Showgrounds open at Mount Rowan

THE new Ballarat Showgrounds site has officially opened, and is set to host this year’s Ballarat Show following a hiatus in 2024.

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

The building has already been used for CraftAlive, the Ballarat Outdoor Living and Camping Expo, Farmer’s Night Off, and will host the Victorian Sheep Show this weekend.

The Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society has been operating in the region for nearly 170 years and joint president Kerri Gallagher said the 40-acre site allows more room for growth.

“We had been at the old [Creswick Road] site for 80 years, and the site was starting to fall down around our ears,” she said.

“Out here we have this large open space pavilion that we have built that’s going to allow so many more exhibitions to be able to come to Ballarat and be undercover in one shed.”

Development of the site was funded with $5 million from the State Government, and the facilities will be available for commercial hire, supporting events in the region.

“BAPS supports so many primary producers and so many people in the agricultural sector across our region,” Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said.

“It’s important that they have the best possible facilities into the future so that we can have them being strong for another 170 years, and more.

“This is also about economic growth for our region and that $5 million will go a really long way to bringing tourism and major events to Ballarat.”

The Federal Government pledged $1.5 million for the site to build an events and exhibition centre that could hold 400 people standing or 300 seated.

The election commitment included upgrades to the equestrian centre on site to make it more accessible.