2018 in review: September takes off

Cake time: Callum, 4, Sadi, 3, Elsie, 4, Penny, 4, Tirion, 2 and Eleanor, 2 help celebrate 30 years of Ballarat’s Occasional Child Care Centre. Photos: ALISTAIR FINLAY

OUR year in review gets underway in mid-September with the launch of the Ballarat Times News Group.

The response from our readers was overwhelmingly positive and we’re so thankful for that.

However, the real big news story of September was East Point claiming their first ever McDonalds Ballarat Football Netball League flag over Melton.

The game had everything. Lead changes, a 23-point come back from deep in the hole, and a third of a straight kick in it at the death.

The Kangaroos held on to claim the side’s first senior BFNL flag and the silverware joined the team’s 2018 minor premiership in the cabinet.

Celebrations aren’t over yet, though. East Point will raise that flag at their first game of the 2019 on 13 April and then face-off against Melton in the grand final rematch a week later.

Off the field the big story was the delivery of the Ballarat Now and In the Future report to State Parliament.

The comprehensive document was produced by a consortium of eight leading government, business, health and education organisations.

It targeted several projects and initiatives in the region including a train station at Warrenheip, stage two of the Ballarat Link Road, investment in Sovereign Hill and Her Majesty’s Theatre and health and aeromedical centres.

With an election just two months away, many of the projects would become issues during the campaign.