The newest piece of public art in the North Gardens sculpture park will be developed by Wadawurrung artist, Kait James.  

The artwork will tell the story of Time, Place, Country and Culture which may include stories about the geography and geology of Lake Wendouree, Ballarat and the larger Western Basalt Plains. 

Kait’s work asks questions relating to self, perception and the collective lack of knowledge of Indigenous culture and community and exploring her identity as an Australian woman with Indigenous and Anglo heritage. 

Wadawurrung artist Kait James said creating a new work for the North Gardens Sculpture Park is both an honour and a profound responsibility. 

“It offers an opportunity to share our rich culture with the broader community, I’m thrilled to not only contribute to this space but also follow in the footsteps of my cousin Deanne Gilson, who created Murrup Laarr in 2019,” she said.

Kait will now commence working on the concept for the design for the newest addition to the North Gardens Sculpture Park. 

The North Garden Indigenous Sculpture Park is located on the edge of Lake Wendouree and an important site for the traditional owners of the land, the Wadawarrung people. 

Launched in 2019, the North Gardens Indigenous Sculpture Park is a significant project for the City of Ballarat and is designed to feature works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, celebrating the richness and diversity of culture and telling important cultural stories.

The sculpture park highlights the cultural connections to Country and the Wadawurrung people’s occupation of the land surrounding Ballarat.

This piece of art will join the inaugural sculpture in the park, Murrup Laar (above) by local Wadawurrung artist Dr Deanne Gilson.

Murrup Laar was created using local basalt stones to tell Wadawurrung stories of dreaming, memory and ceremony.

City of Ballarat Councillor Belinda Coates said the sculpture park is a place to celebrate and respect the environment and the long‐standing relationship the Wadawurrung have with their Country.

“It is important to have public art that symbolises continuing traditions, of healing, ecologies and a venue for gatherings to celebrate the spirit of the Lake Wendouree landscape,” she said. 

Words & Images: Supplied

The City of Ballarat is inviting all residents and visitors to view Fireworks display at Lake Wendouree on Sunday January 14.

When the music ends at Summer Sundays, the fun begins at Lake Wendouree, with 15-minutes of fireworks launching from 9:30pm.

Residents are encouraged to take care of their pets during the fireworks display and keep them indoors if they are likely to be spooked by loud noise.

There will be no parking restrictions around Lake Wendouree, however, the city is urging those planning to catch the fireworks to take care with the anticipated increased volume of traffic in the precinct.

The free event is being hosted by the City of Ballarat.

The City of Ballarat says it will remove and replace 12 poplar, willow and claret ash trees that are at the end of their life or in poor condition around Lake Wendouree.

The trees were assessed by an independent arboriculturist in April 2023 and have been recommended for removal to minimise the risk to public safety.  

The City of Ballarat’s Parks and Gardens team will replace the trees with the same species, in accordance with the Heritage Council of Victoria Lake Wendouree Registration under H2419.  

Works to remove and replace the trees were expected to begin this week and to take five days. While works are carried out, detours will be in place for pedestrians using the Steve Moneghetti Track.

There are more than 2,000 trees around Lake Wendouree. The Parks and Gardens team proactively inspects and maintains the health of trees across the City of Ballarat’s parks, gardens and reserves, as well as undertakes succession planning to guide the removal and planting of trees.

The tree removal complies with the City of Ballarat’s Tree Management Plan and Lake Wendouree Master Plan as well as the City of Ballarat’s tree maintenance in accordance with the Australian Standards.

City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the works are an important part of tree renewal for Lake Wendouree.

“The removal and replacement of the trees will maintain the historical beauty of Lake Wendouree while ensuring the safety of residents and visitors,” she said.

The Lake Wendouree and Victoria Park Link Lighting project in Ballarat has been officially switched on in recent days.

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson marked the completion of the lighting project by attending Lake Wendouree earlier this month to see the lights officially switched on.

The 225 green light poles around the lake and seven light poles along Morrison Street will now light a route around the Steve Moneghetti Track and from Lake Wendouree to nearby Victoria Park, creating a safer and more accessible environment for walkers, runners, rowers and the broader community.

Powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, the LED lighting will turn off at 10pm each night and turn on each morning at 5.30am. The lights will then turn off in the morning via a sensor in the light fitting that measures the level of natural light.

The $3,170,000 project is jointly funded by the State Government ($2,500,000) and the City of Ballarat ($670,000).  

Lake lighting was identified as the number one priority in the City of Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree Master Plan in 2017 following extensive community and local resident engagement.

The planning phase of the project considered a number of key aspects including a Heritage Impact Statement Assessment, an Arboriculture report, and a Biodiversity Impact Assessment.  

The City of Ballarat has worked with regional contractor DeAraugo and Lea Electrical, which utilised local sub-contractors and suppliers, to protect and maintain the health of trees and wildlife throughout the construction project.

The contractor’s works have complied with a Tree Management Plan and a Construction Management Plan, which also meets the Australian Standard 4970 Protection of Trees on Development Sites. The works were also guided by a project arborist.

The project also went through a consultation and approval process with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners with a Cultural Heritage Management Plan in place for the delivery of the works.

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson said it’s exciting to see the lake lighting project switched on.

“Lake lighting improves safety and encourages more people to get active year-round,” he said.

“Residents and visitors to Ballarat can now make use of our most popular recreational location for a few extra hours a day, particularly in the evenings and during the winter months.

“Thank you to the project team, including contractor DeAraugo and Lea Electrical for delivering the lake lighting project with the utmost care for the environment, wildlife, lake businesses and our community.”