Historic venue host IWD event

THE doors of Learmonth’s Ceres Homestead are set to be opened to the public next month as part of a conversational event with former professional tennis player Jelena Dokic.

Taking place on International Women’s Day, the event is the first in a series of talks to be held at the venue this year.

Ceres Homestead co-owner Jane Charles said Dokic’s visit will be part of a personal and engaging program.

“The aim is to give the community an intimate connection with the speaker and it also provides the speaker themselves the opportunity to walk through the gates of a bygone era,” she said.

“It’s about that intimate connection and conversation where it won’t be a performative set of questions but a different sort of flow.”

Following Dokic’s appearance, the venue will host talks from cooking author and teacher Belinda Jeffery and media personality Deborah Hutton, as well as a Christmas wreath making workshop.

Following an event with Jeffery last year, this year marks the first of the In Conversation series as an ongoing program in celebration of 160 years since Ceres Homestead was built.

Ms Charles said the series’ introduction highlights the venue as an important part of Goldfields history.

“The significance is to celebrate the custodians who walked and built on this land and celebrate that,” she said.

“Thomas and Joanna Bath, who built Ceres Homestead, were the first licensees on the goldfields and this was their country estate. It’s a significant jewel in Ballarat’s crown.”

In Conversation with Jelena Dokic will run from 1pm to 4.30pm on Sunday 3 March and tickets are $385 and can be booked at bit.ly/4bbLApg.