VRI Delacombe Cricket Club president Tom Nicholls City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves and Ballarat Highlanders Rugby Club president Garry Dixon at the refurbished Doug Dean Reserve changerooms Delacombe’s Doug Dean Reserve just keeps getting better The multi-use sporting facility has been vastly improved with a completely refurbished set of changerooms which have been designed to be female-friendly for the first time includes the two new changerooms featuring accessible showers and toilets as well as refurbishments of the umpire facilities The new changerooms will be suited to both cricket and rugby and will be used throughout the year with the venue being the home of the Ballarat Highlanders Rugby Union Club and the VRI Delacombe Cricket Club the facilities were dilapidated and outdated making attracting new players difficult for the sporting clubs and Doug Dean Reserve is an even more enticing proposition for cricket and rugby players The latest upgrade at the facility is the latest in a string of significant investments in recent years The City of Ballarat’s Recreation Infrastructure Plan has also identified a potential upgrade of the Doug Dean Reserve playing surface in the future Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the upgrades were about providing high quality facilities to meet the needs of the rapidly growing western suburbs “We are extremely proud to deliver the complete overhaul of Doug Dean Reserve in recent years and the new changerooms are a vital addition to the facility,” she said “Providing female friendly changerooms is an integral step towards increasing participation in sport while the overhaul of the entire facility will increase social connections and give the clubs an enormous boost.”  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. We pay our respects to their Elders past, prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Home/Classifieds/Buy & SellGarage Sales8:00 am startDelacombe, Vincent Crt. Car parts, collectables and household. 8:00 am start ALFREDTON Arthur St, Sat&Sun. Bargains. Ladies wear. Linen. Care Bears, much much more. CRESWICK 44 Moore St Sat & Sun - 8-2, Furn, clothing & bric-a-brac. SCARSDALE Glenelg HWY. Sat 3/5, 9am to 4pm. Huge variety of items. Signs out in the morning. Occupation: Sales and Business Development How long have you lived in your council/ward?: Lived in Ballarat all my life moving from Ballarat East to Delacombe 10 years ago Community involvement: Involved in local projects and regularly attend community events… Passionate about bringing people together and supporting local businesses Associated with a political party or movement Preferencing: I am not committed to preferencing any particular party or candidate My campaign is self-funded on a modest budget This allows me to remain independent and focused entirely on local issues without external financial influence Improving road safety for both drivers and children walking to school with safer crossings and upgraded bus stops for protection from Ballarat’s winters Addressing local crime by working with relevant stakeholders to ensure community safety Supporting local businesses through community events that bring people together and create opportunities for small businesses to thrive Specially trained teachers have made a huge impact in regional Victoria where the number of students from non-English-speaking backgrounds is growing At the beginning of the school year, the staff at Delacombe primary school in Ballarat, western Victoria noticed a change in the demographics of prep students More than one in six spoke a language other than English at home “We were discussing the number of students we were noticing with an English as an additional language (EAL) background and how we were lacking in the expertise or focus on these students,” the principal “The subject matter was beyond what anyone in our school could manage without having some sort of training or guidance.” Delacombe is one of Ballarat’s fastest growing areas The primary school has seen a 67% increase in enrolment since 2019 The school is expected to have 600 students at the start of next year About 8% of its students speak a language other than English at home Prep student Angeer Akol with teacher Bianca Gerrard Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The GuardianPhillips says the school was able to hire an EAL-trained coordinator who was already working at the nearby Lucas primary school “In a time where securing teachers is a challenge the task of finding a teacher with a specific skill set is even more of a challenge.” Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter Among the prep students in the EAL program is six-year-old Thy Tran When you ask Tran what she loves about school Tran’s family moved from Vietnam before the school year started Prep teacher Bianca Gerrard says she was not confident speaking English “She was unable to tell us her name or ask any questions,” Gerrard says Victoria universities are not keeping up with the demand for EAL teachers, advocates say. Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The GuardianWith support from her family, teachers, peers and targeted EAL sessions, Tran has gone “from knowing no English to being able to communicate confidently and effectively”, Gerrard says. “She has made amazing progress,” the teacher says. Lucas primary school hit 500 enrolments within five years of opening, and its students speak 18 languages. The principal, David Young, says he expects the need for EAL support to rise as the school grows. “The great quality of work our EAL teacher does not only supports the kids to establish stronger links in their English language, she also supports our teachers’ cultural understanding and how the students’ language may impact their understanding of English,” he says. One in 10 government school students in regional Victoria have a family language background other than English. This figure is growing, but Margaret Corrigan, the president of VicTESOL, an association which provides support to EAL teachers, says Victorian universities are not keeping up with the demand. Corrigan says training EAL teachers has dropped off as a priority, with fewer courses offered at university level. Free newsletterSubscribe to Calla Wahlquist's fortnightly update on Australian rural and regional affairs Read more“If you’re doing an undergraduate teaching degree there’s not much time spent working with EAL learners who have particular needs,” she says “Mainstream teachers have half their learners from EAL backgrounds and there are a number of ways to support those students “It’s a systemic issue for everybody when looking to employ an EAL teacher.” With many immigrants moving to regional cities, whether it’s due to the increased housing pressures in metropolitan areas, to seek a more thriving community life, or through the government’s regional migration program schools are having to adapt to more diverse student bodies A 2022 Australian Council of TESOL Associations report found that service provision to EAL learners had fallen short in the past two decades It calls for a national plan for EAL and dialect education recovery and reform One in 10 government school students in regional Victoria have a family language background other than English Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The GuardianSupports currently available to EAL students include the statewide additional language program which funds schools to hire specially qualified English teachers and multicultural aides It also funds English language schools and centres in Geelong as well as a Virtual New Arrivals Program for students in regional and rural areas who cannot access in-person tutoring All new arrival students from a non-English-speaking background can access full-time or targeted English language programs via English language schools or centres with refugee students receiving extra language support Schools outside metropolitan areas that do not receive EAL funding because of the small numbers of EAL students enrolled can form a cluster to employ trained educators to build capacity in their own teachers and schools Delacombe primary school prep student Angeer Akol Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The GuardianThe Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council chief executive says there has been an increase in demand for EAL support over the last few years “We are also receiving weekly inquiries from high school students requesting language support,” she says BRMC has a free homework club where many parents seek EAL support for their children but Ryan-Evers says more research and funding is required “Funding and capacity have played a major barrier to BRMC going down this road to date.” The Victorian education department says $45m was set aside in the 2024-25 state budget to support students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds Gerrard says having a trained EAL teacher has been “incredibly beneficial” “Her guidance has enabled me to understand how to set more appropriate individualised goals … ensuring they have the best possible chance to succeed academically and socially,” she says Sign up for the Rural Network email newsletter File pictureFour teenagers have been charged with a string of offences over their alleged involvement in an assault on a man in Delacombe 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 incident allegedly happened on Thursday where a group of youths allegedly approached and assaulted the victim at a shopping centre Members from Ballarat police's Operation Praesidium investigated the incident and arrested the youths while executing search warrants at homes in Ballarat on Tuesday They also allegedly found and seized a drug of dependence at one of the homes A 17-year-old female and 14-year-old male have been charged with affray and theft while a 15-year-old male and 15-year-old female have been charged with affray All have been bailed to appear in the Children's Court at a later date A man who was also allegedly at one of the homes was also arrested in relation to the alleged contravention of a family violence intervention order and was also allegedly found to be in possession of a drug of dependence Operation Praesidium was launched in Ballarat in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour and problems in Ballarat including the Bridge Mall and Little Street Bus stop Need more news from The Courier? Follow our WhatsApp channel for the latest stories, or download our app for the fastest access to our news, Today's Paper and puzzles. 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. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Love footy? We've got all the action covered. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Occupation: Regional Development Coordinator. Resides: Delacombe Community involvement: Deputy Chair of the WestVic Academy of Sport. Member of the Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast. Owner of Hullabaloo Events, a company established to run the Obsidian Dark Beer Festival which ran for the first time in 2024 and showcased Ballarat’s breweries and distilleries to a broader audience. Associated with a political party or movement? Preferencing: I do not have a preference arrangement in place. Campaign budget? Receiving financial support?: I am funding my campaign personally. Roads… Not just in improved maintenance and long-term solutions to minimise repeat damage/wear on our roads, but also addressing the safety concerns that exist… Waste Management… We have an opportunity to be leader in our waste management practices and pursue innovative and sustainable approaches that make waste concerns a thing of the past for ratepayers. Public transport accessibility for all residents, particularly our growth areas with limited or no service… Picture by Lachlan BenceTraffic lights are being installed at Delacombe Town Centre to better control traffic exiting onto the Glenelg Highway 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 areaContinueExtensive roadworks have been underway since late 2024 to reconfigure the entry and exit points for the growing retail complex Traffic signals will be installed at a recently constructed intersection next to Hungry Jacks in DTC's newly opened stage two complex The existing original exit next to Starbucks has been altered to allow left turns only back toward the Wiltshire Lane intersection will be able to make a U-turn at the new traffic lights exit DTC turning right with the traffic signals at the new intersection Project manager Dion Gilbert from H. Troon, who developed Delacombe Town Centre said roadworks would be completed by the end of March but it could be several weeks longer before Powercor turns on the traffic lights "It will be under traffic management for a couple of weeks before Powercor turn the power on," he said Traffic exiting Delacombe Town Centre next to Starbucks will only be able to turn left and head toward a new set of traffic lights Picture by Lachlan BenceMr Gilbert said the roadworks had been going well but excessive amounts of rock had slowed some excavation works "All the excavations have been in rock which has slowed it down a lot," he said the temporary exit from DTC to Cherry Flat Road will close Retailers in the second stage of Delacombe Town Centre and Super Cheap Auto opened their doors in late November 2024 Works are scheduled to start on the third stage of Delacombe Town Centre on Valiant Road at the rear of the original stage one development Supermarket giants Coles and Aldi have been confirmed as tenants in the final stage of the DTC development along with a further 13 or 14 retail stores Stage three will be a bit bigger than half the size of the stage one development, which opened in September 2017 and was sold for $112 million in November 2021 Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Occupation: Community Services Worker. I currently provide case management. How long have you lived in your ward? For the past 7 years. Community involvement: Volunteer- ParkRun, the L2P driving mentor program, Ballarat Permaculture Guild… Worked at headspace Ballarat and Mount Rowan Secondary College… A new mothers group, our kindergarten, local libraries and Parent Place. Endorsed by The Greens… I stand for evidence-based initiatives that prioritise community, climate action and environmental sustainability. Preferencing: I encourage voters who support council action on climate change, the cost of living and the housing crisis to vote 1 for Gab Salkowski. Campaign budget? Receiving financial support? I don’t have a set budget… Donations are coming from family, friends, fundraising and Greens supporters. Three most important issues in your ward?: Housing crisis – Requires long-term vision, strategic planning, creative solutions and responsible decision making. Safe roads and pedestrian crossings… Seeking and coordinating local solutions to our devastating family violence problem. File picture by Kate HealyAn elderly woman remains in hospital after she was struck by a taxi in Delacombe leaving her with life- threatening injuries Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe incident happened in Holstein Close about 11.30am on Monday with members of the Ballarat Highway Patrol investigating the incident was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries," a Victoria Police spokesperson said "The driver of the taxi stopped at the scene and rendered assistance "The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established." An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said the patient was taken to the Ballarat Base Hospital in a stable condition following the incident Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au Occupation: High School Teacher, Yoga Studio Owner. How long have you lived in your council/ward?: I’ve lived in Ballarat for most of my life, growing up in Delacombe. Community involvement: Deeply involved in the local community as a City councillor, small business owner of a yoga studio, and a teacher. Regularly participate in local events. Passionate about advocating for mental health, small businesses, and family wellbeing. Was a member of the Liberal Democrats from 2021 to 2023 but am currently a true independent with no political affiliations. Preferencing: Not engaged in any preference deals and remain independent in my campaign. Campaign budget? Receiving financial support? Running a grassroots campaign with a modest budget. Not receiving any financial assistance. The top issues are the rising cost of living and housing affordability, maintaining and upgrading infrastructure (especially addressing potholes), and improving community consultation and transparency to ensure residents have a real voice in council decisions. Picture by Lachlan BenceA sawn-off shotgun has been found in the backyard of a Delacombe family's home after a frightening incident in the early hours of Wednesday morning where one of the residents confronted an offender and dished out "a few jumper punches" Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAsh and Emma Trezise were asleep in their Clifton Street home about 12.10am on August 7 when they heard their dogs barking and a notification from their front security camera pop up on their phones they saw someone out near the car parked in the driveway Ash said she walked out the front and had a look around but couldn't see the man and went back inside CCTV captured the moment one man was lurking around the Delacombe property just after midnight on August 7 Picture suppliedAs they were closing the curtains Emma saw the man still on the camera and set the alarm off before the man run off along Clifton Street Emma was on the phone to the police and Ash went to head back outside but heard movement of another person along the fence in the backyard "I didn't want to go through the back gate because they would have heard me," Ash said "I knew there was definitely someone there .. I've gone through the house out to the backyard and he was right near the side of the house near the back door." Ash said in the moment she rushed out of the back door and chased the man before shoving him up against the back fence The man then fled through the back gate after Ash let him go as they waited for police to arrive "He dropped his hat and I was nice enough to throw it back to him .. She said it took about 20 to 30 minutes for police to arrive we would have held him and but it was like they began looking around the backyard when a frightening discovery was made along the back fence "(One of the police officers) said to my wife Emma responded by saying it could have been chewed up by one of their three dogs but police asked them to take a look at what they had found "It was a sawn-off single-barrel shotgun," Ash said The shotgun was found in the backyard after police began investigating the incident Picture suppliedIt's thought the man may have jumped the back fence into their backyard Ash said it was hard to believe what actually happened and what she did "He could have had a knife and stabbed me or something but I literally wasn't thinking," Ash said "I'm just glad he s--t himself and didn't turn and try and bash me said they have have been victims of several incidents including their cars being broken into and their number plates stolen Ash said the property is located in a "nook" on Clifton Street and there is no street lighting making it very dark "We got home from our friends dinner last night and Emma said 'look how dark it is coming into our house She said they will look at contacting the council to see if a street light can be installed and may even look at getting a floodlight or sensor light that automatically turns on in the hope it will deter any other offenders Although it did not stop the incident from happening home surveillance was a big help in Wednesday morning's incident "If we didn't have that camera we wouldn't have known and that person would have been in our backyard A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed officers are investigating "It is believed two unknown offenders were seen in the backyard of a property on Clifton Street about 12.20am," the spokesperson said The offenders fled when approached by the residents they located a firearm in the rear of the backyard Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au Occupation: IT Consultant – working for wealth management firm managing superannuation. How long have you lived in your council? Around a year in Ballymanus and 22 years overall. Community involvement: My passion for community service drives my current effort for spearheading a petition for Road Safety and Traffic lights at Ballarat-Carngham Rd and Finchs/Galway intersections. I approached state and federal MPs and finally managed to apply for a Black Spot Program which is an Australian initiative to fund high risk roads. Associated with a political party or movement?: No. Campaign budget? Receiving financial support?: $2-3k and all funds are personal. 1) Road and Traffic Congestion Issues – I think the community has grown immensely and the necessary infrastructure didn’t catch up. I think PSP and DCP approvals didn’t go hand in hand. 2) Increased street lighting and security in public areas. 3) Better youth services and stop youth crime. Picture by Kate HealyIncreasing numbers of Ballarat parents are choosing to send their children to non-government schools but that hasn't slowed the rapid growth of Delacombe Primary where 98 prep pupils started last month Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAnalysis of prep enrolments at 74 primary schools across the Ballarat region shows that of the more than 1820 students who started school in 2025 42 per cent are attending non-government schools It's been a rapid rise over the past five years, with 33 per cent attending independent, Catholic, or other faith schools in 2021 according to The Courier's analysis of enrolments for the Big Steps Little Feet publication Delacombe Primary School principal Scott Phillips is also feeling the squeeze From a total school enrolment of 403 in 2021 there are now 646 pupils attending the school - a 60 per cent increase in just five years "At the end of last year we had about 90 preps enrolled (for 2025) then in between we had another eight come in the door," he said Hitting 100 prep enrolments throughout the year is "quite possible" as new families continue to move into the area "We've jumped up really quickly," Mr Phillips said "We budgeted for 610 students at the start of the year and we've got 646 (across all year levels)." The newcomers are a mix of families from interstate The school's enrolment zone takes in much of the fast-growing suburbs of Winter Valley and Bonshaw To help ensure enough playground space for all the children the school is one of the first in Ballarat to have double-storey demountable buildings installed to provide extra classrooms Taku and Jack outside the school's new double-storey demountable classrooms Picture by Lachlan Bence"They are really good buildings and our grade sixes are in it They feel a little more grown up in that sense and at the moment it works well for our structure," Mr Phillips said Delacombe Primary has one double-storey classroom and Mr Phillips said another would likely be coming toward the end of the year "The thing that comes with all that sort of growth is what does it mean for our office staff if the office needs to get bigger we are finding ourselves getting tighter in that sense," he said Last year Lucas Primary School enrolled its 500th pupil despite being built and opening in 2020 for a capacity of 475 students Despite the growth in government schools in the city's booming outer suburbs the total number of students enrolled at all year levels in government schools across Ballarat dropped slightly in Ballarat last year while top-tier private schools Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat Clarendon College saw a 6 per cent increase in students and Catholic and other faith or independent schools rose 4 per cent the student populations of both Ballarat Clarendon College and Ballarat Grammar grew more than 20 per cent according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics has seen independent schools enjoy the largest increase in enrolments over the past five years The ABS recorded a national increase in student numbers over the past five years of 3.1 per cent while Ballarat has seen a 3.3 per cent increase over the same period Lucas Primary School enrolled its 500th student in late 2024 despite being built for a total of 475 pupils Picture by Lachlan BenceACU education leadership expert Associate Professor Paul Kidson said there were many reasons why more families were looking to independent and Catholic schools to educate their children there's probably a specific religious or educational philosophy and they really want that," Dr Kidson said even in the current economically challenging times as a disposable income choice it's worth it .. co-curricular or cultural focus or religious opportunities." Dr Kidson said Catholic and independent schools were often built in developing areas earlier than government schools so families sent their children to the closest school to home Some parents are working multiple jobs to pay private school fees There's going to be those who are saying here is the opportunity for my kids to step into a future I didn't have the opportunity to have," he said Those who aspire to send their children to top-tier private schools but cannot afford the fees often see the Catholic education system as a better financial option for the long term Federation University deputy dean of the Institute of Education Arts and Community Professor Jenene Burke said part of the increase in independent and Catholic school enrolments could also be a result of a renewed focus on parents finding the right educational option for all children "There are areas of great increase due to specialist schools like Berry Street and St Josephs (now Saints College) with both of those schools having a similar sort of curriculum and catering to a similar student cohort," Dr Burke said "These schools work with children who have specific learning needs and cater for them," she said Berry Street has been running in Ballarat since 2017 while St Josephs Special Assistance School (now renamed Saints College) opened in 2024 with a full complement of 120 students and a waiting list It opened a second campus at Bungaree this year "I don't think state schools are not great schools They deliver a great curriculum and outcomes for students but they often don't promote what they are doing in the same way that a lot of the independent schools are doing and are able to do," Dr Burke said "We know students in state schools get great results in their year 12 studies as well." Dr Burke said the influx of people moving to Ballarat from Melbourne over the past five years could also have impacted student numbers "If you've got people coming from metropolitan areas they might be more inclined to send their children to a private school anyway so maybe they are looking for the local private school without considering others," she said Picture by Kate HealyIt will be at least another year until construction in the Leawarra Crescent neighbourhood in Delacombe starts despite residents being forced to relocate and houses already demolished This would include land along Leawarra Crescent and surrounding courts three and four-bedrooms and a combination of social and affordable homes according to tender documents released on August 29 Residents were first told they would need to relocate in 2021 but some have expressed frustration about the lack of communication throughout the project It appears there have been no changes to fenced off areas since demolition works were finished The tender document said the Delacombe houses are a "key project within the Big Build Housing Program" The Leawarra Neighbourhood is 13.7 hectares and made up of 66 parcels of land Housing Victoria plans to subdivide to make way for higher density developments, similar to townhouses they have already built in the area In 2021 the state government pledged $50 million for the overhaul with an $11.1 million budget for the civil works according to tender documents This will include designs for drainage and roads It will be at least another year until construction starts on new housing in Leawarra Crescent Picture by Kate HealyThe scope of works explain the civil engineer hired will need to judge the "suitability of existing assets" and identify if there are necessary upgrades or "abolishments required to facilitate development" Road and drainage plans will need to be submitted to the City of Ballarat for approval The state government anticipates they will find a civil engineer by October Planning applications will then be sent to council between April and September 2025 Subdivision plans should be approved by October 2025 and then the first round of civil works are set to start in November 2025 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 Picture by Lachlan BenceA car with a child inside has rolled after a crash in Delacombe Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCrews were called to the scene at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Wallis Street just before 11am on Tuesday and firefighters were seen checking inside while the second vehicle had damage to its front right side Police at the scene told The Courier there was a woman and a child in one car Picture by Lachlan BenceFrom the scene of the accident a baby car seat was seen on the lawn on the side of the road "It would appear to be a failure to give away at the stop sign." They added drivers must concentrate on the road and obey all the signs "Make sure you stop and give away properly Looking for oncoming traffic before pulling out," they said An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson confirmed a woman in her 20s and an infant were taken to Ballarat Base Hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries File picture by Adam TraffordA Delacombe woman has been charged after she was found sleeping in an allegedly stolen car in Sebastopol on Saturday afternoon Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice were patrolling on McGowan Street about 4.30pm on February 22 when they noticed a Mazda CX9 parked under a tree and went to investigate where they found a woman sleeping inside After checking the car's registration plates and vehicle identification number they discovered the plates and the car were reported as being stolen officers allegedly found a large amount of property that was allegedly stolen including cosmetic products and perfume allegedly stolen in a burglary in Nerrina documents and medications that were linked to a burglary in Brown Hill and GHB and Cannabis were also allegedly found by the officers The 25-year-old has since been charged with a string of offences theft of a motor vehicle and possessing a drug dependence a Smythesdale man has been charged with a number of offences after a pedestrian was allegedly hit in a carpark in Ballarat in the early hours of Saturday morning Police and paramedics were called about 4am after reports that a large group of people had congregated which resulted in a physical confrontation between two males allegedly got into his car and attempted to leave the carpark at a "fast rate of speed" before allegedly hitting the 22-year-old victim Police said several bystanders restrained the 19-year-old driver before police arrived The victim was taken to the Ballarat Base Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries The alleged driver was later charged with offences including reckless conduct endangering serious injury Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersvic.com.au Delacombe11.21 hectares (approx.)Expressions of interest close Friday March 21 at 4pmAgency: Colliers BallaratAgent: David Wright 0418 518 353Inspect: By appointmentThis is an outstanding and unique industrial opportunity that's ripe for development surrounded by national brands and complete with multiple road entry points (STCA) Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThis significant allotment has the potential to become a large area for locally significant industrial activity especially for light industry and urban services which can provide for the growing population The property is located close to key arterials booming residential areas and commercial centres of Ballarat approximately five kilometres from the Ballarat CBD and less than five kilometres from Delacombe Town Centre DelacombeIt is also situated less than one kilometre from national businesses There are convenient entry points off Latrobe Street There is also great potential to subdivide the land Contact the agency for more information and to arrange an inspection Picture by Kate HealyBallarat's major social housing project in Delacombe will take another three years to complete with the promised project's end date being pushed out to 2028 The government set aside $66 million for the project At the time, the housing minister told The Courier work would start in 2022 When early tender notices were released in November 2023, the project had been increased to 181 homes The government did not explain why the project increased despite The Courier's multiple questions at the time the Victorian Auditor-General's Office found the government lacked transparency when reporting on major projects It recommended more communication about the impacts when a project's scope changes The report said government departments regularly check and report on projects but this information is not made available to the public In 2023 the government anticipated they would award construction tenders for Delacombe housing by September 2024 The construction contracts are still in the "final stages" Wendouree MP Juliana Addison said in a statement The Courier understands Homes Victoria attends once a month for maintenance Civil plans will then need to be submitted through a council planning process, which is expected to happen between April and October 2025, and civil works are expected to start in November 2025. The first houses will then take more than a year to construct Ms Addison said there will be a staged approach with the first 78 homes "expected to be complete in 2027" The remaining 103 homes should be completed in 2028 The government has built other smaller clusters of homes in Ballarat as part of the big build However, some of these homes have been used by residents who had to leave houses in 2023 when the government started demolition Liberal MP Joe McCracken said he had concerns about the ability of the government to deliver the project at all since building costs have escalated "They're probably going to have to use more money to do that and they need to be upfront and transparent about that otherwise we're going to have a half-baked project," he told The Courier He said the government needed to do more to bring more public and private housing online Mr McCracken said taxes were a big inhibitor in private space particularly windfall tax which he said was stopping people from selling big parcels of land Greens MP Sarah Mansfield said in a statement her party would like to see more funding for the Delacombe Housing project to deliver public housing faster Ms Mansfield said she would like to see public housing where the government owns the buildings and can cap rents Picture by Kate Healy"The government uses umbrella terms like 'social housing' and 'affordable housing' to cover for the fact they are selling off public land for private development and reducing their investment in genuine public housing," she said "Victoria already has the lowest numbers and the lowest investment in public housing out of all the states and territories Ms Addison said everyone deserves a roof over their head "I am proud that the Victorian Government is investing more into building social and affordable homes than any other state," she said "I know there's more work to do and that's why we've been building more social and affordable homes across Ballarat since 2020 with more than 370 homes complete or underway." crashed at the corner of Tait Street and Webster Driver in Delacombe on Wednesday knocking down a light pole across the road Picture by Kate HealyPolice are investigating a late-night crash in Delacombe allegedly involving a stolen ute where its occupants fled the scene Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency services were called to the intersection of Tait Street and Webster Drive just after 11.30pm on Wednesday February 19 after a red Nissan Patrol and grey Ford Ranger collided Pieces from a broken headlight remained at the scene on Thursday Picture by Kate HealyA Victoria police spokesperson said the impact of the crash caused the Ranger to leave the road before crashing into a power pole and three street signs "The driver of the Ford and one of his passengers declined medical treatment while another passenger in the Ford was assessed at the scene," the spokesperson said Police believe the Nissan was stolen from a home in Sebastopol the same day "The investigation into the collision remains ongoing," the spokesperson said Anyone with information or CCTV footage of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Picture by Adam TraffordThe popular Smythes Creek Farmgate Shop will move to Delacombe next year after its owners decided to take the future of the business into their own hands and withdraw from a legal fight with Golden Plains Shire Council Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFearing bankruptcy farmgate owners Tanya and Monique Lunn withdrew a VCAT appeal against the council who had refused a retrospective permit for the business to operate in a rural living zone despite actively encouraging the business to evolve during COVID Instead of facing legal bills of up to $100,000 for a fight they might not win, the couple decided to look for a new location Golden Plains Shire will allow them to trade at their current Smythes Creek address until December 31 after which time they will move to new premises in Wiltshire Lane "We are taking control back of our own lives so we can decide what we want to do moving forward," Ms Lunn said "It's not great for one's mental health to sit there and wait for someone else to decide your future." plenty of parking and is in an industrial zone with passing traffic "All those things go a long way to encourage people to use us as a business," she said It will also open up to a new clientele of customers who felt the farmgate was too far out of Ballarat The new warehouse is next to G-VR virtual reality and just doors from Davis Meats which Ms Lunn hopes will entice customers to make one trip to buy their meat vegetables and other locally produced goods the farmgate stocks Tanya Lunn in the Smythes Creek Farmgate Shop when it reopened following renovations in 2023 Picture by Lachlan Bence"In one block people can go to the butcher and buy the fruit "Looking at Ballarat and the surrounding area there are 120,000 odd people which will grow to 150,000 and if we stay afloat we are one of only five alternatives to (buy) fruit and vegetables outside the supermarket .. "Supermarkets want to control our food sources and when they gain full supply of of farms and food sources you will know We need to be more mindful how we make purchases long-term because it's not sustainable." The new farmgate will look familiar for current customers coolrooms and fittings to be moved from the old shop to the new and the couple are busy collecting extra materials to use for the larger space During and since the COVID pandemic the couple invested around $100,000 turning their Smythes Creek mushroom growing business, which supplied produce to the hospitality sector which was forced to close, into a farmgate shop supporting local and Australian producers and providing quality produce to local families They had been told to lodge a change-of-use permit with Golden Plains at the end of COVID which seemed like it was going to be a formality but was ultimately refused "Something we learned from COVID is you've got to pivot and move with the times We never foresaw this coming and we would never have spent the time Ms Lunn said the low-cost Thursday night dinners popular with local families and older people would continue once the kitchen in the new warehouse received council approval and they might look to offer similar lunchtime meals A Go Fund Me campaign set up to help the couple fight council raised more than $12,000 which Ms Lunn said would help establish the new shop "We feel at the end of the day at least the money is going toward not lining the pockets of solicitors and VCAT but going to keeping the business model afloat "The money gifted is going to create a cool space that is more accessible to most people." The farmgate will trade in its current location until Christmas with possible sales of perishable items after Boxing Day depending on stock The couple hope for a potential "soft opening" of the new farmgate mid January Need more news from The Courier? Check out our WhatsApp channel for stories as they go online, and download our app for breaking news alerts - and daily puzzles Picture by Kate HealyThe doors will open for new retailers in Delacombe Town Centre's stage two development within weeks 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 areaContinueDeveloper Steve Troon said retailers would open the first week of December ready for the busy Christmas trading period Signage has been going up steadily over recent weeks with the carpark now paved and finishing touches being put on the build New traders in the 5000 square metre complex include Rebel Sports A new 150-seat Lone Star Rib House and Brews Restaurant and bar is also coming to stage two of DTC, with the franchise currently advertised for sale Mr Troon said the new stage two complex was fully leased apart from four small tenancies Within months of the stage two opening, Troon Group construction arm H.Troon Pty Ltd will start works on DTC stage three to be built behind the existing original stage one development Construction continues on the building that will house Planet Fitness in stage two of Delacombe Town Centre Picture by Kate HealyPlanning permits have been granted for the works scheduled to start in the first half of 2025 with supermarket giants Coles and Aldi signed up as tenants in the final stage of the DTC development along with a further 13 or 14 retail stores Stage three will be a bit bigger than half the size of the existing stage one development, which opened in September 2017 and was sold for $112 million in November 2021 "DTC is still taking off like an aeroplane Retailers love going there," Mr Troon said DTC will be in area a similar size to the Ballarat CBD which is quite amazing to think about." Mr Troon said works on stage three would likely take 10 to 12 months meaning the centre could potentially be complete around Easter 2026 Population estimates for the DTC development state its catchment has 127,700 residents and this is projected to reach at least 154,800 residents within the next decade New residential builds continue strongly in the area around DTC with the neighbouring Pinnacle Estate growing and groundworks on the new Integra Aberdeen estate 2km west of DTC along the Glenelg Hwy which will eventually have more than 500 homes Ground works on the new Aberdeen Estate on the Glenelg Highway at Smythes Creek Picture by Kate HealyWhen ground works began on the first stage of DTC in 2016 it was on the edge of town surrounded by paddocks and grazing cows - now it sits in the centre of suburbs Troon also built the neighbouring Ballarat Lifestyle Centre which they sold in early 2021 for $12.39 million "(DTC) has been an amazing story for retail growth but that's where Ballarat wants it to be," he said Mr Troon said stage three would be the final stage of DTC "Once stage three is finished DTC will have reached its maximum size with no more room for us to expand," he said Federal Member for Ballarat and Cr Des Hudson City of Ballarat Mayor at an announcement of shared path between DTC and Yarrowee river Picture by Kate HealyA new shared pedestrian and bike route will allow Ballarat commuters to travel from Sebastopol to Delacombe Town Centre [DTC] on a fully-separated path as attempts to make the city safer for cyclists continue Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 2.4 kilometre trail which will run along the Glenelg Highway from the Yarrowee River to Wiltshire Lane will connect with a path which is already under construction between Phoenix College and the Midland Highway The nearly $10 million dollar project will be finished by about April 2026 and has been funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments Ballarat cycling group Saxons member Jamie Govan welcomed the new route to DTC but when asked if the city was a safe place for cyclists He said the behaviour of Ballarat drivers meant the group was increasingly retreating to quiet country roads rather than riding on inner city streets He said routes such as Cuthberts Road and Gillies Street were particularly dangerous as drivers often passed too close to cyclists at high speeds Mr Govan said Ballarat was "heading in the right direction" when it came to improving conditions for riders "Most of the new roads they're building out - you can head out on Skipton Street and there's a bike lane there but I think they need to be marked clearer," he said "Our biggest issue is rider and driver education "If we're going to Gillies Street and there's a driver doing 100kmh they need to give us a metre-and-a-half and they don't .. Mr Govan said cyclists also needed to be accountable for ensuring the city's roads were safe "Not every bike rider is a goody two shoes," he said Speaking at a press-conference to announce the new multi-million dollar route City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said while Ballarat's cycle paths were a work in progress the city had become a safer place for riders "Where we've been able to build bike paths [it has] taken cyclists away from where the main traffic and thoroughfare roads are," he said "It always makes sure cyclists have that safer option." Cr Hudson said the new route to DTC would remove "vulnerable" road users from the Glenelg Highway and was critical to connecting different parts of the city Federal MP Catherine King said getting people out of cars was a "really important" objective for the government on August 30 Picture by Kate HealyFederal MP Catherine King said getting people out of cars was a "really important" objective and this would be achieved by constructing the safer route for cyclists and pedestrians "The great thing about this plan is it really takes the Copenhagen model," she said "You're actually building the bike lanes close to the curbing parking on the other side and then traffic on the other side "That really gives that much safer opportunity Ballarat Bicycle Users Group spokesperson Brendan McNally agreed that conditions for cyclists had improved but said he wanted to see more cycling infrastructure built near schools "The idea that we could bring back kids riding to school instead of the school pickup .. "The only way we're going to see that change is if we see more bike infrastructure on the roads A man runs with a pusher along Glenelg Highway where a new shared path will be constructed Picture by Kate HealyMr McNally said the city also needed to focus on connecting up routes so people could ride safely into the city without interruption and you're not going to see families riding up and down Sturt Street until they have really good connections without traffic," he said "I think we're a couple of years away yet from seeing families heading into town all on bikes Picture filePolice are calling for information following an aggravated burglary and the theft of car keys in Buninyong Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice said unknown offenders went to a home at 12am on Monday and broke into a vehicle before finding a garage remote and using it to open the garage They then got into the house via an unlocked access door to the house while the victim slept The offenders stole a set of keys to a Ford Falcon Ute before leaving the property in an unknown vehicle Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 A confidential report can also be made online at crimestoppersvic.com.au a Delacombe woman has been hit with a number of charges over the alleged theft of a vehicle and theft from a vehicle in Alfredton Police were called to Sydney Way on Tuesday following reports of the thefts and detectives from the Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit began to investigate They later identified and arrested the 26-year-old and charged her with offences including theft of a motor vehicle three counts of contravening a condition of bail and committing an indictable offence whilst on bail She was remanded in custody to appear at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Wednesday She was granted bail but will re-appear in court on Friday File picture by Adam TraffordA 31-year-old Delacombe man has been charged with a number of offences including allegedly killing a native animal with a power tool Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe man was arrested alongside three other people after six vehicles were allegedly stolen from an equipment hire business south of Ballarat where offenders allegedly rammed the front security gates of the business before taking off with four Toyota Prados a Toyota Hilux and a Kira Niro - all 2024 models Police also allege the offenders forced open a security door to the workshop and warehouse area detectives from the Ballarat and Moorabool Crime Investigation units executed search warrants at properties in Delacombe and Ross Creek on Wednesday They arrested a 33-year-old man and 58-year-old woman from Delacombe along with a 42-year-old man from Ross Creek and allegedly found five stolen vehicles with two linked to the burglary at the business police arrested the 31-year-old Delacombe man and allegedly found another two stolen vehicles He has since been charged with five offences including theft of motor vehicle and one count of aggravated animal cruelty with police alleging he killed a native animal with a power tool He was remanded in custody to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on March 20 Police said the investigation continues and investigators are confident further arrests will be made They also urged anyone with information on the alleged burglary or other vehicle thefts to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au Picture suppliedDrivers involved in a two-car crash at a busy Delacombe intersection on Wednesday have escaped injury Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency services were called to the intersection of Wiltshire Lane and the Glenelg Highway - at Delacombe Town Centre - just after 6pm on June 12 Photos of the incident provided to The Courier showed the front end of one vehicle completely destroyed while the other suffered serious damage to the front left corner An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson confirmed paramedics were called to the scene "No emergency treatment or transport was provided," the spokesperson said It comes after 39 speeding offences were handed out to drivers in the Ballarat region by police over the King's Birthday long weekend seatbelts and drink and drug driving during the four-day Operation Regal three unlicensed drivers and one drug driver among a range of other offences More than 7000 offences were detected across the state during the operation Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueGriffin Burger took to social media to announce the reopening of its Delacombe Town Centre location - complete with new operational hours It comes after the restaurant was met with difficulties shuttering its Delacombe and Wendouree locations and going dark on social media Former owner Sam Griffin sold the business, and told The Courier in April he was looking to get out of the hospitality industry for the foreseeable future "It was a long eight years looking at burgers The restaurant's Wendouree location will not reopen and has been boarded up with construction hoarding a 'Notice of Re-Entry' was taped to the front window of Griffin Burger's Stockland Wendouree store stating the shopping centre's management had reclaimed the shopfront after a failure to meet rental obligations owed the shopping centre $25,206.14 in unpaid rent and as such did not meet their lease agreement The company itself entered liquidation in October 2023 Griffin Burger was well-known in Ballarat for their active presence on social media developing a cult following among burger-lovers Peter Griffin and his sons opened the first Griffin Burger restaurant in the CBD before expanding to Stockland and Delacombe Town Centre The restaurant was voted as "Ballarat's best burger" in a 2018 poll run by The Courier The restaurant's new owners have been contacted for comment but did not respond in time for publication Wendouree MP Juliana Addison and pupils from Delacombe Community Kindergarten which will be upgraded to add 79 more kinder places Picture suppliedTwo new community kindergarten hubs will be built in Ballarat's west and three existing centres will be upgraded and expanded to create more than 600 new kindergarten places as the city's population swells Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueDelacombe Community Kindergarten will expand to allow an extra 79 kinder places for term one Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn visited the kinder on December 13 to announce $21.5 million in funding to support the new Building Blocks Partnership with the City of Ballarat to create up to 612 new kindergarten places The Delacombe kindergarten will receive $2 million in funding for its expansion which will also include a new staff planning room Work is already underway to create new kinder spaces at Sebastopol Community Hub and Lucas Community Hub along with the Delacombe expansion and two further sites in Ballarat's west will be identified and built Wendouree MP Juliana Addison said the works would support families in the area "We're going to have families who can contribute to the economy and we are going to raise everyone up all by funding kinders," she said we know that families are doing it tough across Ballarat and by us being able to offer free kinder is a real hand up and a helper for so many families across Ballarat We want to make sure that they've got the skills they need and by making kinder free we're going to make sure that every kid has that opportunity." the pre-school population of Ballarat is projected to grow six per cent and our partnership with the City of Ballarat will deliver hundreds of kindergarten places giving more families across some of Ballarat's fastest growing areas access to a fantastic local kinder," Ms Blandthorn said The demand for kinder spaces will continue to boom with the state government's Free Kinder program to provide 15 hours of three-year-old kindergarten to every eligible child each week by 2029 and up to 30 hours of pre-prep (four-year-old kindergarten) each week by 2036 There will also be challenges in ensuring there are enough kindergarten teachers to teach the little learners with an existing shortage of kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators The government has announced measures to attract and train more kindergarten teachers to help meet demand Works are underway at Lucas Community Hub to increase the number of children able to attend kinder there File pictureCity of Ballarat councillor Tess Morgan welcomed the state government's $21.5 million investment in new kindergarten places for Ballarat's youngest learners "We are proud to have committed a further $16.25 million as part of the partnership which will ensure our growing suburbs are adequately equipped with more kindergarten places and modern education facilities," she said "The expansion of the Delacombe Community Kindergarten as well as the creation of two further community hubs in Ballarat West Growth Area "It is crucial we continue to provide families with high-quality infrastructure close to home which is why we have advocated strongly to the state government over a long period to secure this funding "We look forward to seeing these projects take shape over the course of this partnership and to seeing some of our youngest residents enjoying the new facilities once they are completed." Picture by Kate HealyTo pharmacist NamTran Trandinh Ballarat was once just a tourist destination for school excursions but now it's a growing city of opportunities Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 32-year-old who migrated from Vietnam with his family at the age of two with nothing has been the co-owner of Direct Chemist Outlet Delacombe for seven years Mr Trandinh said he worked for one top pharmacy retailer in Melbourne after graduating from La Trobe University "My dream was always to be an owner of a pharmacy," he said After realising it could take him 15 years to gain ownership there he decided to leave and start working as a locum NamTran Trandinh's dream of owning a pharmacy has come true Picture by Kate HealyMr Trandinh began working at Direct Chemist Outlet Delacombe in 2018 recognised his potential and offered him a co-ownership opportunity I was driving up and down from Ballarat to Hoppers Crossing (a Melbourne suburb)," he said If I really wanted to focus on the business "The community is nice. Back then everything was just starting to expand. More people are coming to Delacombe." Australian Bureau of Statistics census data shows the population of Delacombe and Winter Valley increased 1.8 times Mr Trandinh said there were only two pharmacists sharing the rotation in 2018 We need three pharmacists minimum a day - there would be around four pharmacists during busy times," he said Mr Trandinh said their daily prescription count had increased about four times over the past seven years Mr Trandinh said he asked his university friend to move from Melbourne to Ballarat to become the new junior partner Mr Trandinh said Ballarat has a lot of professional work opportunities "Pharmacists are in demand nowadays - and it's harder to find pharmacists to work in Ballarat," he said "There's not a lot of pharmacists from Melbourne who would want to relocate into regional communities or rural communities "A lot of people overseas are looking for work I have a few interns that are from overseas - now they have started their life in Ballarat." Mr Trandinh said he has no plan to go back to Melbourne at the moment Qiyun (Gwen) Liu is a bilingual journalist in English and Chinese with The Courier. For story tips on Ballarat : gwen.liu@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTeena and Craig Trainor have lived in Winter Valley for about 15 years and have seen the need for safe crossing on Wiltshire Lane the pedestrian refuge built in 2021 after community campaigning "I've seen so many near misses there that I don't even drive down there at night," Ms Trainor said "My daughter's never allowed to cross there Many residents often need to cross the street to get to the two nearby schools Lumen Christi and Delacombe Primary School Picture by Kate HealyJust up the road is Delacombe Town Centre and other shops - the area's new estates are growing fast so an increasing amount of pedestrians and cars are using the road The Courier saw one person attempting to cross during peak post-school time and was unable to do so until a car physically stopped and let them cross The bollards in the crossing have been hit many times Over the past three years since the pedestrian refuge was constructed Ms Trainor said she had seen it damaged up to four times Mr Trainor said he had seen an accident at night time where a car hit the bollards and was upside down - his main concern was the poor visibility of the bollards the lights that are here don't seem to light the bollards up," he said Ms Trainor said she has concerns for the safety of children trying to get to school "It's a major accident waiting to happen," she said I have this fear of someone hitting the bollards and hitting the kids." said her friends will walk home in a group and will cross the road "It's just [an accident] there waiting," she said The issue was flagged by Winter Valley resident and City of Ballarat councillor Tracey Hargreaves Another crash that left the bollards damaged from May 2023. Picture suppliedCr Hargreaves said it's a busy road with a 60kmh speed limit, with heavy trucks, people getting to work "Residents have agreed it's dangerous and hard to see in the dark and the rain." Ms Trainor said she wants a set of lights installed for safer crossing but also safer driving when people get onto Wiltshire Lane Cr Hargreaves said the community appreciated work being done but "Regional Roads (Victoria) need to have a good look at it." "It's almost more dangerous than nothing because it's so hard to see," she said The pedestrian refuge was built after community concerns were raised thanks to groups like Wiltshire Lane Pedestrian Crossing Action Group and funding from the federal and state governments was used to build the crossing The Courier contacted VicRoads about how many incidents have happened at the location and the cost of repairs - which VicRoads did not provide A statement was provided by the Department of Transport and Planning from Barwon South West and Grampians executive director Michael Bailey "We heard the community's concerns about Wiltshire Lane and took action in April 2021 to make it safer and easier to cross the road "We inspected the site earlier this month and will continue to monitor it for any potential further improvements." Alison Foletta specialises in local government, city development, and social issue stories. For story tips on Ballarat and local government email: alison.foletta@austcommunitymedia.com.au Active transport: Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, Member for Ballarat Catherine King and City of Ballarat mayor Cr Des Hudson near the intersection of Wiltshire Lane and the Glenelg Highway; the western end of the planned path. Photo: SUPPLIED A NEW path for pedestrians and bike riders will connect Delacombe Town Centre with the Yarrowee River. The aim of the 2.4-kilometre shared path along Glenelg Highway, between Wiltshire Lane and the Yarrowee Trail, is to establish a safer link between the busy parts of Delacombe and Sebastopol. The project is to be funded by the Federal and State governments – which are both contributing $4.86 million each – and delivered by the City of Ballarat. “Whether you’re walking, cycling or on a mobility scooter, this new path will make it easier and safer to get between Sebastopol and DTC,” said Member for Ballarat Catherine King. “It’s great to work with the Victorian Government and City of Ballarat on delivering projects like this that make a real difference to people’s daily lives.” Works are expected to take 12 months and begin in April of next year. The new path is set to build on a one-kilometre shared path between Albert Street and Phoenix College. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said providing safer active transport options boosts the health of community by encouraging more people to walk or cycle.” Delivering a new 2.4-milometre path for Sebastopol and Delacombe is great news for the connectivity of the whole community,” she said. City of Ballarat mayor Cr Des Hudson said it’s important to offer safe and comfortable active transport options, especially as the population booms in the western growth corridor. “This new shared path will support an active and healthy community and provides alternative transport opportunities for those not wanting to rely on their car all the time,” he said. “The City of Ballarat thanks the Victorian and Federal governments for their vital investment into Ballarat’s walking and cycling infrastructure.” Picture by Adam TraffordThe Courier will be interviewing each candidate for the local government election Candidates will all be asked the same series of questions about the issues in Ballarat and how they'd take action as a councillor Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSebastian Borys didn't even think about running for council until his mate suggested it to him at the pub - 18 months later and he's running as independent in Delacombe Mr Borys has worked in small businesses across the city He said he has no prior political experience His biggest issues for the ward revolve around community safety but he was at pains to state that if elected his priority was listening to residents first "We need to explain from the top down why decisions are made I think there are a lot of people kept in the dark or not quite educated on why there are planning and policy decisions being made," he said "I think the people of Ballarat need to know why things have been done they way they've been done without jumping to conclusions." but I do understand we have to pay for stuff so it's a matter of being transparent," he said "I'm not going to promise to cut rates when it's probably operationally not viable." Mr Borys moved to Delacombe with his young family in 2014 and has seen growth in the area explode - and so have safety issues and crime "A lot of people talk about the traffic in Delacombe the people walking and kids walking to school - it's hard to cross arterial roads bus shelters don't have all weather access," he said "I'd like to work with larger stakeholders on the development of these communities and estates with how they plan out the access in and out of these communities - it takes me eight minutes to move 400 metres sometimes but what highlighted for me was the fires out at Bunkers Hill (in 2019) I saw people driving up footpaths and cutting across nature strips." Delacombe, 3356Listings from further away Rapid Response•• Plastering & Painting•• Specialising in small jobs.•• Same day quotations•Call/Text Paul 0477 666 992 RAPID TREE SOLUTIONS• •Family owned and operated company servicing Ballarat and surrounding areas for 15 years.• •- Tree pruning•- Tree remo... New look: VRI Delacombe Cricket Club president Tom Nichools, City of Ballarat mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves, and Ballarat Highlanders Rugby Union Club president Garry Dixon outside the new changing rooms. Photo: SUPPLIED THE changing rooms at the Doug Dean Reserve in Delacombe have been completely overhauled to make them female-friendly in a move described as “a vital addition” to the facility. City of Ballarat mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves made the comment during a tour of the new-look changing rooms with cricket and rugby club officials last week. Cr Hargreaves said the upgrades were about providing high-quality facilities to meet the needs of the rapidly-growing western suburbs. “We are extremely proud to deliver the complete overhaul of Doug Dean Reserve in recent years and the new changerooms are a vital addition to the facility,” she said. “Providing female-friendly changerooms is an integral step towards increasing participation in sport, while the overhaul of the entire facility will increase social connections and give the clubs an enormous boost.” Cr Hargreaves was joined on the inspection visit by VRI Delacombe Cricket Club president Tom Nicholls and Ballarat Highlanders Rugby Union Club president Garry Dixon. The $767,891 project, fully funded by the City, includes two new changing rooms with accessible showers and toilets, as well as refurbishments of umpire facilities, social space, the first aid room, storeroom and kiosk. The new changing rooms will be suitable for both cricket and rugby and will be used throughout the year. The cricket club and the rugby club are both based at the reserve. The latest upgrade follows a string of improvements at the multi-use sporting facility, with $106,099 spent on new outdoor gym equipment (including a $72,000 State Government contribution) in 2023. New cricket nets were installed in 2022 in a $412,385 project, which included $100,000 from the State Government, and flood lights worth $333,409 were erected in 2018. The State Government contributed $75,000 to that improvement. The City of Ballarat’s Recreation Infrastructure Plan has also identified a potential future upgrade of the reserve’s playing surface. Cr Hargreaves said the facilities were dilapidated and outdated before the upgrade, making attracting new players difficult for the sporting clubs. Picture by Adam TraffordA dispute over a stolen tow truck has turned ugly after a man allegedly threatened to use 20 litres of petrol to burn down a Delacombe factory with his "friend" still inside 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 areaContinueJake Couzens, 30, applied for bail in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on June 24 Couzens was attempting to force his way inside a Delacombe factory while yelling at a person through its gate he allegedly told the person to come out and "be a man" and said he had 20 litres of petrol and would burn down the factory with them inside The person believed this threat would be carried out and also allegedly saw Couzens with a sawn-off shotgun 10 minutes before the dispute started they located the 30-year-old in the driver's seat of a truck and allegedly found him in possession of a small vial of GHB and stolen registration plates A police prosecutor said they opposed grating Couzens bail as he had allegedly fixated on the other person and had visited their premises multiple times in the lead up to the incident they said there was a legitimate risk he would continue to threaten the alleged victim Couzens' lawyer said his client suffered from depression and anxiety and had been bullied for having a medical condition in his formative years They said he had also been affected by the recent theft of his tow truck Couzens had also been friends with the person he threatened for five years and the risk of reoffending could be reduced by having him comply with strict bail conditions They said if released he would also have stable accommodation with his mother in Wyndham Vale, who posted surety of $2000 Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said if bail was refused there was a chance Couzens could spend longer on remand than for any prison sentence he may receive He said he had also taken into account the 30-year-old would have stable accommodation with his mother Mr Bailin granted the 30-year-old bail on the conditions he reported to police three times a week lived at his mum's house in Wyndham Vale and did not return to Ballarat Picture by Kate HealyThe Courier will be interviewing each candidate for the local government election Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueStanding for the first time in Delacombe Ward is Tom Madden who's previously worked with the state government and councils in Melbourne in infrastructure development he said there are some pretty clear issues in terms of growth and congestion that he could help solve He said he has no political affiliations and is not a member of any political parties but has experience in infrastructure planning the growth that's happened in quite a rapid period of time and the growth expected to take place over the next few years is a key issue for the next term," he said a lot of those services aren't meeting people's expectations." He says he's "not a Ballarat local" - but that fact could be strength on council "I've worked in metro settings in growth areas and heavily dense spaces at local and state government levels - it's just bringing in other ideas from outside Ballarat to Ballarat "A lot of our councillors have been in their roles for quite a number of years so it's good to get that freshness and approach to things so that learning is brought in here." "I've attended council meetings before (and) I've watched meetings online to make sure I can see the other side of things I'm not going into this without any misunderstanding of the time commitment of the role for councillor." Among the first things on the agenda - getting the roads up to scratch "It's been well-reported the roads budget was taken up by the redevelopment of the Bridge Mall for the local roads to be given a lot greater attention "Anyone driving on the roads will agree there's a lot more that needs to be done." Shutterbug: Dave Bailey has nearly 20 years of professional camera experience, and first opened his own brick-and-mortar business in 2021. Photo: TIM BOTTAMS THE owner behind Ballarat’s specialised camera store is excited to show off the business’ new home. For the past two months, Dave Bailey has been operating Obscura Cameras, formerly David Bailey Photography and Training, at a secluded former World War Two explosives building in Delacombe. Now he’s ready to invite everyone to attend as part of an opening extravaganza next weekend. “We’ve had our teething problems and we’re ready to let the community know there’s a camera store in town,” he said. “We’re the only people that do a significant amount of things to do with cameras in Ballarat.” The event will feature door prizes as well as live music, while models will be on hand in the studio for attendees to photograph. Representatives from the store’s suppliers will also be present to showcase new lenses, while two local artists will be painting vintage cameras as part of the studio’s inaugural exhibition. Mr Bailey made the move to Delacombe’s industrial precinct following the opening of his first store at 2 Albert Street, Sebastopol in 2021. He said the new space has allowed the business to grow in ways he couldn’t previously consider. “In Sebastopol, we were confined in the space we had,” he said. “This has given us the space to expand into different areas. We now have a large format printer onsite. There’s more space for framing, and we have a full working studio whereas before we were crammed in. “We’re looking for it to be an arts hub where artists can hang out and use it as inspiration. We’re going to be having a quarterly exhibition for artists in-house.” Mr Bailey said the business’ name change is about “letting the community know it’s a camera store rather than Dave’s store. “I felt like the original name was only providing the community with me as a photographer and trainer rather than having a camera store that encompasses all of that,” he said. The name change is also in reference to the camera obscura, the first camera to be invented. The event will run from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturday 24 August. Obscura Cameras is located at Shed 3, 20 Elizabeth Street, Delacombe. Picture by Adam SpencerA car has been destroyed in a late-night fire in Mount Clear Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFirefighters were called to the scene on Recreation Road near the intersection of Boundary Road about 11pm on Sunday Firefighters were called to a car fire in Mount Clear about 11pm on Sunday Picture by Adam Spencer"Three units from Buninyong and Sebastopol responded (to the scene)," a CFA spokesperson said "The incident was deemed safe at around 11.16pm." A Victoria Police spokesperson said detectives from the Ballarat Crime Investigating Unit are investigating the incident "Emergency services responded to reports of a maroon Toyota Echo on fire in Recreation Road," the spokesperson said "The fire was extinguished and the Toyota received extensive damage." "The exact circumstances of the fire are being investigated." detectives are also investigating the theft of an excavator from a property in Delacombe in the early hours of Sunday morning The machine was believed to have been stolen from the corner of Cherry Flat Road and Ascot Gardens Drive about 2am "The investigation remains ongoing," a Victoria Police spokesperson said The theft is the second similar incident to have occurred on Cherry Flat Road in September, after a backhoe was stolen on September 3 Anyone with information or CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au 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 provision of safe offroad riding is a key aspect of transitioning Ballarat towards a more sustainable future Which is why draft plans have been developed for a 3.4 km long bike path along Glenelg Highway Consultation is now open for residents to have their say where rest stops seating and crossings along the route should be located The first stage of construction will allow people to walk and ride on a one km shared path from Midland Highway to Phoenix College on the southern side of the highway Future stages will ultimately connect the Yarrowee River to Delacombe Town Centre via safe separated bike paths along Glenelg Highway from Midland Highway to Phoenix College is funded through the Spotlight on Sebastopol project The Glenelg Highway Bike Path was a project selected by the Spotlight on Sebastopol Community Reference Group Spotlight on Sebastopol is a larger program whose goal is to improve the livability of the suburb funded by an investment from the Victorian Government Existing trees that are healthy will be retained and new opportunities for additional tree planting will be identified Rest points are proposed along the path with seating bins and cycling infrastructure like hoops and bike repair stations Cr Tracy Hargreaves said these paths are a step in the right direction to transition Ballarat to a more sustainable future as well as improving the health of our residents “While many people already choose to ride a bike Making Ballarat a more attractive and enjoyable place for active transport is about planning carefully to improve the city’s shared path infrastructure,” she said “Us Councillors have a role to play in improving the health of the community by enabling and encouraging people to take up cycling and to be more physically active.”   Harriet Shing said this project will further enhance Sebastopol's liveability and benefit locals and visitors by keeping people connected and active - this investment will make a really positive difference Juliana Addison said whether you're walking or riding through Ballarat these transformed spaces will enable both residents and visitors to spend more time outdoors and explore everything our city has to offer.  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 from left, City of Ballarat Cr Ben Taylor VRI Delacombe Cricket Club Junior Coordinator Danyel Attard from left: VRI Delacombe CC players Zane Attard and Logan Attard A project to support players from all ages and backgrounds to get into cricket in a key Ballarat growth area has had a boost from the Victorian Government The project to construct a new outdoor cricket training facility at the Doug Dean Reserve Delacombe has received $100,000 from the Victorian Government’s 2020-21 Community Cricket Program The $363,506 City of Ballarat project will see the construction of four cricket training bays made up of three new club cricket nets with retractable netting and pitches and one community accessible net and pitch The Doug Dean Reserve is the home of the VRI Delacombe Cricket Club which has 82 registered players across three senior and three junior sides The project will replace two existing cricket nets which no longer meet Cricket Victoria standards City of Ballarat Councillor Ben Taylor said the upgrades and additional nets will help support the expansion of cricket programs at the reserve and allow more people from all backgrounds to take part in cricket “Our community sports clubs need good facilities for training and play to attract and retain players and volunteers particularly in an area that is fast growing like Delacombe and neighbouring suburbs in Ballarat west,” Cr Taylor said Cr Taylor said the project would support the club’s efforts to attract more senior and junior female players in line with the City of Ballarat’s Active Women and Girls Strategy Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said: “The Victorian Government is proud to support this fantastic project These facilities will support VRI Delacombe CC and the Ballarat Cricket Association to get more people and especially more local juniors to play cricket keep active and get all the social benefits that come from participation in community sport.” Construction on the project is expected to start at the end of the 2021/22 cricket season.  The $13.5 million Community Cricket Program is a state-wide competitive Victorian Government investment program that provides a range of grant opportunities across two funding streams Picture by Kate HealyA new sex shop could be coming to Ballarat after a planning application was submitted to the City of Ballarat council Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCurrently a warehouse the age-limited shop would sell adult sex toys The building is at the end of a block of warehouses at 29 Wiltshire Lane in Delacombe The planning documents state the shop would be open from 9am to 11pm The warehouse would be divided into a showroom and storage space They also call for a reduction in the number of required parking spaces as there are only four outside the building but the documents note only three to four customers would be expected inside the shop at any one time the shop will likely generate extremely low walk up trade peak parking times may be outside of typical business hours," a traffic report states 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 areaContinueAccording to Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] data 1,071 people moved to Delacombe in 2022-23 In general, Ballarat's west appears to be the go to destination as Alfredton was the area with the second highest population increase both populations rose less significantly than the previous financial year where Delacombe and Alfredton recorded 10.7 per cent and 6.8 per cent rises respectively the highest population increases in the past financial year occurred in state capitals Delacombe recorded the fourth highest population growth in Australia The only regional places which recorded more significant growth than Delacombe were the Queensland areas of Caloundra West-Baringa and Landsborough and Barwon Heads-Armstrong Creek which is located on the outskirts of Geelong While Ballarat's west grew significantly in 2022-23 Central Ballarat saw the most dramatic decrease with a 1.1 per cent drop while Ballarat East-Warrenheip and Sebastopol-Redan fell 0.1 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively after recording a 1.8 per cent rise in 2022-23 Melbourne's highest population growth in the past financial year was also predominantly in western suburbs Rockbank-Mount Cottrell and Fraser Rise-Plumpton all saw population growth above 18 per cent 1.30pm: Police and the family of deceased father David Thomson have appealed to the Ballarat public to help catch the driver who left him to die after a hit-run crash last week Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMajor Collisions Investigation Unit investigator Detective Senior Constable Sandro Lombardi has appealed to the wider community to help the investigation "If they know anything about this car and who is involved Detective Senior Constable Sandro Lombardi said while it was evident from the CCTV footage that the bonnet and the windscreen of the sports car was damaged and there was no way the driver would not know he had hit the cyclist head-on when he came around the corner He said the driver needs to come forward and anybody shielding him owed it to the family and the community to give the information The family of Mr Thomson made an impassioned appeal for information this afternoon in a bid to help investigators catch the person they have labelled a 'coward' for leaving the scene after they hit the beloved husband and father Mr Thomson, 60, was riding to work at Eureka Concrete when he was struck by a car on Brazenor Street about 5.30am on Thursday Five days on from the tragedy in Delacombe police are yet to make any arrests and are desperate for help from the public to identify the driver and the the car involved Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au The car police believe was involved in Thursday's hit-run crash that killed Ballarat man David Thomson.UPDATE 5.15pm: Police have released an image of the car that is suspected to be have been involved in a hit-run crash that killed a cyclist on his way to work on Thursday morning has been released in the hope the public can aid in the investigation The car is described as a light-coloured small sporty sedan The CCTV footage of the car police believe was involved in the fatal crash.The cyclist sadly died after being struck by the car on Brazenor Street in Delacombe The driver fled the scene and police are desperately trying to find the culprit Investigators are keen to speak to any witnesses or anyone that may have been in the area at the time of the collision with dash-cam footage Photos: Lachlan Bence.EARLIER: A cyclist has been found dead in Delacombe this morning after what police have confirmed was a hit-and-run overnight Police and emergency services are currently at the scene on Brazenor Street after the cyclist was found injured on the road about 5.45am It is not known what time the collision occurred but police have issued a statement saying the driver fled the scene A road block is in place stopping drivers from turning left off Gillies Street The minor street is near the Market Hotel and runs alongside the former saleyards A badly-mangled road bike remains on the road and a helmet can be seen nearby The Major Collisions Investigation Unit has arrived from Melbourne It followed a crash in Canadian about 7.40pm on Wednesday night Ambulance Victoria said a man in his 20s was taken to Ballarat Base Hospital in a stable condition Police are appealing for CCTV footage of the incident and have asked for any witnesses to come forward Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to make a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Our team of local journalists work hard to provide local This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe festival is a key part of the school's literacy program for all year levels held during term four each year to add excitement and anticipation as children prepare their "best work" to be on show for school mates This year's festival has an Australian theme with each year level writing about a different aspect of Australia from birds Delacombe Primary School captains Annabel and Jasper with their contribution's to the school's annual writer's festival Picture by Lachlan BenceDelacombe Primary School literacy leader Jess Bailey said all pupils had been working hard on their writing pieces The festival has been part of a successful literacy model helping improve the NAPLAN results of students at Delacombe that has caught the eye of other schools some of whom will visit during Friday's writer's festival to see the results "We have a specific writing model at Delacombe that focuses on creative writing metaphors and descriptive vocabulary," Ms Bailey said "We turn away from typical old-school structure of first there's narrative .. and retelling of what we did on the weekend - we've moved away from that old-school boring structure to focus on how we can make our writing exciting through vocabulary and powerful words so the kids are more excited about it and excited to make their writing better." The same strategy applies to all year levels from foundation to grade six with the complexity and words increasing as pupils move through the grades Ms Bailey said all pupils were looking forward to showing off their writing skills to visitors during Friday's writer's festival especially our preps who have never seen it before see the decorations and writing come to fruition and it's really exciting "Every child has the opportunity to have their absolute best work on show - their handwriting is beautiful and they put so much work into making it their best piece of the year." Sign-up for The Courier's news alerts direct to your inbox. Select Breaking News Alerts in My Newsletters & Alerts in your account preference centre 7-Eleven’s continued investment in the Ballarat region sees the company’s fourth store 7-Eleven Delacombe opening at 315 Glenelg Highway According to 7-Eleven Regional Victoria Lead Alex Foley the approximately $4 million investment is providing choice for local residents as well as career opportunities for Ballarat locals “Our investment in Ballarat is part of our commitment to providing regional Australians with the same level of choice and convenience available to people across metropolitan areas We want to deliver an extraordinary offer to our customers,” Mr Foley said “There are now approximately 40 people working across our two franchised and two company stores and we are incredibly proud to be providing both local business opportunities for our franchisees as well as career pathways for team members.” The recent successful expansion into Ballarat is in fact the company’s second was the Australian owned and operated company’s first trial of a regional expansion back in 1979 “While that first trial store back in the 1970’s had the wrong location with parking and access problems being able to come back to Ballarat and invest in stores that provide convenient locations and services for Ballarat locals to choose from is something we are really excited about.” “We are looking forward to welcoming the community to the new store.”