2025: A year in review…

January

IT was announced that Eastwood Leisure Complex would get a multi-million-dollar-upgrade. The recreation facility was awarded $8.53 million from the Federal Government’s Growing Regions Program, and $9.01 million was allocated by the City of Ballarat, to overhaul it to better cater to the community. The stadium will be retained and reclad but the other buildings are being replaced with new, purpose-built spaces including a sports, education and cultural hall, training rooms and reception.

Works on accessibility upgrades at Ballarat Train Station got underway.

The City of Ballarat was the host location of major sporting events in January, showcasing the region’s facilities and bringing visitors to town. The Cricket Australia Under 16 Women’s Cricket Championship, Bowls Victoria Region Sides Bowls Championships, the disc golf Golden Classic, the Australian Underwater Hockey National Championships, the Ballarat Regatta, and Basketball Australia Under 20 National Championships all took place across town.

 

Ahead of the 2025 Federal and 2026 State elections, nine of Ballarat’s leading organisations partnered to lobby for funding support for key local projects. Australian Catholic University Ballarat, Central Highlands Water, City of Ballarat, Commerce Ballarat, Committee for Ballarat, Federation University, Grampians Health, Sovereign Hill, and Tourism Midwest Victoria staff were calling for infrastructure backing as part of the Ballarat Now and Into the Future – Enabling Growth advocacy campaign.

Golden Plains Shire councillors voted not to gather at the Linton Community Hub for council meetings in 2025 due to poor infrastructure and internet connectivity on site. Councillor Gavin Gamble was also re-elected to the shire council in a countback, following the resignation of Lachlan Glen.

 

February

The City of Ballarat and its local government counterparts were in celebration mode following the news that a World Heritage Listing for the Victorian Goldfields moved a step closer, and was on a tentative list.

The Ballarat Cycle Classic hit the road raising funds for the city’s own Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, and the Ballarat Wildlife Park turned 40 years old.

One of eight Connect Centres around Victoria opened in Ballarat to support the families and carers of people experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges.

Deakin University vice-chancellor Professor Iain Martin and dean of medicine Professor Gary Rogers toured the Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment. Its first completed building is home to the Deakin Grampians clinical school and the Grampians Health education centre.

Minister for Mental Health, Ageing and Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt turned the first sod on Grampians Health’s Youth Prevention and Recovery Care Centre.

Shelford Duck Race floated down the Leigh River for another year, the newly-revamped Don Wallace Recreation Reserve at Teesdale was unveiled, and the G21 Geelong Region Alliance and its leaders outlined priorities for the area ahead of the Federal Election.

 

March

The Art Gallery of Ballarat closed for interior maintenance and upgrades, which continue today, and the Ballarat Begonia Festival was in bloom in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens precinct for its 73rd year.

The Ballarat Airport runway extension project was completed, and the Federal Government announced it would provide $1.1 million to redevelop the old terminal building into a aeromedical patient transfer and emergency services facility. The runway was lengthened from 1250 to 1800 metres to cater to large turboprop and regional jet aircraft, and these works were covered by $3.8 million from the Federal Government’s Regional Airports Program and $5 million from the City of Ballarat.

Western Highway upgrades got bi-partisan backing ahead of the Federal Election in May, and the more-than $23 million Bridge Mall redevelopment was officially opened.

Leaders from the Greater Ballarat Alliance of Councils gathered to discuss their regional priorities ahead of the election.

The ribbon was cut on Rokewood’s new pharmacy and the Linton Recreation Reserve upgrades, and St Joseph’s Parish of Meredith marked its 150th anniversary.

 

April

Dunnstown Recreation Reserve’s upgraded pavilion was officially opened with fresh player and umpire changerooms, including female-friendly familities, an updated hall, and meeting, storage and first aid spaces.

The new Navigators Community Hub opened for business with a new meeting space, accessible amenities, storage rooms, a kitchen, clubrooms a viewing area, pathways and landscaping.

Works continued on a permanent war memorial to be established in Mount Egerton to commemorate those from the town and wider district who served in the First and Second World Wars, and the Upper Williamson Creek Landcare Group Turned 30.

Anzac Day was marked across the region, and the Buninyong Football Netball Club got their 150th year celebrations underway.

Ahead of the May federal election, Labor pledged $500,000 to the Continuous Voices Memorial at Victoria Park, and the Liberals pledged to upgrade netball courts in Buninyong and hockey facilities at Prince of Wales Park.

 

Foundation works for the new multi-level hospital tower and emergency department at the Ballarat Base Hospital got underway.

The Lethbridge Bluestone Train Station was officially re-opened as a building for community use, and Bannockburn’s nrew-look skate park was ready for action.

May

The Australian Labor Party won the Federal Election, the Heritage Festival celebrated Ballarat’s history over 10 days, and St John of God Hospital Ballarat turned 110.

Ellen Jackson was appointed Ballarat Foundation chair following the retirement of Wayne Weaire, the Ballarat Winter Appeal got underway, and the city marked National Reconciliation Week.

Councillor Brett Cunningham resigned, effective immediately, from Golden Plains Shire council. Councillor Owen Sharkey was elected mayor after Councillor Sarah Hayden stood down from the leading role.

 

June

Haymes Paint turned 90 years old, and the business unveiled the new David Haymes Centre for Excellence in Mitchell Park which will support the business’ innovation into the future.

The new Ballarat Showgrounds site officially opened at Mount Rowan. The site at Rose Hill Road includes a 28,000 square metre pavilion which is suitable for hosting agricultural and community events.

The Lucas Community Hub expansion project was officially opened. It includes a 33-place kinder room, outdoor play spaces, accessible foyer, and staff planning, laundry, and storage areas.

 

July

NAIDOC Week was celebrated, and Powercor unveiled its fencing design for the controversial Ballarat East Zone Substation.

Buninyong-Mount Helen Fire Brigade’s long-awaited new forward command vehicle arrived at the station, made possible by community support.

The news that Bendigo Bank would be closing its Bannockburn Branch in September outraged customers, and the Rokewood Community Hub and Pavilion was officially opened.

 

August

The Turret cafe and catering towered over the competition at the 2025 Federation University Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards Gala Night when they won Business of the Year.

The Buninyong Town Hall was buzzing as $50,000 worth of funding was distributed to local organisations by Community Bank Buninyong as part of the SparkTank initiative.

McCallum Disability Services’ social enterprise branches, McCallum Industries and Ballarat Regional Industries, re-branded as McCallum Enterprises, marking a new chapter in the organisation’s work to provide employment to people with disabilities. The move followed the merger three years ago of McCallum and BRI.

 

The Rotary Club of Ballarat turned 100 years old, and the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation opened a Ballarat office at the Giving Hub at Hugh Williamson House.

Emotions ran high at the Herald Sun Bush Summit at the Ballarat Civic Hall, as State and Federal leaders were greeted by protesters outside the venue and rowdy hecklers inside. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the summit’s keynote speaker, suffered regular interruptions during a conversation with Herald Sun editor Sam Weir after his speech, but the loudest and most vociferous interjections came during Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s post-speech chat with the paper’s chief of staff Tom Minear.

The Golden Plains Shire met its brand-new CEO Adam McSwain.

 

September

Former Victoria Tourism Industry Council CEO Felicia Mariani was appointed Committee for Ballarat board chair.

A rebranded organisation aiming to help the Ballarat community prevent violence against women was launched, called Respect Ballarat. Formally known as the saturation model, it was promoted by the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Natalie Hutchins, alongside Respect Victoria and the Ballarat Foundation. The initiative includes $1 million in funding and was co-designed by local organisations and communities.

 

October

It was announced that the reopening of the Art Gallery of Ballarat had been delayed nearly a year as extensive interior upgrades occur. The project was originally anticipated to be completed by early 2026, however due to the site’s complexity and heritage aspects, completion is now expected in late 2026.

Ballarat Italian Association members, their families, and supporters were at Victoria Bowling Club to mark the club’s 50th anniversary, and the Melbourne Cup toured the region with jockey Michelle Payne.

A landmark deal between Asahi Beverages and Ballarat’s Stephen Coghlan was announced which would see the return of Ballarat Bitter and Ballarat Bertie to local hands.

Construction at Mars Stadium continued, with a larger videoboard featuring Wadawurrung artwork, additional changerooms, and a southern standing-room viewing embankment for announced for the project.

 

November

The first-ever staging of the Ballarat Show took place at the Mount Rowan showgrounds site, and Cr Tracey Hargreaves was re-elected mayor of the City of Ballarat, with Cr Ben Taylor as deputy.

Golden Plains Shire mayor Cr Owen Sharkey returned to the seat with Cr Emma Robbins as deputy.

The Ballarat Christmas Appeal got underway, and tenders for the $1.5 million Continuous Voices Memorial at Victoria park were advertised. The memorial will honour victims and survivors of sexual abuse and is expected to be complete at the end of 2026.

SpringFest Market Sunday celebrated 30 years of putting funds back into the community, and the Ballarat Snoooze Bus made its first public appearance at the event. If all goes to plan, the bus will officially be offering emergency overnight accommodation to the homeless before winter next year.

 

December

The Brown Hill Splash Park opened for summer, and the Federal Government granted $4.8 million to Vitrafy Life Sciences to develop a second generation smart-freezing device used to preserve blood and blood products.

The Ballarat Arts Foundation turned 25 with a concert at Her Majesty’s Theatre.