Picture file by Adam TraffordBallarat police are appealing for witnesses after suspicious car fires in the Ballarat region over the weekend All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency services were called to Cuthberts Road following reports of a vehicle on fire outside of a home Police said the owners were able to extinguish the fire using a nearby garden hose "Whilst conducting enquiries and assessing the scene, police located a garden spray bottle near the vehicle which appeared to contain an accelerant that was used to light the vehicle on fire," a post on the Eyewatch - Ballarat Police Service Area Facebook page said "The vehicle sustained significant damage as a result firefighters and police were called to Blind Creek Road Cardigan and found two Toyota RAV4 SUVs engulfed in flames Investigations by police revealed the vehicles had been stolen in recent days "Enquiries by the Ballarat CIU have linked both vehicles to a series of offences over a number of days, and investigations are continuing to identify those responsible for the thefts and subsequent reported crime," the Eyewatch post said Anyone with information on any of the incidents are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 A confidential report can also be made online at crimestoppersvic.com.au Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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Picture by Isobel CootesThere is a one in 133,000 chance of sharing a birthday with both your dad and grandfather but one Ballarat family has defied the odds Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMeet the Mackay family Andrew's own daughter Margot arrived on the same date last year The three generations now all share the day together and Saturday was no different for little Margot's first birthday "Margot's due date was something like April 22," Andrew said of his daughter's arrival at Ballarat Base Hospital in 2024 Peter was "blown away" when his son Andrew arrived on his birthday Andrew and his own father Peter have shared almost every birthday together since the 38-year-old landed And now the newest member of the Mackay May 3 crew gets to join that tradition so three generations of Ballarat family," Andrew said A Novocastrian turned deputy editor at The Courier, who made her move via Optus Sport, The Canberra Times, The Examiner, and The Port Lincoln Times. Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily sporting groups and veterans are just some of the people in Ballarat who will welcome the Ballarat and national election results Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMore than $8 million of funding promises will flow to the electorate after Labor's Catherine King and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were returned to their roles Ms King has won eight consecutive elections Picture by Lachlan BenceAs the party leaders looped around the country over the past five weeks the cost of living was at the top of mind for voters When speaking to volunteers and party members at Trades Hall Ms King said free TAFE and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) were key themes voters raised to her during pre-poll "We get up tomorrow and the work starts," she said she has held the portfolios of infrastructure regional development and local government since the 2022 election Ms King thanked the electorate for the opportunity to represent the community once more "It is an extraordinary opportunity to have been reelected again," she said but also to be part of a government that's able to deliver on all the things we promised here the veterans announcement is going to be pretty special." Ms King faced multiple callouts from her Liberal opponent who said the incumbent member was absent from the electorate and had left Ballarat residents behind as Peter Dutton learned nationwide on Saturday the negative hits didn't sway many to the Liberal Party at the polls "I think people make choices about the sort of candidates or the sort of campaign they're going to run and I'll let them be accountable to those," Ms King said "I do want to wish [Ms Doran] all the best in the future .. Liberal candidate Paula Doran after polls closed on election night Picture by Lachlan BenceLiberal Party volunteers and members gathered at Itinerant Spirits once voting booths had closed I felt like I had done everything that I could possibly do," Ms Doran said Ms Doran said there was nothing she regretted from her ten-week campaign Nieve is The Courier's political reporter. She covers council, state and federal politics. Something bothering you in the community or want to see change? Send an email at nieve.walton@thecourier.com.au despite Labor's incumbent member Catherine King dominating the polls once again All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMs King was re-elected for an eighth consecutive term on Saturday winning 60 per cent of the voice in the two candidate preferred race against Ms Doran the Liberals recorded a 2.48 per cent swing against Labor in the Ballarat seat Data from the Australian Electoral Commission shows four polling locations of the 59in the Ballarat electorate voted for Ms Doran as the first preference The remainder preferred Labor's Catherine King including every single polling location in Ballarat itself One of the closest results came out of Warrenheip Primary School where Ms Doran was first in first preferences - with just 15 votes difference But Ms King was the winner in the two-candidate preferred race Greens candidate John Barnes was the third most popular vote followed by One Nation's Terri Pryse-Smith Independent Luke Parker and Libertarian Ryan Redfern Of the 116,000 eligible voters in the Ballarat electorate Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBallarat has decided more than $8 million in federal funding is set to benefit the region Labor MP Catherine King has retained her seat - which she has held since 2001 - and has extended her reign as the seat's longest-standing member Ballarat residents' votes are flowing in from polling booths across the 5323 square kilometre electorate Seven candidates are contesting the Ballarat seat, up against Labor incumbent Catherine King Of the 116,296 registered voters in the seat for the 2025 federal election, a total of 65,625 cast their vote early through pre-poll stations Labor MP Catherine King on Saturday night in Ballarat Picture by Lachlan BenceEven though 56.43 per cent of voters had had their say before election day on Saturday people were still chasing the best spots to grab a snag Liberal candidate Paula Doran was the first on the ballot paper The tech entrepreneur and former journalist has run the longest Liberal campaign in Ballarat compared to 2019 and 2022 In second position on the ballot will be the Greens candidate John Barnes. The former Ballarat mayor increased the primary vote for his party in the 2022 election. Ballarat residents voting on election day, May 3, 2025 at Pleasant Street Primary School. Picture by Kate HealyTerri Pryse-Smith is also a returning candidate; this time she is running for Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party Ms King has held the seat since 2001 Luke Parker will be listed as an independent on the ballot but is on the Democracy First website as a candidate for Ballarat Ryan Redfern is running for the Libertarian Party, which used to be called the Liberal Democrats Ian Harkness is running for the Family First Party Something bothering you in the community or want to see change Send an email at nieve.walton@thecourier.com.au Nieve is The Courier's political reporter Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords The Victorian Government is delivering a suite of upgrades to Mars Stadium (previously known as Eureka Stadium) and the broader Ballarat Major Events Precinct as part of the Ballarat Sports Package The project will see the premier regional venue receive 5,000 new permanent seats raising the overall seated capacity to 10,000 (the venue’s total capacity will remain at approximately 11,000 inclusive of the additional 5,000 seats) New seats also mean more amenities and more food and beverage options to continue to improve the spectator experience at the venue The precinct will also include new athletics track and pavilion with seating storage facilities and new public open space The new athletics facility will be located on the Ballarat Showgrounds site which was formerly home to the Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society (BAPS) and will be the new home for athletics in Ballarat These upgrades will create better sporting facilities for the Ballarat community while enhancing the region’s capacity to host great sport and entertainment events There will be reduced capacity of 5,042 for the two AFL matches in 2025 For more information on how these redevelopments impact reserved seat and general admission memberships, click here. The Western Bulldogs Official App is your one stop shop for all your latest team News, Videos, Player Profiles, Scores and Stats delivered LIVE to your smartphone or tablet! Western Bulldogs acknowledge that we work, train and play on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. We offer our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Link copiedShareShare resultsBy chief election analyst Antony Green posted Fri at 2:00pmFriday 2 May 2025 at 2:00pmFri 2 May 2025 at 2:00pm Updated 6m ago6 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 12:05pm updated Yesterday at 6:50amSun 4 May 2025 at 6:50am | Catherine King (Labor) since 2001. Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Ballarat is Victoria's largest inland city and the electorate includes all of the City of Ballarat local government area. It also extends north to include Clunes, Creswick and Daylesford, east to Gordon, and south to Linton, Meredith and Lethbridge. Covers 5,323 square kilometres. Unchanged apart from a 300 elector adjustment to the boundary with Corio. (Victories by a party of government are indicated by thick coloured underlining.) Doran is the founder of a recruitment app, Rockt, which uses an algorithm to match seasonal workers with jobs. She has previously worked as a journalist with The Age and the ABC before moving into marketing and public relations in the agricultural sector and NBN Australia. In 1999 she worked in Timor-Leste where she ran Radio Timor Kmanek, amplifying voices in a newly independent nation. Barnes is a former Mayor of Ballarat City Council and Chairman of Central Highlands Water. He was the Greens candidate for this seat at the 2022 election. Born and bred in Melbourne, Pryse-Smith describes herself as the daughter of hard-working parents who loved politics and community. She has had a career that started in education but she now works with her husband in a veterinary clinic and in a farm supplies business. She was the United Australia Party for this seat in 2022. Parker lives in Teedale and is a construction manager. Redfern describes himself as a husband, father, and proud Ballarat local. His background is in economics, finance, and operational decision-making. Harkness describes himself as a true jack-of-all-trades, his diverse skills spanning motor mechanics, metalwork, house building, farm work, sheet metal fabrication, spray painting, industrial chemistry and customer service. He has even built caravans and worked as a carer for the severely disabled. He has also worked as a volunteer in remote areas, including the Australian outback and Papua New Guinea. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Ballarat's flagship creative sector development program is returning in 2025 showcasing the work of the some of the region's talented makers artisans and artists who are fuelling the transformation of the Ballarat creative sector into a powerful economic engine Craft Lab identifies 18 talented creatives who work with traditional skills while developing contemporary applications of their craft The practitioners receive intensive career advice These artisans then showcase their work at the historic Mining Exchange during the award-winning Ballarat Heritage Festival Craft Lab is a major driver of cultural tourism to Ballarat with attendance growing each year including more than 6,000 visitors over four days in 2024 Supported by the city's status as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Arts Ballarat is transforming its creative sector into a powerful economic engine that contributed $658.4 million to the local economy in 2022/23 with domestic overnight visitors spending $140 million on arts and cultural activities in 2023/24 - a remarkable 52 per cent increase from $92 million in 2021/22 Cultural tourism visitor nights have increased 1.5 times from 380,000 to 559,000 demonstrating the significant economic impact of the cultural industries on the region been driven by increases in the numbers of creative practitioners within the City of Ballarat This places the municipality halfway toward the City of Ballarat's ambitious goal of quintupling its creative workforce by 2030 Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the remarkable growth in Ballarat's arts and cultural industries demonstrated how cultural heritage could drive economic prosperity "With more than 2,500 people now employed in creative sectors across our region we're witnessing firsthand how investing in our unique cultural identity generates both economic opportunities and strengthens community wellbeing," Cr Hargreaves said "Our UNESCO designation has enabled us to showcase Ballarat's creativity on a global stage while supporting local practitioners to develop sustainable careers right here in regional Victoria "Craft Lab is a great example of the work being done to cultivate Ballarat's creative community and transform our city's creative city into an economic powerhouse." Commerce Ballarat CEO Jodie Gillet said the economic ripple effects from Ballarat's arts and cultural industries had been substantial for our broader business community and stronger spending patterns across retail "The UNESCO designation has effectively diversified our economic base - building community resilience." Craft Lab will take place at the Ballarat Mining Exchange from 17-25 May as part of the annual Ballarat Heritage Festival Visit the Creative City website Marathon mania is about to take over Ballarat with thousands of runners and visitors set to descend on the city this weekend The second annual Ballarat Marathon road running festival will be held on Saturday 26 April and Sunday 27 April with all eyes of the running world turning to Ballarat There are already more than 9000 entries across all events registered so far – almost double the total from the inaugural event in 2024 showcasing the city to thousands of people and resulting in accommodation being at capacity An expected injection of at least $3.1 million into the Ballarat economy is projected due to the event With almost 3000 entrants in the 42.2km full marathon alone the event has already grown to be the fourth biggest marathon race in Australia The half marathon event is capped at 3500 entries and has been sold out for weeks Entertainment offerings will be located throughout the course with local businesses joining in to build the hype and monumental fundraising efforts under way the event has once again captured the imagination of the entire city Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the two-day running festival promised to be another spectacular event “The rapid growth of the Ballarat Marathon is astounding and I look forward to this year’s event with great anticipation,” she said “The positive effects from the event are enormous in terms of economic impact “We acknowledge the event does have an impact on people’s movement throughout the city but we thank them for their patience to help us support an event that is so important for Ballarat.” Ballarat is already abuzz with marathon fever and that atmosphere is only going to grow in the coming days This year there will be increased entertainment offerings throughout the course to ensure supporters are spread throughout the entire event to cheer on the runners The Sovereign Hill Red Coats will once again fire the starting gun for the race plus there will be more than a dozen different musical acts and DJs dotted around the course on Sunday In terms of hospitality, there are 24 local businesses currently taking part in the Carb Party, highlighting one of their finest carb-loaded, energy-rich creations to fuel both local and visiting athletes (and spectators). See all the businesses participating in the Carb Party on the Ballarat Marathon website At least 15 local cafes will also be opening their doors early on Sunday to ensure a caffeine hit is available from the crack of dawn – some of them as early as 5am. See the full list of cafes who are extending their opening hours on the Ballarat Marathon website Courtesy buses will also run along Mair Street between Civic Hall and Pleasant Street to help spectators move around the course One of the key elements of the Ballarat Marathon is the fundraising for charity Already there has been almost $60,000 raised for charity but this number is expected to keep climbing significantly even after the conclusion of the event The Ballarat Health Services Foundation is the headline charity partner for the event with participants who raise $500 or more for the foundation via the Grassrootz platform able to have their entry fee refunded if they choose Anybody who raises money for the Ballarat Health Services Foundation will be entered into the Lucky Dip to win Shokz headphones The top five fundraisers will also win Shokz Headphones a $200 Running Warehouse Gift Voucher and Steigen running socks More than 2000 entrants have registered to raise money for more than 200 different charities To learn more about fundraising, visit the fundraising page on the Ballarat Marathon website There will be various road closures throughout the duration of the event and people planning to travel are encouraged to plan in advance and allow extra time Sturt Street will be closed to all traffic from Grenville Street to Golf Club Drive from 7am-3pm on Sunday Pedestrian access to shops along the course will be maintained at all times and there will be frequent pedestrian crossing points and opportunities Emergency access will always be maintained all emergency services will be able to access all properties and businesses within the road closures For a full list of road closures, visit the road closures page on the Ballarat Marathon road closures page There will also be other associated road closures on Friday 25 April for ANZAC Day commemorations. Visit the City of Ballarat ANZAC Day page for more information designed by Ballarat running legend Steve Moneghetti is even flatter this year by removing the Sturt Street hill between Lydiard Street and the Bridge Mall and instead looping around Lydiard Street North With a total elevation gain of just 98 metres over the full marathon distance it is designed to be a course that will result in many personal best times from competitors Taking in the stunning Sturt Street boulevard this magnificent course is a true testament to Ballarat as a premier regional city The flatter course has been certified to World Athletics standards meaning a qualifying time would count in order to get into the ballot for a major marathon like Boston or New York For a full list of all starting times and all information relating to the event, visit the Ballarat Marathon website.  5320 5500 Services and Requests info@ballarat.vic.gov.au City of Ballarat © | Privacy Statement | Website Terms and Conditions The City of Ballarat acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung People and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People PORT ADELAIDE coach Ken Hinkley says he wasn't surprised to lose to the Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium on Saturday afternoon but he was shocked at the extent of the thrashing The Bulldogs and the Power both entered the clash with 4-3 win-loss record and sat eighth and ninth on the ladder it was anything but with the 90-point demolition by the Bulldogs taking Hinkley and the football world by surprise BULLDOGS v POWER Full match coverage and stats "It's not a surprise that the Bulldogs were able to beat us It's a surprise to me that we got beat so badly," Hinkley said in his post-match press conference "I thought they were in really good form coming in They were certainly a game we were wary of how they were playing but once the game got away from us they grew in confidence They looked like they couldn't do anything wrong We looked like we nearly couldn't do anything right." Extended highlights of the Bulldogs and Power clash in round eight of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Watch Port Adelaide’s press conference after round eight’s match against Western Bulldogs Watch Western Bulldogs’s press conference after round eight’s match against Port Adelaide The Bulldogs and Power clash in round eight of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Tim English put on an all-round performance amassing three goals and 27 disposals in his side’s demolition Adam Treloar marks his 2025 comeback with a ripping goal after being sidelined through injury Willie Rioli may face a nervous wait from the MRO after appearing to collect Bailey Dale high away from the play Young gun Joel Freijah lights up the ground with a flashy move and finish but Marcus Bontempelli quickly shows why he’s the top Dog with a touch of pure class Luke Cleary conjures a terrific effort on the run and is surrounded by teammates to celebrate his first goal in the big league Ed Richards may have kicked a genuine GOTY contender with this insane effort from the boundary Rhylee West kicks an impressive goal on the run after gathering the perfect crumb Willie Rioli gets off to a cracker with two great goals after one of them survives a score review The Power were blown away after leading at quarter-time "It's a huge number and one that we clearly are really disappointed in We expected way better than that," Hinkley said The Power started their day winning the first 10 clearances of the match and kicked two of the first three goals Their ruck (Tim English) certainly got dominant it was just his work rate around the ground and help join in the outnumber," Hinkley said (Marcus) Bontempelli - it's a pretty good group that they've got going through there "They were able to get ascendancy in the game The Power now sit 12th on the ladder with four wins and four losses and will come up against crosstown rival Adelaide next week in the Showdown Hinkley sees the blockbuster match as a positive for his side "The positive for us is there's a Showdown coming next week That'll probably certainly help us get our heads back into the battle pretty quickly," he said Saturday's win makes it three in a row in what's been an impressive start to the season including last week's 32-point win over Greater Western Sydney however Luke Beveridge rates Saturday's win against the Power as his side's best yeah," Beveridge said post-match when he was asked if it was their best win so far "Came here today with both teams in a similar situation a little bit of belief bubbling up to the surface "So after the start of it with 0-10 in clearance and our backs just being able to weather that storm to get on top so emphatically was quite important And then I think from then on it was really an even spread of contribution from so many." Beveridge was asked whether he was tempted to sub out Adam Treloar given the margin with the star mid playing his first game for the season after overcoming a calf injury "We came in wanting to make sure that Adam played a certain amount of game time and ultimately if you get into that frame of mind where you try and look after your players too much the sentiment can change to a degree," Beveridge said "So even though we were at a decent margin we gave up almost half a dozen goals and five goals at the end of last week's game so we wanted to play to the line and play to the last minute so he didn't need extra minutes on the bench." The Bulldogs will travel to Darwin next week to play an in-form Gold Coast at TIO Stadium on Saturday night Gold Coast Academy’s Usher on her ACL injury rehab battles and best friend Havana Harris incredible misses and more in our look back on the April action of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse gives host Bharat Sundaresan the rundown on how Australian football began and how it became such a significant part of Australian culture With a challenging month of away clashes ahead Fremantle needs to find a way to win on the road if it's to seriously contend in 2025 One of footy's famous rivalries will kick off the AFLW season to mark the 10th season of the competition Check out all the action from the state leagues around the country Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd with the latest news and opinions from Round 8 The Crows have produced a dominant performance to beat the Blues Footy Feed: Sarah Olle and Riley Beveridge with the latest news Check out the Rising Star for AFL’s Round 8 Will a hard tag from Jack Viney be the reason Harley Reid leaves the Eagles Vote now on your favourite marks from Round 8 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season The Match Review findings for Sunday's round eight games are in In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today Residents of Ballarat are urged to come together and honour the brave men and women who have served our nation by participating in the ANZAC Day services happening throughout the municipality ANZAC Day will be observed on Friday 25 April with a number of ceremonies taking place across the City of Ballarat.  Cr Tracey Hargreaves said ANZAC Day remains one of the most significant and meaningful occasions of the year “ANZAC Day continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Ballarat’s community,” Cr Hargreaves said we see a tremendous turnout for these services as people gather to show their respect.  “I strongly encourage everyone who can to attend one of the commemorative services and to honour both our past and present service members."  The City of Ballarat works closely with numerous local Returned and Services Leagues (RSLs) offering support and expertise in event management to ensure the events run as smoothly as possible.  Cardigan and Windermere Fire Brigade  7am: Short ceremony at the Fireman’s memorial in Remembrance Drive followed by the placing of a wreath.  Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial  There will be various road closures in place throughout the day. For a full list of road closures, visit the ANZAC Day webpage on the City of Ballarat website.  There are also further road closures associated with the Ballarat Marathon running festival across the same weekend. Visit the road closures page on the Ballarat Marathon road closures page information The City of Ballarat acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on, the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Picture fileAn unemployed tradie with more than 20 prior convictions for car theft has been sentenced to years behind bars for his latest drug-fueled crime spree dangerous driving while pursued by police and three counts of motor vehicle theft one from Soldiers Hill and the other two from rural properties on the outskirts of Ballarat When officers located Keirl in the early hours of September 3 they were forced to take evasive action when he blinded them with a stolen car's high beams and quickly accelerated at their van The tradie then led police on an erratic pursuit through Redan and Sebastopol entered roundabouts from the wrong direction and swerved onto the wrong side of the road Keirl also smashed through two sets of closed gates at Club Wyndham He was eventually apprehended after flipping his car into a power pole near the intersection of Jenkins Drive and Grant Street in Sebastopol the court heard Keirl's life had been spiralling out of control since 2019 and that he had developed a car theft compulsion during this time His long history of mental health disorders was also heard by the court an acquired brain injury and psychological distress dating back to childhood Judge Sarah Dawes described the 28-year-old's driving as a "type of violence" and said his behaviour was "unacceptable" "It is accepted by you that this would have been a frightening experience [for the officers]," she said "It is fortunate they didn't suffer injuries." Ms Dawes also said his conduct had been impulsive and that he faced a "bleak" future if his drug use continued Keirl was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison with a non-parole period of 18 months meaning he will be eligible for parole in about 10 months' time Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCalls came in for the fire on Junipers Road just after 12pm on May 4 with multiple CFA units responding to contain it Four to five vehicles were on the scene near the Glenelg Highway alongside Victoria Police and City of Ballarat council representatives A CFA spokesperson confirmed the blaze on Junipers Road was under control by the time units arrived The bushfire burned private and public land on the rail trail between Smythesdale landfill and the highway Picture by Lachlan BenceThey didn't talk about it before the game but it was clear just five minutes in that Sunbury was laser focused on setting the record straight after their unceremonious exit from last year's finals Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSaturday's 19.11 (125) to 9.7 (61) win might have been secured in a third-quarter blast of 10 goals but it took just five minutes to show which team would be the one to beat on this day It was three goals in just the first moments of play that set the tone Ballarat had barely got out the changerooms by the time the Lions put their stamp on this contest While the Swans gathered themselves to trail by just 11 points at the long break the second half was all one way traffic as the Sunbury midfield went to work It took the Lions eight minutes into the third quarter to break the half-time deadlock but the next 20 minutes was as good a football as you would see A 10-goal-to-one blast ended the match as a contest It was a midfield dominated by another best-on-ground display from Jake Egan but it wasn't helped when two of its stars were clearly hobbled throughout Bigoa Nuyon suffered a calf injury which affected his movement across the ground while midfield dynamo Paddy Simpson also rolled an ankle and was noticeably in discomfort after the match as he hobbled to the car +27Pictures by Lachlan BenceSunbury coach Matt White said in his 18 months in charge at the Lions this was as good a four-quarter effort as he had seen "We've been at them for 12-18 months now about how they need to get the job done in there How they exited the stoppages was outstanding as well "It all just clicked in that third quarter and when it does we'll enjoy this one given we haven't won up here in a while Hopefully that's the monkey off our back now White said last year's finals was not mentioned before the game nothing came up about it," he said "We knew what Ballarat were like so we tried to keep it as simple and workman like as possible there might have been a bit of panic in there but the fact we were able to put it on the scoreboard Ballarat coach Ash Baker refused to call the loss a reality check but said his team needed to go to work on stopping momentum "They are obviously a very good side and got a run on in that third quarter and kicked 10 straight which we couldn't stem," he said we need to look to try and be better at that how we can stem that momentum and limit the damage a bit "We've got a couple of injury concerns we need to get right this week so we'll see how we manage them throughout the week but it gives our boys a good chance to see a really good team in operation how they move the ball and what we need to do to get up to that standard." While the Lions win over the Swans was a blowout there were two thrillers with Redan getting its first win on the board while Melton held off a surging North Ballarat to win by three points and keep its unbeaten record in tact Redan coach Gary Learmonth said it was amazing the difference in emotions just two points can make "They jumped away from us in the third quarter but Brody Hope got us going Fraser Perkins of Ballarat breaks away from his Sunbury opponent at Alfredton on Saturday Picture by Lachlan BenceThere was on downside to the win with Steve Fitzgibbon taken to hosptial with a depressed fracture in his cheek bone Learmonth said Fitzgibbon was in good spirits and had been messaging most of the night the Bloods overcame the fright of their life to deny North Ballarat it's first win of the season Melton held on for a 10.11 (71) to 9.14 (68) win over a greatly improved Roosters side Melton coach Troy Scoble said North was the best side his side had played this year but we were able to win some really crucial contests to get back in front again and were able to hold on," he said Jaycob Hickey continued his great start to the season with another best-on-ground display Scoble said he felt his team wasn't quite as settled as it was last year "I think we've used something like 30 players already," he said we're just not as settled as we were last year "But we keep on finding a way to win and that's the pleasing part We just have to keep banking these wins while we get things together." Darley showed just how powerful it can be this season with a thumping win over Lake Wendouree conceding just one goal after quarter time The Devils were led by their powerful midfield brigade in the massive 23.12 (150) to 4.9 (33) win Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Melbourne straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Melbourne without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Melbourne The Spilt Milk line-up has truly delivered After a hiatus in 2024, and in the wake of so many Aussie music festivals being cancelled, many of us wondered whether Spilt Milk would ever return we're here with some very good news: Spilt Milk is back baby – and boy oh boy has it delivered with a world-class line-up that had us gasping out loud.  please: hip-hop legend Kendrick Lamar (fresh off five Grammy wins and an epic Superbowl Halftime performance) is headlining the festival alongside US rap goddess Doechii (who will make her Aussie debut) If that's not enough to have you alerting the group chat with immersive activations like rowdy country bars empowering art exhibitions and a pumping party bus.  Given Spilt Milk has a track record of selling out in mere minutes you’ll want to be ready to pounce when tickets drop Here’s everything you need to know about scoring tickets in 2025 Spilt Milk is bringing the party to four Australian cities in 2025 general admission tickets will be released at staggered times on Friday If you’d rather skip the stress of ticketing madness, you can request to lock in your spot right now via the Moshtix Ticket Request You’ll just have to pre-authorise payment for the ticket at a set price of $219.95 (+$10 booking fees) The Ticket Request Window is open now and closes on Tuesday May 6 at 11.59pm (or when the allocation is exhausted) You’ll find out whether your request was successful on Wednesday you can always try again in the presale!  Those who lock in tickets via Moshtix between May 2 and May 6 will pay a set price of $219.95 (+$10 booking fees) general admission tickets will drop in waves starting at $194.95 (+$10 fees) for the first release and climbing to $259.95 (+$10 fees) for the fifth release You can also upgrade your experience with add-on packages ranging from $49 to $240 which score you perks like VIP access to toilets and bars express entry lanes and exclusive merch.  featuring West Coast hip-hop legend Kendrick Lamar rap powerhouse Doechii and US heavyweight DJ Hekate plus Dominic Fike, Schoolboy Q, D4VD, Nessa Barrett, Skin on Skin and Sombr Lots of local legends will take to the Spilt Milk stage too including Indo-Aussie artist and DJ Baby J sultry soul heartthrob Don West and heaps more acts guaranteed to get your feet a groovin’ You can have a peek at the full list of acts here.   Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time The upmarket regional private school at the centre of a “strapping” abuse scandal could be forced to close its boarding houses after the state government’s education regulator launched an official review of its registration as a residential facility The Victorian Registration and Quality Authority (VRQA) confirmed on Thursday that it had opened a review of Ballarat Grammar’s boarding houses using its powers under the Education and Training Reform Act and will determine if a commitment to student safety “is embedded in their leadership The school community has been in turmoil since February when 10 senior boarding students were sent home accused of the systemic abuse of younger boys at Grammar’s Dart House residential facility and another group of boys were removed from Dart House and are being housed in an off-campus property which the school owns in the town as Ballarat police continue to investigate assaults alleged to have been committed at the boarding house in 2023 and 2024 Numerous men have come forward in the wake of the allegations, recounting stories of brutal hazing and assaults at the hands of their fellow boarders at Ballarat Grammar Ballarat Grammar principal Adam Heath met with VRQA officials in March.Credit: Ballarat Grammar This masthead reported on Wednesday that the head of Dart House had stepped down from the role and would be leaving the school was also leaving his Dart House role but would stay on as a teacher at Grammar The VRQA began making inquiries in the days after The Age first revealed the allegations against the boys The VRQA officials travelled from Melbourne to Ballarat in March and spoke to Grammar principal Adam Heath and the chairwoman of the school’s board the authority is expecting the first tranche of evidence from the school next week as it asks the school to prove that children boarding there are safe The legislation gives the VRQA the power to conduct the “specific” review of a boarding provider if the authority believes “there are matters concerning the safety of students boarding at the premises that require urgent action” if the school is found to be non-compliant with child safety standards but the authority also has the power to cancel Grammar’s registration ending more than a century of boarding tradition there “The review will focus on the ongoing compliance of the school boarding premises with particular minimum standards including the care the Child Safe Standards and student behaviour management,” a VRQA spokesman told The Age “The Child Safe Standards require that all schools and school boarding premises ensure that child safety and wellbeing is embedded in their leadership Ballarat Grammar has been contacted for comment Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter The upmarket regional private school at the centre of a \\u201Cstrapping\\u201D abuse scandal could be forced to close its boarding houses after the state government\\u2019s education regulator launched an official review of its registration as a residential facility The Victorian Registration and Quality Authority (VRQA) confirmed on Thursday that it had opened a review of Ballarat Grammar\\u2019s boarding houses and will determine if a commitment to student safety \\u201Cis embedded in their leadership accused of the systemic abuse of younger boys at Grammar\\u2019s Dart House residential facility Numerous men have come forward in the wake of the allegations of brutal hazing and assaults at the hands of their fellow boarders at Ballarat Grammar The VRQA officials travelled from Melbourne to Ballarat in March and spoke to Grammar principal Adam Heath and the chairwoman of the school\\u2019s board The legislation gives the VRQA the power to conduct the \\u201Cspecific\\u201D review of a boarding provider if the authority believes \\u201Cthere are matters concerning the safety of students boarding at the premises that require urgent action\\u201D but the authority also has the power to cancel Grammar\\u2019s registration \\u201CThe review will focus on the ongoing compliance of the school boarding premises with particular minimum standards including the care the Child Safe Standards and student behaviour management,\\u201D a VRQA spokesman told The Age \\u201CThe Child Safe Standards require that all schools and school boarding premises ensure that child safety and wellbeing is embedded in their leadership Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories The City of Ballarat is inviting families to a special Baby and Children’s Information Pop-Up event aimed at helping parents navigate their child’s early years The free event will be held at the Lucas Community Hub on Tuesday May 13 from 9.30am to 12pm Designed to support families with children aged under five the event will offer a one-stop opportunity for parents and guardians to connect with services offered through the City of Ballarat along with further information that is crucial for children's development journey Families will be able to meet with staff from a range of City of Ballarat services Information and support will be available on the day along with the ability to book appointments directly with service providers Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the session was designed to help fill the information void that many parents experienced “Navigating your child’s early years can be a daunting process and often it can be difficult to know what is required as well as what services and support is available,” she said “This pop-up event will be a great way for people with young children to get the best information they can in order to set their children off on the best foot.” The pop-up will run alongside the Library Outreach program and aim to foster greater connection and support for Ballarat families The first 50 families to attend will also receive a free giveaway bag filled with family-friendly items such as colouring pages The initiative reflects the City of Ballarat’s commitment as a signatory to the Victorian Child Friendly Cities and Communities Charter reinforcing the importance of child-focused environments and community participation The pop-up also supports the Municipal Early Years Plan (MEYP) which highlights the importance of creating opportunities for families to connect and for children to be seen The event will be held from 9.30am-12pm on Tuesday 13 May with Library Outreach story time being held at 10.30am.  councils are required to develop a new Council Plan to provide the direction of work that will be undertaken for the next Council term Ballarat City Council has been compiling information and working with the community to develop a draft Council Plan that clearly articulates what we as councillors will prioritise and balance to best support our community are shaped by the demands of the population and the needs of the community During an extensive community engagement process we heard from more than 1,700 Ballarat residents and a further 43 residents participated in the community panel which highlighted our community's priorities and interestingly The community engagement process also included a review and update of the 10-year Community Vision to ensure it remains relevant The Community Vision was first adopted in 2021 as a 10-year outlook The revised vision now extends through to 2035 and specifies community safety as a priority as well as the desire for our city to work towards expanding the local economy and attracting a diverse range of industries The revised Community Vision 2025 – 2035 and draft Council Plan 2025 – 2029 are now open for review and community feedback via the City of Ballarat's mySay website 16 May to make a submission online before the final plan and vision are considered by Council at the June Council Meeting residents can drop by one of the upcoming Councillor Roadshow sessions to provide feedback in person Dates and times of the next sessions are available online and advertised here in the Noticeboard We look forward to hearing your feedback and working with and for our community as we bring this plan to life over the coming years.  The following items were discussed and considered at a Ballarat City Council meeting on 26 March Design and Construct of Frank Bourke Pavilion and Changeroom tender Upgrades to facilities at the Frank Bourke Oval are a step closer with Ballarat City Council awarding the tender to Modular by Shape (Vic) Pty Ltd The project is a joint partnership between the State Government and City of Ballarat and will deliver two new modular buildings which will include four player changerooms with amenities umpire changeroom with amenities and storage facilities the upgrade will deliver modern accessible facilities for all users of the recreation reserve including North Ballarat Football and Netball Club and North Ballarat Cricket Club Art Gallery of Ballarat Year in Review 2023/24 Visitor numbers at the Art Gallery of Ballarat have sky rocketed with the latest 2023/24 Annual Report tabled at Council highlighting a 32 per cent increase from the previous year the gallery presented more than 40 temporary exhibitions exhibiting over 360 artists and welcoming 150,713 people The exhibition program was supported by 355 volunteer guided tours and numerous public programs and workshops A total of 6,071 children and young people were engaged through the education program 306 works were acquired for the Gallery Collection predominantly through the Cultural Gifts Program increasing the total value of the Collection to more than $132 million Councillors congratulated the Gallery staff on a successful 12-month period Intercultural Strategic Plan Implementation Report A spotlight was shone on the diversity of the Ballarat community as Council received a report into the second year of implementation of the Intercultural Plan 2022-26 from January to December 2024 Approximately 11 per cent of the Ballarat population was born overseas (1 in 9) and people of at least 89 different nationalities have made Ballarat their home More than 30 languages are spoken across Ballarat The Intercultural Plan 2022-26 was endorsed by Council in October 2022 and outlines the vision and the four priority areas to increasing access and inclusion for culturally linguistically and religiously diverse people This includes advocacy and actions to support people to settle participate and feel welcome within the City of Ballarat Achievements in the past 12 months include completion of projects such as the Intercultural Garden and Rizal Park upgrade as well as delivery of the Intercultural Ambassador Program Councillors acknowledged staff on having made progress against all actions of the plan Ballarat City Council received a written petition containing 268 signatories regarding funding for Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions (BREAZE) BREAZE’s City Partnerships funding was rescinded in February and the petition was calling for the City of Ballarat to resolve the issue “with transparency and urgency The City of Ballarat is currently assessing the request by BREAZE to review the decision to terminate its partnership agreement The City of Ballarat remains in discussion with BREAZE and the community will be advised once the process is complete Key leaders at a prestigious private boarding school rocked by allegations of systematic physical abuse of young students by older schoolmates have stepped down Staff at Ballarat Grammar were told on Tuesday that the head of the school’s Dart House boarding facility The resignations come as parents continue to pressure Ballarat Grammar over its response to allegations that up to 10 senior students engaged in sustained physical abuse of younger students.Credit: Joe Armao The regional Victorian school’s leadership praised Sylvan’s efforts as head of the house and wished the experienced teacher well Azad also stepped down as assistant head of Dart House but will continue to work at the school as an academic mentor to boarders and as a classroom teacher Parents continue to pressure Ballarat Grammar which is a co-educational day and boarding school over its response to allegations that at least 10 boarding students had used straps to “punish” boys as young as year 7 level with at least 12 victims thought to be involved Two senior students were expelled after an investigation by the school and another group of boys has been moved off-campus – to a house owned by the school in Ballarat – while continuing their studies as day students Police continue to investigate the alleged assaults which are said to have occurred in 2023 and 2024 the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority Ballarat Grammar headmaster Adam Heath thanked the two departing Dart House leaders on Tuesday “We thank Alex for his contribution to the life of Ballarat Grammar in his teaching co-curricular and pastoral roles over the past two years,” Heath wrote in a message to school staff Ballarat Grammar principal Adam Heath has wished his departing colleague well.Credit: Ballarat Grammar “We thank Akm [sic] for the care and commitment he has shown to boarders and their families.” Ballarat Grammar has been approached for comment Parents have been divided on the school’s response to the scandal with families of alleged victims unhappy at what they perceive as lenient treatment of the senior students allegedly involved Families of the students accused of strapping place the blame firmly on the school and believe their sons have been treated harshly They continue to actively lobby for the return of the off-campus group to the school’s boarding house Staff at Ballarat Grammar were told on Tuesday that the head of the school\\u2019s Dart House boarding facility The regional Victorian school\\u2019s leadership praised Sylvan\\u2019s efforts as head of the house and wished the experienced teacher well over its response to allegations that at least 10 boarding students had used straps to \\u201Cpunish\\u201D boys as young as year 7 level Two senior students were expelled after an investigation by the school and another group of boys has been moved off-campus \\u2013 to a house owned by the school in Ballarat \\u2013 while continuing their studies as day students \\u201CWe thank Alex for his contribution to the life of Ballarat Grammar in his teaching co-curricular and pastoral roles over the past two years,\\u201D Heath wrote in a message to school staff \\u201CWe thank Akm [sic] for the care and commitment he has shown to boarders and their families.\\u201D Parents have been divided on the school\\u2019s response to the scandal They continue to actively lobby for the return of the off-campus group to the school\\u2019s boarding house VETERAN Travis Boak will be sidelined again by injury when Port Adelaide makes a rare trip to Ballarat to play the Western Bulldogs Boak will miss his second consecutive game because of back complaint when the Power meet the Dogs on Saturday "He's not ready to play this week," Port coach Ken Hinkley told reporters on Wednesday "He has had some more stuff done this week he's quite bullish about how he feels this morning "So hopefully that continues on and he's not too far away from being available in the near future." Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge bring all the latest trade and draft news with a new segment on debut Hinkley must find a replacement for half-back Josh Sinn who was concussed in a tackle from North Melbourne forward Paul Curtis The Power coach described Curtis' three-game ban for rough conduct as "an unfortunate suspension" "I would normally think that shouldn't be a suspension," Hinkley said I'm not at all surprised it is a suspension in today's world Josh Sinn is subbed out of the game with concussion concerns after Paul Curtis laid this strong tackle "It's just a change in landscape around concussion and injury and all those things that go with it but I understand the consequence of concussion these days "It makes it a real challenge if you make that tackle and I would have thought every player knows if the tackle goes wrong Port hasn't played the Bulldogs in Ballarat since 2018 - the Power won that game and the only other clash of the clubs there the previous year "It's some part of the conversation that we haven't been there for a little while," Hinkley said "But we have got some understanding of the ground We know the challenges of playing at Ballarat we don't really look at the scenery too much to see where we're playing Join Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge for Gettable Residents are being encouraged to keep used batteries out of their bins in partnership with Sustainability Victoria Big Impact campaign to encourage residents to drop off their used household computer and car batteries for free at the Ballarat Transfer Station – so they can be recycled the City of Ballarat experienced three incidents involving batteries from cordless power tools which caused sparks and smouldering inside waste collection vehicles the incidents were quickly contained by staff and did not result in full-scale fires they highlight the serious safety risks batteries pose when not disposed of properly the batteries were incorrectly placed in residents’ yellow lid recycling bins When the bins were emptied into collection trucks and compacted triggering small fires when the loads were emptied The City of Ballarat’s waste collection vehicles are all fitted with fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems The fire suppression system enables drivers to quickly connect a garden hose to flood the load and enables firefighters to attach their own hoses when needed the damage from fire and water means the entire truckload of recycling cannot be processed and must be sent to landfill These events also disrupt services and can lead to delays to household kerbside collection schedules Cr Tracey Hargreaves said battery fires are a strong reminder that batteries should never go in your household waste “Batteries can be dangerous if not disposed of correctly,” she said “It only takes a few minutes to drop them off safely to the Ballarat Transfer Station and it makes a big difference.” All batteries are made up of toxic substances and can pose risks to you your property and the people who empty your bins These hazardous materials pollute the environment when disposed of in landfill Recycling used batteries correctly means we can make the most of existing resources and rely less on mining new materials To store your batteries safely at home before taking them to the Transfer Station in Gillies Street: button and rechargeable batteries as well as batteries from cars Download the Ballarat Waste App for the latest updates to waste and recycling.  A section of Gillies Road under construction as part of the trial The City of Ballarat has successfully completed a groundbreaking trial using a nanotechnology stabilising agent in road reconstruction – delivering a more durable road surface and significantly reducing construction costs recently used as part of a 1.6-kilometre road reconstruction of Gillies Road between Jubilee Road and Millers Road involved using the clay-based soil on-site mixed with the liquid stabilisation agent that permanently transforms the soil strengthening the material at a molecular level Early indications of the trial show the outcome is a more resilient road surface for rural roads that can better withstand increased traffic loads and harsh weather conditions Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the trial could change the way local governments construct roads delivering sustainable and cost-effective roads infrastructure “Ballarat is proud to be leading the way in adopting new technology that delivers real value for our community,” she said “This nanotechnology will extend the lifespan of our roads and help us use resources more efficiently reduce maintenance costs and also lower our environmental impact.” City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the nanotechnology product more than halves the cost of constructing rural roads “This nanotechnology reduces the pavement depth required from between 250 and 350mm - less than half the depth of a conventional 700mm road,” she said “It also delivers a road with a bearing capacity between 5 and 10 times’ stronger than that of a conventional road.” The nanotechnology delivers a flexible pavement that can withstand cracking and provides a waterproof pavement that can resist flooding conditions It is also non-toxic and environmentally sustainable – using the soil on-site The trial section of road has passed several stages a test for bearing capacity via the use of a pavement deflector meter and compaction testing The City of Ballarat will now explore broader use of the technology in future roadworks and infrastructure upgrades across the municipality Terra 3000 has been used for more than 30 years in cold and wet climates throughout Europe The product is now progressing through certification requirements for use on Australian roads at the University of Queensland The City of Ballarat has trialled the product in small sections of unsealed and sealed roads over the past seven years with the 1.6-kilometre road reconstruction of Gillies Road between Jubilee Road and Millers Road the biggest to date.  Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSCanterbury are set to lose Jacob Preston for at least three weeks as Melbourne forwards Trent Loiero and Stefano Utoikamanu breathe a sigh of relief after the NRL charge sheet came out Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueStar second-rower Preston will cop three weeks on the sidelines with an early guilty plea for a grade-two crusher tackle on Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui late in the Bulldogs' 38-18 win at Magic Round The Bulldogs are already missing suspended forwards Sitili Tupouniua and Josh Curran for their away clash with Canberra on Saturday The Storm lost 20-18 to the Raiders in golden point in a controversial Sunday night finish to Magic Round they led 18-12 and fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked a field goal in the 75th minute that would have taken them to 19-12 the Bunker found an elbow to the head of Raiders captain Joseph Topine by Storm lock Loiero in a previous play when Melbourne had the ball The Raiders then levelled through a scintillating try to fullback Kaeo Weekes but the Storm were in position for a field goal in golden point when prop Utoikamanu was pinged and sin-binned for stomping on hooker Tom Starling in the play-the-ball Melbourne prop Stefano Utoikamanu (right) has escaped charge from the fiery loss to Canberra (HANDOUT/NRL PHOTOS)"The game was in the balance and .. "I was trying to play the ball and move Tom Starling out of the way especially when you have been warned from the refs about that sort of stuff." Raiders skipper Jamal Fogarty then landed the winning penalty after Loiero was ruled to have taken Hudson Young high While coach Craig Bellamy was scathing post-match of his side's lack of discipline he also suggested the officiating did his side no favours when asked if the Storm were "hard done by"."You can say that if you like," Bellamy replied That sentiment could well be enhanced on Monday after both Loiero and Utoikamanu were cleared by the match review committee to play in the home game against Wests Tigers on Sunday Papenhuyzen spoke to ABC Radio Sport after the match and his assessment of the Utoikamanu incident proved prophetic "You are trying to get a quick play-the-ball There are no changes to waste collection days over the Easter long weekend and ANZAC Day Have you downloaded the free Ballarat Waste app It has all your latest updates to waste and recycling Visit the City of Ballarat website for details The second Ballarat Marathon road running festival will be held across the weekend of 26 and 27 April More than 9,000 people will be taking part during the weekend activities All events will start and finish outside the Ballarat Town Hall in Sturt Street traffic diversions and parking restrictions will be in place for the safety of runners and participants STURT ST - WESTBOUND SIDE ONLY (south side of street) - Between Lydiard St and Armstrong St - Closed from 8am until 11.59pm ARMSTRONG ST NTH - Between Mair St and Sturt St - 8am until 11.59pm ARMSTRONG ST STH - Between Sturt St and Bath Lane - 8am until 11.59pm STURT ST - WESTBOUND SIDE ONLY (south side of street) - Between Lydiard St and Doveton St - Closed from 12.01am until 11.59pm STURT ST - BOTH DIRECTIONS - Between Grenville St and Windermere St Sth and Drummond St Nth - 1pm until 6.30pm LYDIARD ST NTH - Between Mair St and Sturt St - 10.30am until 7.30pm LYDIARD ST STH - Between Sturt St and Bath Lane - 10.30am until 7.30pm ARMSTRONG ST NTH - Between Mair St and Sturt St - 12.01am until 11.59pm ARMSTRONG ST STH - Between Sturt St and Bath Lane - 12.01am until 11.59pm STURT ST - WESTBOUND SIDE ONLY (south side of street) - Between Grenville St and Doveton St - Closed from 12.01am until 11.59pm STURT ST - BOTH DIRECTIONS - Between Grenville St and Golf Club Drv - 7am until 3pm ARMSTRONG ST NTH - Between Mair St and Sturt St - 12.01am until 9pm ARMSTRONG ST STH - Between Sturt St and Bath Lane - 12.01am until 9pm PLEASANT ST NTH - Between Sturt St and Wendouree Pde - 7am until 3pm LYDIARD ST NTH - Between Mair St and Sturt St - 12:01am until 4pm LYDIARD ST STH - Between Sturt St and Bath Lane - 12:01am until 5pm MAIR ST - No left turn into Lydiard St Nth - 7am until 4pm Pay tribute to and remember those who have served at ANZAC Day services across Ballarat on Friday For the safety of participants and all road users the following traffic alterations will be in place: ANZAC Dawn Service (6am) + Day Service (11am)  Sturt Street will be closed from Dawson Street to Raglan Street in both directions to all traffic between 4am and 2pm the following additional roads will be impacted: Lyons Street South will be closed between Dana Street and Sturt Street with access for local traffic via Dana Street only (except between 9.30am – 11.30am) Lyons Street North will be closed between Sturt Street and Mair Street with access for local traffic via Mair Street only (except between 9.30am – 11.30am) Traffic detours will be in place along Dana Street and Mair Street Sturt Street with intersecting roads from Raglan Street to Doveton Street The Anzac Day march will form up in Lyons Street North from 9.30am progressing eastbound along Sturt Street to Doveton Street (Midland Highway A300) and return westbound along Sturt Street to the Cenotaph where the march will conclude in Lyons Street South Sturt Street and all intersecting streets will be progressively closed from Raglan Street to Doveton Street from 10.15am and will re-open as soon as the march passes The Learmonth Street service road will be closed from Beaufort Street to Golf Street between 7.30am to approx The Midland Hwy (A300) will be closed from Winter Street to Cornish Street in both directions to all traffic from 11:00am to 12.00pm Warrenheip Street will be closed from between Forest Street and Simpson Street in both directions to all traffic from 10:45am – 12:15pm The Midland Hwy (A300) will be closed from Victoria Street to Walker Street in both directions to all traffic from 8.15am to 10.30am Central Highlands Vaping Prevention Project   Collection Development Guidelines Review  Ballarat East Trails and Connections  Gong dam Rehabilitation – Design Services  More information regarding the listed tenders, including how to register and submit your bid, is available via our tender portal eprocure.com/ballarat The information in the list below is subject to change up to date information is available from our tender portal Picture by Adam TraffordThe lineup for the return of Spilt Milk in Ballarat this year has been revealed with some massive international stars taking to the stage in December All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe popular music festival's return was announced on Thursday after the 2024 event at Victoria Park was cancelled The festival will be headlined by American rappers Kendrick Lamar and Doechii This year's event will take place on Saturday December 6 at Victoria Park before artists make the trip to Perth The popular festival brings more than 40,000 people to the Ballarat region it injected an estimated $13.8 million into the city's economy More information can be found at spilt-milk.com.au helping out on the cake stall alongside grade 4 student Neve Bingley Picture by Kate HealyMore than half of Ballarat had cast their vote before May 3 but voters were still hungry for a taste of democracy at Ballarat North Primary School Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueOf the 116,296 registered voters in the seat for the 2025 federal election a total of 65,625 cast their vote early through pre-poll stations Even though 56.43 per cent of voters had had their say before election day on Saturday it was a much busier day at their barbecue and baked goods stall than three years ago "We're looking like we will sell out," teacher's aide Emma Sharples said so I'm really pleased this time we're going to actually sell out." READ MORE: Australia decides 2025: Follow live coverage of the federal election +2Pictures by Kate HealyLike many offerings scattered around the city's almost 50 polling booths the democracy sausage and baked goods were all for a good cause "We will reinvest it back into our master plan which we review every couple of years," Ms Sharples said we added the exercise track around the oval and have also split it off into different year levels so the kids can play footy without being bowled over." One parent who played a key role in creating some of the hundreds of individual baked goods sold ranging from cupcakes to cookies to pizza rolls and everything in between The trained pastry chef said they had sold a lot but thankfully had had a few rounds of drop-offs to replenish their offerings throughout the day alongside all the other Ballarat North Primary parents who contributed to the bake sale or put their hand up to help "It's a really engaged community at the school," Ms Sharples said "So the parents are really hands-on and get involved in the school to help out Spilt Milk is set to return to Ballarat in 2025 File pictureSpilt Milk is set to land back in Ballarat in 2025 with the city kicking off the music festival's four-leg tour around Australia All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt will be welcome news after last year's event at Victoria Park was cancelled in Ballarat before artists make the trip to Perth Produced and curated by Kicks Entertainment, the festival brings more than 40,000 people to the area and injected an estimated $13.8 million into the city's economy So it's no surprise the City of Ballarat council have welcomed its return for a fourth edition "We are delighted to be able to share the news that Spilt Milk is coming back to Ballarat this year," mayor Tracey Hargreaves said "Spilt Milk is a crucial event for our city that not only highlights Ballarat as a major events destination but also generates an extraordinary amount of money for our local economy "Ballarat absolutely comes to life when Spilt Milk is in town and this year with the lineup earmarked to be released in the coming days The festival cancelled its 2024 event months before artists were set to grace the stage It came as a shock, considering the 2023 lineup featured the likes of Dom Dolla and Post Malone as well as Australian artists like Peach PRC Numerous businesses reported being fully booked, and the remaining accommodation had price tags of up to $1000 months before the event was cancelled last July Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is expecting a “huge challenge” against Port Adelaide in Ballarat tomorrow. Port Adelaide has the upper hand over the Dogs in recent history, having won the last four meetings, but Beveridge is confident his selected side is up for the fight. “We haven’t beaten them for the last I think three years...they’ll have a slightly different blend without Travis Boak playing, and maybe Connor Rozee playing off the half-back flank. There’s a few different personnel in both teams,” Beveridge told media on Friday morning. “We see it as a huge challenge. They’ve been at their best in recent times, and we saw the first quarter against Hawthorn a couple of weeks ago – that’s what they’re capable of. Luke Beveridge speaks to the media ahead of the round 8 clash with Port Adelaide at Mars Stadium. “We’re dialled into what’s expected in the intensity of the game and we’re looking forward to the battle. “The team that heads to Ballarat is a strong team. You have to get out of the space of (looking at the wins that got away) and look forward to your opportunity of trying to chalk up the next one.” Beveridge welcomed the return of Adam Treloar, who will play his first match of the 2025 campaign, while also celebrating 200-gamer Jason Johannisen. “The thing about Adam coming back into the team at this time is that he’s coming into a blend through the midfield brigade that has started to become quite influential in what they’re doing,” he said. “That gives us peace of mind that Adam will add to that, and will help, I suppose, relieve the burden a little bit and take some responsibility in his role. “You’ll see him play a bit of midfield, you’ll see him play some forward time...as an All-Australian last year, we know what he’s capable of and it’s great that he’s become available. “JJ’s just an outstanding player and person. “For him now to get to 200 – when you think of all the games he’s missed through soft-tissue injuries, he’d be nearing closer to 300 you would have thought if he hadn’t been so unfortunate with his body. “He’s been really resilient and we’re looking forward to him playing his 200th.” The first bounce will be at 1:20pm AEST at Mars Stadium on Saturday. Defender Liam Jones will be sidelined for a number of weeks. The Bulldogs have enjoyed another clean sweep of the coaches’ votes. Keep your radios dialled into Nova all week to hear from your favourite Bulldogs players. A deeper dive into the stats from our win over Port Adelaide. Footscray has added five players to its team ahead of Saturday's clash at Victoria Park. Chris Bell provides an update on Liam Jones and Jordan Croft. Lou Stephenson reflects on the day of activity with Fire Rescue Victoria. The Magpies and Bulldogs clash in round six. Backline coach Daniel Pratt reviews the round 8 victory over Port Adelaide in Ballarat. The Australian Federal Election is this Saturday 3 May. Photo: FILE Ahead of the 3 May election, the Times News Group sent a list of identical questions to all seven candidates in Ballarat (either to their direct e-mail, or via their party). Responses from candidates are on this page. We received no responses from Terri Pryse-Smith (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation) and Ian Maxwell Harkness (Family First). For information on how and where to vote, head to aec.gov.au. Picture by Lachlan Bence'Cult figure' Rebecca Hicks has produced one of the best games ever seen in the Ballarat Football Netball League A grade competition hitting 94 of her team's 96 goals in the big win over Ballarat Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe former Darley goal shooter who made her way over to Sunbury last season to lead her new team to a premierships was at her dominant best as the Lions made light work of a young Ballarat team it was Hicks' performance under the net that had everyone talking after the match Sunbury coach Kim Bailey said it was a weapon her team could not do without "We came here thinking this would be a tough game She's been amazing for our club and just to see the support she brings we saw all the boys come over to support her which is insane to do that in this league." Bailey said it was a game that she had no trouble motivating her side Simona Di Filippo of Sunbury was impressive in the win over Ballarat Picture by Lachlan Bence"I think what motivates is that we're the defending premiers so we need to remember that we can't let our guard down at any stage which really does help us out in games like that today." It was mostly a close round with Lake Wendouree and Darley playing out a thrilling 35-all draw while North Ballarat survived a scare with a high-quality 55-54 win The other game saw a near shut-out for Redan who proved too strong for Sebastopol 40-10 Port Adelaide assistant coach Chad Cornes says the team's continued focus on pressure has been critical, as they prepare themselves for the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.   The Power heads into Round 8 with a 4-3 win-loss record, sitting just below the Western Bulldogs on the ladder, who are also seeking their fifth win for 2025.   Speaking at Mars Stadium during the captain’s run on Saturday, Cornes touched on selection, playing in Ballarat, and the team's positive form.    “Logan (Evans) is obviously just a straight swap for Sinny (Josh Sinn) who’s missing through concussion, he’s been solid form in the SANFL. We know he's played really well at that level over the last year, so we have confidence in Logan coming back in. Will Lorenz has been one player in the Magpies who's had a really strong month, so he deserves his spot, and will play a lot of time on the wing.”   “We've got really good memories here, Toddy’s (Todd Marshall) first game comes to mind, Faz’s (Kane Farrell) first game as well. It is a beautiful oval condition wise, and the weather's going to be good. So, we're pretty excited.”  “I think the big change and noticeable difference would be the pressure, the way we're getting at the opposition, and that's been the foundation of our game for quite some time. Defensively, we’re standing up well through our games. I still think we’ve got some room to move with our offence, we’ve shown some good passages, but I haven't quite seen the balance in our offence, which we'd love to see tomorrow." “Clearance, the way they hunt the ground ball, the way they outnumber. I think they're averaging 113 points over the last three weeks as well, so they’ve got some real scoring threats, but I think it'll come back to the contest. If we could control them at stoppage, control their ground ball game, that will give us a real chance.”  Port Adelaide skipper spoke to the media at the Showdown captain's presser on Monday morning. Woodville-West Torrens defeated Port Adelaide to take the points in Round 5 of SANFL action. Port Adelaide have been defeated by the Western Bulldogs in Round 8. Port Adelaide has made four changes for Saturday’s clash against Woodville-West Torrens. Connor Rozee and Jordan Dawson speak to the media at Adelaide Oval ahead of Showdown LVII. Port Adelaide's Round 8 goals, thanks to Coles. Watch Port Adelaide’s press conference after Round 8's match against Western Bulldogs. Chad Cornes spoke to portadelaidefc.com.au ahead of Round 8's clash against the Bulldogs. The Port Adelaide Football Club acknowledges the land on which we train and play, are based on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. We respect their spiritual relationship with their country. We also acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional custodians of Australia and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living people today. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMarathon men's winner Reece Edwards decided to run in the marathon three weeks before the event and said it was too late to book accommodation in the city - everything was sold Mr Edwards completed the marathon in two hours and 16 minutes and told The Courier there were big things coming as the event continued to grow all the best runners in Australia will want to be coming to this event because they are doing such a good job of increasing the competitiveness here," he said Mr Edwards was not planning on running the marathon but after seeing "really good competition hit the start list" email syndication@austcommunitymedia.com.au."I would be silly not to line up against this; there are not many opportunities [where] all of these guys race against each other in Australia." Kate Mason took home first place in the women's marathon race She said it had taken "a lot of grit and a lot of training" to get to the marathon and "having a good support network" was important Highlights from the course included running down the straight on Sturt Street and hearing the crowd's support Kate Mason after winning the Ballarat 2025 marathon Picture by Lachlan Bence"It's really cool to see such a big event just down the road .. Ballarat Marathon director Adam McNicol said they were "unbelievably proud" of the event and were pleased to see Australia's fast runners targeting the event "Our aim is for the elite runners to have this event on their calendar," he said The crowd and community support were a big factor in making the event a success "Elite runners just don't see this all the time," he said "The Ballarat community has given them this amazing vibe - it's not every week you get to run in front of this many people who are so into it." Across the different marathon events there were 400 volunteers working across 550 shifts they are showing off everything that is great about Ballarat," Mr McNicol said "For people to give up their time to volunteer is an incredible gift to us and we don't take that for granted for a second." Marathon 3-hour and 10-minute pacer Jon Strachan came back to Ballarat to volunteer for the second time and said he plans to attend every year and I take so much inspiration from that," he said there were slight changes to the course to make it flatter for a regional marathon [it has] an amazing feel." Ballarat audiologist Peter Bartlett ran in the marathon for the second year in a row Ballarat audiologist Peter Bartlett in after the 2025 Ballarat marathon Picture by Lachlan BenceA friend from Queensland came down to run with him "They look like they are hard to carry ...they don't really affect me at all but you get a lot of encouragement from the crowd." City of Ballarat mayor Tracey Hargreaves said it was a beautiful event "It gives us a chance to showcase our city in a way that is really different," she said "Hosting an event like this gives a great opportunity for a lot of businesses hospitality and tourism being among them." Australian Road Mile Championships - Women's Elite Start - Jaylah Hancock Australian Road Mile Championships - Men's Elite Start - Jude Thomas Ballarat homeowners have the opportunity to reduce their energy bills and increase the comfort of their homes thanks to a new initiative from the City of Ballarat The Electrify Your Home initiative unites expertise and innovative programs to empower the Ballarat community to transition to more cost effective the City of Ballarat has engaged Geelong Sustainability to run its highly successful Electric Homes Program connecting residents with trusted businesses offering a range of products and services to make the switch to electric as easy as possible Geelong Sustainability will launch the program this weekend with a presentation from delivery partners who will explain the products and services available talk people through the process and answer questions Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the initiative will deliver several benefits to Ballarat residents and the city as a whole “It’s about long term financial and environmental benefits for our community,” she said “Switching to an all-electric home can reduce the average running costs of a home by nearly $5000 per year “An all-electric home also produces zero energy emissions meaning every household that makes the switch will contribute to Ballarat’s target of reaching net zero emissions by 2030.” To further support Ballarat residents with their cost of living the City of Ballarat will offer rebates to those who take action to improve the energy efficiency of their homes “We want to give our community every reason to get on board with this initiative and start saving – for themselves and for our planet,” Cr Hargreaves said Geelong Sustainability CEO Jane Spence said the organisation is excited to bring the Electric Homes Program to Ballarat the program has delivered outstanding results in Greater Geelong and surrounding areas helping hundreds of residents improve home comfort lower emissions and reduce their energy bills,” Ms Spence said “We’ve done the hard work of selecting trusted delivery partners for every product purchased through the program the delivery partners will donate a solar system The Electric Homes launch event will be held on Sunday, 16 March at the Djila-tjarriu Community Hub in Alfredton, commencing at 1.45pm. Residents wanting to learn more about the program and register for the event can visit electrichomesballarat.com.au Details about the rebates will be available from the City of Ballarat website in the coming weeks Stephen Trounson (Ballarat Memorial Concert Band) Steve Carter (Air Force Association Ballarat Branch) Brayden Dorney (Ballarat Beard and Stache Competition) City of Ballarat Councillor Samantha McIntosh and Tim Scott (Ballarat Memorial Concert Band) Get ready for some high-flying entertainment as the Ballarat Heritage Festival prepares to take off once again The countdown is now on for Ballarat’s biggest celebration of all things heritage with another bumper edition of the award-winning festival on the cards The festival annually transforms Ballarat into a living museum inviting locals and visitors to step back in time and experience the stories The 10-day festival will be held from Friday 16 May to Sunday 25 May 2025 unique stories and vibrant creative community The flagship event of the 2025 festival will be ‘Entertainment of the Air’ – a spectacular celebration of aviation that will thrill aviation enthusiasts and families alike The free event will be based at the Ballarat Airport and will include a suite of entertainment options including live music from the 1940's inspired singing trio Pacific Belles plus the option to book a chartered vintage aircraft joy ride chartering passengers from Essendon Airport before allowing people to get up close and personal with the aircraft in Ballarat Free shuttle buses will also operate throughout both weekends to transport people between the airport The 2025 Heritage Festival will also see a return of familiar favourites you know and love that have made the festival unique From vintage car shows to the Beard and Stache Competition steam train rides to Old Ballarat Goal Tours there will be no shortage of entertainment on this year’s program Cr Samantha McIntosh said the Ballarat Heritage Festival provided a great opportunity to showcase the city's complex and rich history “The Ballarat Heritage Festival is a true celebration of our city’s rich history and vibrant community spirit bringing our past to life in an extraordinary way,” she said “The ‘Entertainment of the Air’ program looks especially exciting and I encourage people to head along to the Ballarat airport and experience something completely different in a place they might never have been in our city.” With less than a month until the 2025 festival kicks off you can now check out the full program online and begin creating your festival itinerary More than 15,000 people are expected to attend this year’s festival which is expected to contribute $2 million to the Ballarat economy The Ballarat Heritage Festival falls in the middle of a busy period for the City of Ballarat events team The Heritage Festival comes hot on the heels of the Ballarat Begonia Festival with preparations also in full swing for the three-week long Ballarat Winter Festival in July Events either owned or funded by the City of Ballarat injected an estimated $52 million into the Ballarat economy in the 2023/2024 financial year View the full event program and start planning your heritage escape by visiting the Ballarat Heritage Festival website.  Izzy Roberts-Orr's ‘Medusa is a Modern Woman’ The City of Ballarat’s Creative City team is partnering with arts organisation Punctum to deliver Seedpod a renowned regional live arts and contemporary performance residency program.  Seedpod residencies help to develop new performances that celebrate the complex aspects of Ballarat and the people who make this city their home.  artists share their new works in progress and audiences share their experiences of each work It’s an adventurous step together that builds regional vitality and innovation in live performance Following the success of Punctum’s past Seedpod residencies the City of Ballarat is excited to support the 2025 Seedpod artists – Izzy Roberts-Orr and Gemma Cavoli.  Both artists live and work in the region and are gearing up to present their new works Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the new program was another example of Council supporting emerging artists in line with the Creative City Strategy “Ballarat continues to thrive as a hub for creative talent and programs like Seedpod give our local artists the space to experiment “We’re proud to support Izzy and Gemma as they develop bold new works that reflect the depth and diversity of our region.” Audiences can expect artistic adventure within Ballarat venues The recently activated Ballarat Performing Arts Community Neill Street Hall and the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute are this year’s Seedpod 2025 venue partners was shortlisted for the Colorado Prize for Poetry A recipient of the BR Whiting Residency (Rome ASAL Fellowship (2025) and Varuna’s Pitch Me she also works as Creative Producer at Red Room Poetry audiences will experience the reimagining of Medusa as contemporary figure and explore how myth She is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts a recipient of an Ian Potter Cultural Trust Grant and has performed and toured with creative collaborators in Australia and internationally.Guided by Punctum’s Artistic Director and creative team Izzy and Gemma’s residencies will lead to two new performances in progress Gemma’s residency presentation takes its cue from the French verb oublier – to forget Gemma will reveal stories of hidden occupancies and silenced voices from marginal spaces revive and conjure up traces of the past into a presence For more details on the program and Punctum, contact Punctum’s Artistic Director Jude Anderson by emailing hq@punctum.com.au or calling 0439 319 307 The City of Ballarat delivers an annual Ballarat Ageing Well Expo This expo is designed to provide valuable information and resources to people 55 years and over Attendees are provided with the opportunity to learn about the changes to aged care and explore options services and supports that are available locally to help people age well The first Ballarat Ageing Well Expo was held in March 2025 at the Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre Attendees were able to meet a range of local organisations including aged care services and other support organisations as well as listen to presentations You can see an event overview including how many people attended and what they thought in our - 2025 Ballarat Ageing Well Expo FAST FACTS View/Download the presentations from the day: and Elangovan Shanmugam at the candelight vigil Picture by Lachlan BenceThe Ballarat Indian community held a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of Kashmir's deadliest attack on tourists since 2000 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe community gathered at the Intercultural Garden on Friday after the deadly April 22 attack took place in Pahalgam - a tourism region in Indian-administered Kashmir - and claimed 26 lives Reports on the attack say that suspected rebels opened fire and killed 25 male tourists and a local pony rider while injuring dozens more in an area only accessible on foot or horseback Ballarat Indian Association vice president Manoj Khandelwal said the attack happened in one of the region's most visited tourist destinations "It's a holiday destination that people go to It's like the 'Switzerland of India'," he said and they went there just to spend quality time with their family and friends Ballarat's Indian community will hold a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of the attack in Pahalgam Picture by Lachlan BenceThe Himalayan territory of Kashmir has been fought over since the end of British rule in 1947 creating tensions in the region over the disputed territory for both India and Pakistan rebels have waged an armed rebellion in the Indian-run Kashmir seeking independence or a merger with neighbouring Pakistan Ballarat Indian Association president Elangovan Shanmugam said the vigil's main message was standing united for "peace and the value of human life" He said the local community had been "deeply affected" where innocent holiday makers were killed," he said "We also want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families and we strongly condemn all acts of terrorism "It is a mark of respect for the victims and a call for peace a peaceful assembly of people from all backgrounds to come together in reflection with three pillars in the community recognised for their service Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe three awards supported by The Courier and the Western Bulldogs celebrate the volunteers and community members who consistently go above and beyond to make Ballarat a better place to live Winners Beverley Shears, Gary Sternberg and Gordon Hicks will each receive a $5000 cash donation to their nominated charity of choice Ballarat South Rotary Club president Beverley Shears won the Mars Community Service Hero category The 87-year-old has volunteered her time to numerous causes over the last 40 years including helping out at Anzac Day services and various other projects across the city "It will go towards the Ballarat Community Care Centre," she said of her grant "It's a wonderful organisation formed by all the Rotary Clubs in Ballarat if you're a victim of domestic violence or a person in need Ballarat Bulldogs all abilities football coach The volunteer coach wears many hats for his team of players with intellectual disabilities offering support above and beyond the footy field for the last three seasons He said the grant money would be "immensely helpful" to keep the program running 'I wish it could run 12 months of the year'," Mr Sternberg said "I have eight to 12 of them who message me regularly and want to have a coffee and just have a chat one young fellow at 11.30pm one night reached out luckily and had picked out a tree on the highway "We put the emphasis on improving their life and you can see they take it out and into their life." the city's SES unit controller Gordon Hicks won the Mars Emergency Services title He has played a vital role in emergency responses and community education across his more than 35 years of dedication it's a good shout-out to everybody who supports me There is no single person pulling a game on their own and that will help us survive over the next 12 months or so There's a few little projects that we put aside that this money will go towards like buying a few pieces of small equipment it will make it easier for all of us to get out to the community and do what we do." For entry requirements and to nominate a community hero in the future, visit www.westernbulldogs.com.au Picture by Lachlan BenceThe Labor Party has pledged millions of dollars to establish a new Ballarat Veterans Assistance Centre in a major victory for the city's ex-servicemen and women Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe announcement comes on the eve of the 2025 federal election it will see the Albanese government spend $3 million to transform the former Ballarat Shire offices on Gillies Street into a "fit for purpose" centre for veterans and their families It follows years of advocacy by multiple Ballarat veterans organisations which have been crying out for more funding to address issues within their community Principally among these has been tackling mental health and suicide following the deaths of two Ballarat veterans in November 2024 Ballarat Veterans Assistance Centre secretary Andrew Hamilton said the new facilities would allow them to bring multiple veteran organisations together under one roof +3He said this would create one "safe space" for veterans and their families and this would allow them to operate sustainably for the foreseeable future "We want to make sure we create a space that keeps people alive and keeps people enjoying themselves," he said "We know from the Royal Commission into defence and veterans' suicide that we have a large number of suicides in the veteran community "It's something we need to try to turn the corner on and keep people safe because it doesn't just affect the veterans it affects their families and the greater community." Labor says the development will create a "welcoming functional and accessible hub" for veterans space for consultations and confidential sound-proof rooms "It will be a place where veterans and their families can work with advocates to access the services they need," it states who has been working on the project for more than four years said it wasn't decided whether other organisations or would operate across multiple locations Les Finch and Daniel Hooper discuss the announcement of Ballarat's new Veterans Affairs Centre on May 2 Picture by Lachlan BenceHe said that decision would be up to each individual organisation but the centre would give them the opportunity to expand their operations let's have a fantasy pie in the sky kind of thing it was something we actually thought long and hard about and we planned for." The project was also welcomed by Ballarat RSL president Frank Nuccio who said it felt "fantastic" to have secured funding after years of work "It's about creating a safe space," he said "It's very hard to get veterans to open up who on Saturday is hoping to be elected to parliament for her ninth straight term said it was something the veteran community had been needing for some time Federal Ballarat MP Cathering King made the election promise on May 2 Picture by Lachlan Bence"The veterans have been unbelievable advocates for other veterans," she said "They have been very strong in coming to me and saying 'this is really what we need' and an opportunity has presented itself during the election campaign to make this commitment." The Western Bulldogs have thrashed Port Adelaide by 90 points in windy and cold conditions at Ballarat's Mars Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs mastered the swirly breeze far better than their interstate opponents, with the Dogs' seven-goal-to-two third quarter into the wind highlighting their dominance of the game. Watch the Bulldogs celebrate their round eight win. The Power never really threatened at any stage with the Bulldogs winning 20.11 (131) to 5.11 (41) in front of an intimate crowd of 4,814. Key forward Aaron Naughton stood tall with an equal game-high three goals and seven marks. Naughton was joined by Tim English, who pushed forward from the ruck to hit the scoreboard with three of his own and Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli (three goals, 23 disposals). The Dogs had 11 individual goalkickers and notched their highest score of the season in the comprehensive victory. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) six clearances) and Connor Rozee (29 disposals 577m gained) toiled hard for the Power on a day where highlights were few and far between for Port Dogs veteran Adam Treloar made a successful return from a calf injury playing his first game of the year and finishing with 27 disposals and a goal to his name Backline coach Daniel Pratt reviews the round 8 victory over Port Adelaide in Ballarat Tim English reflects on the round 8 victory following a dominant performance in the ruck Ed Richards discusses the dominant round 8 victory over Port Adelaide in Ballarat Luke Beveridge speaks to the media following the round 8 victory over Port Adelaide in Ballarat Watch the Bulldogs celebrate their round eight win Look back at the highlights of Jason Johannisen's career Luke Beveridge speaks to the media ahead of the round 8 clash with Port Adelaide at Mars Stadium Check out some of the best goals in the second Preliminary Final win against Port Adelaide in 2021 A sensational goal from the boundary to star Ed Richards started the scoring for the second term and put the Dogs in front for the first time The midfielder's goal sparked a run of five unanswered majors for the Dogs which included one to defender Luke Cleary who kicked the first of his career The Power's attempts to get the ball forward were quickly thwarted by Bulldogs defenders James O'Donnell and Rory Lobb (both eight intercept possessions) who owned the ball when it got to the centre of the ground with the assistance of excellent ball users Jason Johannisen (five inside 50s seven score involvements) and Bailey Dale (31 disposals) continually sent the ball back into the Dogs' forward line An end-to-end goal to Naughton made it six goals for the quarter and the Dogs went into the main break with a 26-point lead Port finally got on the board when spearhead Mitch Georgiades goaled also scored to give Power fans a glimmer of hope the Dogs went up a gear led by their heroic skipper Bontempelli Bontempelli kicked two goals in quick succession including a lovely left foot snap from near the 50m arc making it look effortless despite the testing conditions The bite had well and truly come out of the game in the final term when the Dogs continued to add to their tally as did English among a five-goal-to-none final term for the winners WESTERN BULLDOGS    2.1    8.3    15.6   20.11 (131)PORT ADELAIDE            2.4    3.7    5.8     5.11 (41) INJURIESWestern Bulldogs: NilPort Adelaide: Nil SUBSTITUTESWestern Bulldogs: Jedd Busslinger (replaced Sam Davidson in the fourth quarter)Port Adelaide: Jeremy Finlayson (replaced Joe Berry at half-time) Defender Liam Jones will be sidelined for a number of weeks The Bulldogs have enjoyed another clean sweep of the coaches’ votes Keep your radios dialled into Nova all week to hear from your favourite Bulldogs players A deeper dive into the stats from our win over Port Adelaide Bulldogs record 23-point win over the Magpies Chris Bell provides an update on Liam Jones and Jordan Croft Lou Stephenson reflects on the day of activity with Fire Rescue Victoria The Magpies and Bulldogs clash in round six The Western Bulldogs Official App is your one stop shop for all your latest team News Scores and Stats delivered LIVE to your smartphone or tablet train and play on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation We offer our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Stay on current site or go to US version Tim English has starred in the ruck as the Western Bulldogs produced their best performance of the season to end Port Adelaide's winning streak with a 90-point thumping in Ballarat The Bulldogs handled the windy conditions far better than their opponents to secure a third consecutive victory with their stunning 20.11 (131) to 5.11 (41) triumph at Mars Stadium on Saturday Luke Beveridge's men weathered an early storm and took control after quarter-time as English (27 disposals three goals) asserted his authority on the contest opposed to former teammate Jordon Sweet "Tim's had a really good month and he's given us the impetus at the stoppage but today was his best game on the turnover game and it was great for him to hit the scoreboard," Bulldogs coach Beveridge said Tim English celebrates a goal with Ryley Sanders. Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images"He came with a focus on getting a little bit of pride back (because) Jordon was quite good against us last time "I think Tim owned that a bit and wanted to fly the flag and be quite assertive in his role "He definitely did that and he's such an important player for us." Zak Butters worked tirelessly for Port with 24 disposals six clearances and nine tackles but had his influence restricted by Tom Liberatore after a blistering opening term The Power had led clearances 12-5 at quarter-time - four of those through Butters - but were thrashed 49-35 overall including a 17-8 smashing at centre bounces It led to a lopsided inside-50 count (67-41) and the Bulldogs piled on 18 goals to two after the first change "They just got dominance around the ball and their ruck certainly got dominant," Port coach Ken Hinkley said they got territory and they dominated the game." It was the Bulldogs' (5-3) ninth win from their last 11 outings at their second home and strengthened their hold on a top-eight spot while handing Port (4-4) their first loss in a month with Willie Rioli facing scrutiny after appearing to strike Bailey Dale high in an off-the-ball incident during the third quarter Hinkley lamented his side's inability to arrest momentum when the Dogs kicked six goals to one in the second quarter and ran all over their opponents with seven goals to two into the strong breeze in the third term Australia and New Zealand audiences can now access over 10,000 live ESPN events on Disney+ "It started OK but once the game got away from us they grew in confidence," Hinkley said "They looked like they couldn't do anything wrong and we looked like we nearly couldn't do anything right It's not a surprise that the Bulldogs were able to beat us it's a surprise to me that we got beat so badly." 11) were strong contributors in the midfield for the Bulldogs and All-Australian ball-winner Adam Treloar (27 disposals one goal) made a smooth return from a calf injury in his first game of the season while Dale (31 disposals) shone across half-back Captain Marcus Bontempelli finished with 23 touches and three goals including arguably the best major of the day - though Richards and Joel Freijah both had claims Dogs spearhead Aaron Naughton also booted three majors Power captain Connor Rozee (29 disposals) again started at half-back and was moved into the middle when the game started slipping away in the third quarter