sebastopol and Midlands Reserve so we are looking forward to delivering this vital project for Brown Hill.”  

The MySay page on the splash park will be open until Friday May 24, with a tender for construction to be released in the coming weeks. 

The City of Ballarat is calling for specific user groups to register to join a collaborative design workshop that will help shape the development of the city’s Open Space Strategy.  

The community’s voice will play a pivotal role in the new strategy that will influence how open space is improved and managed into the future.

From the initial round of engagement that ran from November 2023 until January 2024, the consultation received more than 900 responses via surveys, submissions and map pins – highlighting just how important open space is to the Ballarat community.  

Emerging themes from the first round of engagement included passive recreation, amenity and infrastructure, feeling safe, biodiversity, diversity and connection.

City of Ballarat Councillor Belinda Coates said it was evident that the Ballarat community values open spaces.  

“Our community’s voice is playing a key role in developing this long-term strategy for Ballarat’s spaces. It will be great to see how their influence can shape our open spaces into the future,” she said.  

“The next stage of collaboration with the community will include a deep dive into some of the key themes that our respondents identified, such as diverse play and biodiversity.”  

The Open Space Strategy 2024 will replace and supersede the current Open Space Strategy which has been in place since 2008.

The strategy will set out principles, priorities and actions that will help inform the decision-making processes, future investment and development contributions. 

The City of Ballarat’s draft Growth Areas Framework Plan is now available for community consultation following the council’s recent May Planning Delegated Committee Meeting.  

The document will guide the long-term growth of Ballarat’s future growth areas by outlining the required infrastructure and preferred sequencing for future Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) preparation.

The areas identified for future growth are geographically described as the Western and North Western growth areas.

The next growth area to be developed is the Northern Growth Area, for which the Victorian Planning Authority is currently developing the Precinct Structure Plan.  

This plan accommodates for 50 per cent of greenfield development, as previously outlined in the Ballarat Strategy 2040.

The Growth Areas Framework Plan will become a blueprint for the city’s future growth and is supported by many technical studies such as:

• Engineering servicing strategy
• Community infrastructure assessment
• Retail assessment  

It will advise how the Precinct Structure Plans should be sequenced, infrastructure requirements of each area, greenfield land supply, urban development objectives and key growth actions.  

As Victoria’s third largest city, Ballarat will continue to play an important role in the State’s economic and cultural growth, contributing significant investment and vibrancy to the region.

Ballarat is growing rapidly due to its proximity to Melbourne and the many economic, social and cultural opportunities that the area presents.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said this Framework Plan is a key document addressing the city’s future long-term greenfield growth.

“The future Western and North-Western Growth areas represent an essential part of the City of Ballarat’s long-term growth strategy,” he said.  

“The Growth Areas Framework Plan will ensure that Ballarat remains a regional city with its own unique identity.”  

The full Growth Areas Framework Plan and supporting documents can be found at the City of Ballarat’s MySay page and the community’s feedback is being welcomed until Friday 31 May 2024.  

The community can also attend in person sessions:

• Tuesday 21 May 2024 4.00pm – 6.00pm, for the general public.
• Tuesday 21 May 2024 6.00pm – 7.30pm, for landowners.

The City of Ballarat is exploring ways to improve the safety and amenity of Macarthur Street between Creswick Road and Wendouree Parade for people using the connection to walk, scoot, push a pram and ride a bike.  

The project addresses a key missing link between Routes 3 and 4 of the Ballarat Bicycle Network and is one of the final sections to be constructed of a dedicated walking and cycling link between Ballarat and Wendouree Stations.  

The area has a generous road cross-section and is a dominant walking and riding access route to Lake Wendouree, however Macarthur Street has a lack of dedicated safe crossing points for pedestrians, as well as separated bike lanes.  

It can be a busy section of road, and residents have told the City of Ballarat it is used regularly as a connection for people getting to and from work, school and home.  

It also has a relatively low tree canopy coverage compared to adjacent streets.  

The proposed draft concept plans address known local issues raised by community and implement a range of adopted masterplans and strategies for Lake Wendouree, including the Cycling, Urban Forest and Active Ballarat strategies.

The community is now being asked for their thoughts on the draft concept plans, with further detail on the connections found on the City of Ballarat’s MySay page.  

The project is being delivered with support from the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.  

Member for Ballarat Catherine King said the LRCI Program supports councils with projects that make our communities safer and better connected.

“This project will deliver more accessible and fit for purpose path along Macarthur Street and will make the area much safer for pedestrians and cyclists, she said.”

The draft concept plans show raised shared user crossings at Burnbank Street and Wendouree Parade to improve pedestrian safety. 

Proposed mid-section crossing points will be constructed along Macarthur Street for pedestrian refuge.  

Between Wendouree Parade and Burnbank Streets an on-road protected bike path is proposed and between Burnbank Street and Creswick Road a shared path along the cemetery is proposed.

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson it is great to see so many projects supporting the vision of Ballarat as a great walking and cycling city.

“It is important that Ballarat has safe, predominantly off road or quieter routes which are suitable for pedestrians and families and encourages people to commute actively,” he said.  

“While a number of people already choose to ride a bike, either to commute to work, for sport or for pleasure, there is room for improvement, and this Macarthur Street link is one of them.”  

A man has been charged following the assault of an elderly man in Ballarat North last Thursday afternoon (May 2).

The 90-year-old victim spotted a man in his neighbour’s backyard on Walker Street and confronted him about 4.15pm.

The alleged thief then attacked the man, pushed him to the ground, stole his phone and fled the scene.

The Ballarat North man sustained serious injuries because of the fall and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The alleged offender was arrested a short time later on Walker Street by police without incident.

A 33-year-old man, of no fixed place of abode, has been charged with robbery and assault.

He had been remanded to appear at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court last Friday May 3.

Locals and visitors to Ballarat are set to enjoy a visual feast for this year’s White Night event as the city puts on a radiant display on Saturday 1 June 2024 from 6pm – 12 midnight.

White Night will transform Ballarat with dazzling laser beams and projections illuminating the historic city, in a program featuring a light spectacular, music and interactive works.

The inclusive event is a celebration of immersive art and community participation, with something for everyone.

The late-night illumination will transform the streets, laneways and heritage venues of the Ballarat CBD grid, embracing the adventurous, encouraging the curious. 

White Night Ballarat will feature almost 40 projections, over 100 artists and performers many of them from Ballarat and surrounds, a delicious selection of White Night Bites to be discovered across the city, family friendly entertainment and activities and two concert stages to get the music fan’s heart racing.

JAZZPARTY, Tek Tek Ensemble, The ReChords, Troy Firebrace, Parvyn, The Counterfeit, James Ellis and the Jealous Guys and local Ballarat artists Yacht Club DJs, Sami and Lashes will perform from two main stages on Sturt and Mair Streets in an all-night music program.

Featured artists around Ballarat during White Night include Still Here by the late Josh Muir whose work will be projected across Sturt Street, a series of joyful projections by local artist Deborah Klein and the sublime work Slow Curtain by renowned photographer Lisa Walker.

Stretching along Armstrong and Doveton Streets, Ballarat’s culinary delights will be in the spotlight with many award-winning eateries taking part in White Night Bites and providing a snack or two for the late-night adventurer.

Artistic Director and Creative Producer Andrew Walsh AM of renowned major events organisation Accolade.art said Ballarat’s White Night is for the adventure-seeker, attracting visitors and locals alike.

“This is a celebration of the unexpected,” he said.

“Ballarat is set for six hours of illuminated magic, ready to glow bright for this alluring winter experience. We encourage everyone to explore, discover and be dazzled and to take yourself, your friends, your family on a serendipitous adventure.”

Accolade.art’s first venture with White Night began in Melbourne in 2013 – the first Australian city to host the popular Parisian Nuit Blanche festival which started in 2002. Since then, Accolade has produced six White Night events in partnership with Visit Victoria, growing and developing the annual dusk-til-dawn event across the state.

Ballarat is set for a blockbuster this winter with White Night 2019 drawing more than 40,000 visitors to the region. Restaurants, businesses, and accommodation will once again be immersed in the energy of White Night with thousands set to embark on a Ballarat weekend adventure ready to enjoy the city and everything it has on offer.

“We are thrilled to welcome White Night back to the City of Ballarat for the first time in four years,” Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said. 

“This will be one of the highlights of the year as our city centre comes alive with spectacular projections, music, art and roaming performers and the best part, it is completely free to attend. I’d encourage our community to embrace this wonderful opportunity and invite your family and friends from near and far to Ballarat for a weekend not to be missed.”

White Night Ballarat is free to attend and takes place on Saturday 1 June 2024 from 6pm to 12 midnight in Ballarat’s CDB.

Detectives from the Western Region Crime Squad have charged a man after two police vehicles were allegedly rammed in Mount Clear last week.

Officers observed a silver Ford Falcon drive into a car wash facility on Geelong Road about 8.50pm last Wednesday, April 17.

Checks revealed the Ford was allegedly stolen from Torquay in September 2023 and was bearing false registration plates.

Two police vehicles parked in front and behind the Ford with their lights and sirens activated, when the driver of the Ford allegedly began ramming both stationary police vehicles.

Two offenders were arrested at the scene and the driver fled on foot but was arrested nearby.

A homemade shot gun was located inside the driver’s side door and a fold-out knife was located on his person.

Three police members received minor injuries as a result of the collision.

The alleged driver, a 20-year-old Wendouree man, was transported to hospital with minor injuries and has since been charged with aggravated intentional exposure of police officer to risk by driving, intentional exposure of police officer to risk by driving, theft of motor vehicle as well as other driving, firearms and drug offences.

He has been remanded to face Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on 18 July.

A 43-year-old Eureka man and a 35-year-old Eureka woman have been released pending further enquiries.

The City of Ballarat will remove a large group of pine trees that have been deemed to be “at the end of their life or in poor condition”, in the second stage of planned tree removal works, at Binney Reserve in Black Hill over coming days.

The trees were assessed by an independent arborist in September 2020 and have been recommended for removal to minimise the risk to public safety. 

The arborist’s report found more than 60 per cent of the trees had structural issues that increased the risk of complete tree failure. This posed an unacceptable risk for the City of Ballarat and subsequently the trees were recommended for removal.  

Planted close together in a plantation arrangement, the trees have grown upwards quickly to compete for sunlight, leaving the trees with insufficient root mass – a contributing factor to complete tree failure. 

The report identified that the remaining trees would be at greater risk of falling over in high wind, without the protection of the other trees and without roots strong enough to withstand high wind. 

The first stage of pine tree removal was carried out in November 2021. The second stage was due to commence in August 2023 but was delayed due to nesting birds. The trees have been fenced for public safety since 2021. 

Once the removal works have been completed, the City of Ballarat’s Parks and Gardens team will then work to restore the soil and revegetate the site, before planting a mixture of indigenous vegetation and established trees, supported by the City of Ballarat’s regular maintenance program. 

Works to remove the trees will begin from today, Monday, 22 April and are expected to be completed early the following week, weather permitting. 

While the works are carried out, the tree removal area will remain closed, with traffic management in place for the safety of residents and contractors. 

City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the revegetation and replanting works will reinvigorate Binney Reserve. 

“The planned removal and ongoing landscape revegetation plans will ensure the community can continue to enjoy Binney Reserve for generations to come while ensuring the safety of our residents,” she said. 

A new community hub is expected to bring enormous benefit to the Ballarat suburb of Sebastopol by rejuvenating and transforming an existing outdated facility.

Design images have now been released for the Sebastopol Community Hub, showcasing a modern facility that will strengthen community connections and improve educational outcomes, while addressing the need for new and improved facilities.

Demolition of two buildings at the current Vickers Street facility is expected to begin in the coming days, with the new fit-for-purpose integrated community hub to open in 2026.

The $14 million project is jointly funded by the City of Ballarat ($5 million), the Federal Government ($4.5 million) via the Investing in Our Communities program and the State Government ($4.5 million) via the Building Blocks Capacity program.

The new facility will provide a fresh home for user groups of the existing building, including the Sebastopol Senior Citizens and the 1st Sebastopol Guides.

Temporary venues have been made available for the community groups that use the existing facility, while the facility is being constructed.

The location of the hub will complement other well-loved community facilities next to and nearby the site, including the Sebastopol Men’s Shed, Ballarat Community Health, St George’s Reserve, Victory Park, and Sebastopol Splash Park.

It is hoped the new community hub will also be a home for new groups to offer activities and services to the Sebastopol community.  

Highlights of the new facility include:

Three 120-square metre kindergarten rooms  

• A main hall with a 150-person capacity, featuring an accessible stage
• Four meeting rooms with varying capacities ranging from 12-50 people
• Maternal child health consulting rooms
• A community kitchen
• An outdoor playspace and an undercover play area
• On-site carparking

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said the project was vital for Sebastopol and the growing south-western area of the municipality.

Cr Hudson added the community hub highlighted a great collaboration between three tiers of government.

“To have such strong support from both the Federal and the State governments is extremely pleasing and enables us to proceed with a facility that is going to provide enormous benefit to our residents,” Cr Hudson said.

“Having one place that can cater to such diverse residents is fantastic. Whether it is the Sebastopol seniors, young children starting their education journey, new babies getting vital health checks or a range of community groups, this facility will cater to them all.”

Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King said it was exciting to see the project progress.

“It’s terrific to see this exciting project progressing with demolition beginning and the release of the design images,” she said.

“This is an important step in the development of the new and fit for purpose centre that people of all ages in Sebastopol will use, enjoy and be proud of.”    

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison said the new community hub would provide a mix of early childhood programs and services, plus spaces for local community groups, in one convenient location.

“The Sebastopol Community Hub will bring together quality kindergarten programs, supported playgroups and maternal and child health services – and I’m proud to support the expansion of child and family services in Ballarat’s south,” said Ms Addison.

Kindergarten services will soon be expanded in Ballarat’s west with the extension of the Lucas Community Hub to begin soon.

The tender for the construction of the expansion project has been awarded to Ballarat company CIQ Construction Management, with work expected to begin this month.

It is expected the project will be complete in time for the 2025 kindergarten year.

The project has received $1.5 million from the Victorian Government’s Building Blocks Capacity Grants program and up to $1 million from the City of Ballarat.

The extension will include an additional 33-place kindergarten room and outdoor space, which will ensure the City of Ballarat has the appropriate infrastructure to cater for the expanded three-and-four-year old kindergarten program and continue to offer the option of sessional kindergarten.

As part of the project, the entrance to the facility will be altered to improve access and the foyer reconfigured to improve circulation. An additional staff planning room will provide improved staff administration space, while a new laundry and storage will also improve the building’s functionality.  

No existing services will be impacted during the construction period. The existing community garden at the site will be retained but relocated to the southern end of the block, towards Merz Street.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said the extension was a great way to ensure City of Ballarat services continued to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding western suburbs of the municipality.

When the Lucas Community Hub first opened in 2016, census data showed there were 1014 people in Lucas. The most recent census in 2021 showed that figure had almost trebled to 2994.

“We are seeing how fast this area of Ballarat is growing and it is crucial we continue to provide families with high-quality infrastructure close to home,” Cr Hudson said.

“The expansion will give the kindergarten capacity to provide high-quality, accessible, early years services close to home, and support children in Lucas and surrounding areas to be ‘school ready’.

“To be starting another kindergarten project like this after collaborating once again with the state government, just one month after opening the new community hub and kindergarten just a few kilometres away in Alfredton, shows how much we are investing in the western suburbs.”

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn said the Victorian Government is supporting local councils to plan for and build the early childhood infrastructure needed to deliver Three- and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten programs in their communities.  

“The Lucas Community Hub expansion will extend free kindergarten programs in Ballarat’s west and give more families access to a quality kinder close to home,” said Minister Blandthorn. 

Cylists across the region are being invited to brush off their best fetching tweed outfits and prepare to participate in Ballarat’s annual Tweed Ride which returns Saturday May 18 as part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival.

For the unitiatiated, it’s a cycling event of style, conducted at a leisurely pace through the autumn streets, with fashion awards and … tweed.

A Tweed Ride is a bike ride where a group of cyclists dress in historic and vintage attire and ride through local city streets with Tweed Ride events are held all around the world.

The Ballarat Tweed Ride has been running annually since 2012. The riders take a leisurely pedal or scoot around Ballarat’s autumn streets.

The pace is relaxed, the company is light-hearted and the route is flat. The complete ride route will be around 3km long with the opportunity for less experienced or fit riders to take breaks and pause easily.

Spectators are very welcome along the ride route, or at the Tweed Fair location at Cathederal Hall on Dawsonn Street South, where the ride will begin and end.

The ride will begin after a presentation of fashion award rosettes for the best-dressed riders and participants at the Tweed Fair. All bikes are welcome on a Tweed Ride but vintage and interesting bikes aren’t just welcomed, they are celebrated.

The Tweed Fair and Dance happens at the Cathedral Hall, Dawson Street South with a dancefloor, fashion parade, pantomime, refreshments and sweet treats, handmade bespoke items and vintage collectable stalls.

Registrations are essential for riders and they opened on April 1.

Professor Diane Kirkby is presenting a guest talk on the socio-political history of women running pubs in Australia at Ballarat’s Eureka Centre on Thursday May 2.

The featured discussion is scheduled to start at 5.30pm as part of the centre’s ongoing Talking History program and is free to attend.

There has always been a deep connection between pubs and Australian communities. Usually the first, and sometimes the only building in a country town, and on every street corner in cities, pubs were run largely by women.

Pubs provided communities with so much more than drinks and accommodation, being vital gathering places, hosting everything from weddings to wakes. Deeply entrenched in Australian cultural life, the pub is largely perceived as a masculine space.

But pubs were often owned by women, and the bulk of the labour was traditionally done by women, in dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and bars. Dianne will explore why and how pubs were a vital source of waged work for women, and the pub’s fascinating history of cultural and social change.

Professor Diane Kirkby is a respected historian of women, work and the labour movement. She has authored several books including the highly-acclaimed ‘Barmaids: A History of Women’s Work in Pubs’.

Professor Kirkby’s work has won the Australian Historical Association’s WK Hancock Prize, and most recently awarded the 2023 Australia and New Zealand Law and History Society Prize. She is a Professor of Law and Humanities at University of Technology Sydney. Diane is an elected Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, the Australian Academy of the Humanities, and the American Society for Legal History.

Ballarat area business owners can now shift to a new 100 per cent renewable energy program to cut their emissions and costs via two programs – the Business Renewables Buyers Group and the Ballarat Energy Network.

The City of Ballarat has joined forces with more than 50 Victorian councils to create the Business Renewables Buyers Group, which helps businesses access more affordable renewable deals.

The group is supported by an external facilitator experienced at purchasing electricity generated by renewable energy, such as a solar or wind farm. The method is set to cut through barriers associated with the switch, such as complexity, time and cost.  

The initiative is open to businesses that consume more than 500MWh (megawatt hour) of electricity each year – spending about $100,000 per annum.

The energy collective leverages off the City of Ballarat’s experience in the Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO), the largest emissions reduction project by local governments in Australia.

The initiative also compliments the Committee for Ballarat’s recently launched Ballarat Energy Network (BEN), a community-driven program that features 100 per cent locally generated renewable energy for business and industry.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson is encouraging local businesses to get involved to reduce their environmental impact and save money.

“The Business Renewables Buyers Group is a local government initiative that helps businesses reduce their emissions and their impact on the environment while also securing long-term, stable pricing from the energy market,” he said.

“Ballarat and regional businesses now have more ways to embrace renewable energy with two great initiatives providing more choice and opportunity.”

The Ballarat Energy Network aims to aggregate locally generated renewable energy and distribute it locally, as well as trade it on the National Energy Market.

Committee for Ballarat Chief Executive Officer Michael Poulton said there was great renewable potential in Ballarat.

“To achieve energy resilience for regional communities like ours, the grid must evolve to maximise the capability of distributed generation assets like roof top solar and storage systems,” he said.

“These will play an increasing significant role as business, industry and the community in our region, transition to an economy driven by 100 per cent renewable energy.”

The shift to renewable energy is a flagship of the City of Ballarat’s commitment to transition to a net zero municipality.

In 2018, Ballarat Council acknowledged the climate emergency and the need for urgent action. In 2019, Council adopted the Carbon Neutrality and 100% Renewables Action Plan 2019-2025 for its corporate emissions.

In 2022, the council adopted the Ballarat Net Zero Emissions Plan, with an aspirational target of reaching net zero emissions by 2030 for the Ballarat community.

The initiative also aligns with the City of Ballarat’s Council Plan 2021-2025 Goal 1 – ‘An environmentally sustainable future’.

Those keen to find out more are being invited to visit the Business Renewables Buying Group page, hosted by the City of Yarra, to learn more about the initiative.