Tenders called for Continuous Voices project

CONSTRUCTION of Ballarat’s $1.5 million Continuous Voices Memorial is slated for completion at the end of 2026, with the City of Ballarat now advertising for tenders to build the project.

Calling for tenders marks a milestone after nine years of advocacy and planning for the project that will honour victims and survivors of sexual abuse, which will be sited at the lake on Plane Avenue in Victoria Park.

The Continuous Voices Stakeholder Reference Group, comprising members of the survivor community and their families, has been instrumental in advocating for the memorial and guiding its design.

Their efforts, supported by the City of Ballarat, secured $500,000 from the State Government and a $500,000 election commitment from the Federal Government, with the City also committing $520,000 to the project.

The vision for a permanent site emerged in 2016, when the City responded to community calls for a lasting space recognising the impact of sexual assault and abuse in Ballarat.

The calls intensified following the 2016 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, part of which was held in Ballarat.

Designed by Amass Architects, the Continuous Voices Memorial is intended to be an enduring landmark of respect featuring soaring, interwoven curves that interact with the lake and landscape of Victoria Park, each strand symbolising an individual’s healing journey and coming together to form a protective canopy for contemplation and expression.

At its heart will be a survivor-informed artwork that reflects both light and darkness, acknowledging the complex emotional experiences of survivors, victims and their families.

Participants crafted statements from the starting point of ‘if you could speak of your experience to someone 150 years from now, what would you say?’ with their words to be etched into the structure as a lasting message that every voice deserves to be heard and remembered.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves said moving to the construction tender stage is an historic step forward. “This is not just a project. It’s a promise to survivors that their voices will never again be silenced,” she said.

Member for Ballarat Catherine King said the memorial will honour the resilience of survivors who alongside their supporters have worked hard to bring it to life as a symbol of the community’s recognition and support for those affected.

“So many survivors and their supporters have worked incredibly hard to make this memorial a reality,” Ms King said.