File picture by Kate HealyA 16-year-old is due to return to a Children's Court after allegedly stealing his dad's car during an incident in Wendouree 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 areaContinuePolice were called to the property at 4.30pm on Friday with reports of a car being stolen during an alleged family violence incident police saw the victim's Ford Territory drive past the home with the man's son allegedly behind the wheel "Throughout the duration of the police attendance at the address, the vehicle went past ... a number of times before police deployed a tyre deflating device which successfully deflated two tyres on the victim's vehicle," a post on the Eyewatch - Ballarat Police Service Area said was arrested without incident and later transported to the Ballarat Police Station for interview where he was charged with several offences He was remanded in custody and appeared in a Children's Court on Saturday 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 proposed future site of the Wendouree Library and Learning Centre at Weeramar Park provide enormous community benefit and address social disadvantage has taken a major step forward The City of Ballarat is progressing with plans to construct the Wendouree Library and Learning Centre at Weeramar Park at the north-west corner of Gillies and Norman streets The search is now under way for a Principal Design Consultant for the suburb-shaping facility with an Expression of Interest (EOI) document now open for submission the City of Ballarat will prepare a short list and formally tender for a designer early in 2025 is for a 2,700 square-metre double story building offering: The construction of the facility is estimated to cost $23 million and is classified as a Tier 1 Project in the City of Ballarat’s Advocacy Priority Projects Pipeline The City of Ballarat will continue lobbying both the Federal and State governments as part of a three-way partnership to secure funding to help deliver the project with the hope of construction commencing in 2026 City of Ballarat Director Community Wellbeing Matt Wilson said the Wendouree Library and Learning Centre was crucial to cater to the needs of a growing city The current Wendouree Library operates out of the Stockland Shopping Centre and is severely constrained by several factors including size only one entry/exit and offering no toilet facilities for staff or patrons The new modern flexible library and learning centre would serve the community for at least the next half century It would be a vibrant and active place for lifelong learning community interaction and social connection as much as a place for reading and quiet contemplation “This project is going to be transformational for Wendouree and surrounding suburbs both existing and in the future growth area to the north and is one of the most important projects of community infrastructure in our forward plans for the city,” Mr Wilson said “With the Northern Growth Area set to pave the way for 7000 new dwellings while Ballarat also continues to expand westwards this facility will service the needs of tens of thousands of people “Just this year we saw the completion of the Ballarat central library redevelopment and witnessed the impact of rejuvenating that facility – now we set our sights on Wendouree “We look forward to working closely with the State and Federal governments to attain funding to construct this vital facility and continue the co-investment into this part of our city.” The entire 1.25-hectare open space at Weeramar Park is owned by the City of Ballarat with an upgrade of the park to be aligned with the project The City of Ballarat will begin the next phase of community engagement early in 2025 enabling the community to further understand and contribute to the vision of the Wendouree Library and Learning Centre.  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. landing on Nicholas Earl's car and blocking the road Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFortunately A tree trunk fall on Nicholas Earl's car in Lake Wendouree Picture by Lachlan BenceMr Earl said he "heard a bang" when walking away from his car his vehicle avoided the larger branches and only suffered a few scratches "I turned around and [I saw] a truck was driving through and shaking the tree," he said A large tree trunk fell onto Wendouree Parade Picture by Lachlan BenceA section of Wendouree Parade between the roundabouts at Ripon Street North and Pleasant Street North remained closed until the City of Ballarat cleared the tree trunk and associated debris It wasn't the first time Mr Earl's car had been involved in an accident in Lake Wendouree He said the other incident occurred on MacArthur Street next to Wendouree Parade back in 2010 And the car had flipped and was going down the road with its roof crushed at the back," Mr Earl said Qiyun (Gwen) Liu is a bilingual journalist in English and Chinese with The Courier. For story tips on Ballarat : gwen.liu@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Cr Tracey Hargreaves and Manager Aquatic and Leisure Services Gerald Dixon with progam participants at Lake Wendouree The Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre (BALC) held its new Inland Water Safety Program this week in the open waters of Lake Wendouree arming 25 children with essential survival skills The program is designed to increase children’s awareness of risks in unpredictable aquatic environments teaching them skills that may help save their own life or the life of someone else Different to traditional ‘learn to swim’ classes this program focusses on environmental and risk awareness survival and rescue skills in open water and introduces emergency response through interactive activities Australia experiences a spike in drowning deaths every year over the summer months 67 people have died from drowning – four more than the same time last year and 11 more than the five-year average rivers and lakes become popular places for people to cool off Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the Inland Water Safety Program addresses a critical need in our community “By teaching children how to respond to the challenges of unpredictable inland water we reduce the risk of drowning and foster confidence and awareness,” she said “Water safety is a life skill that every child should have access to We’re thrilled to offer this program to the community and make a meaningful contribution to preventing future tragedies.” The Inland Water Safety Program ran over three days The following two days were at Lake Wendouree which enabled participants to practice their new skills in a real-world setting Manager of Aquatic and Leisure Services at BALC Gerald Dixon said the program is off to a good start “It’s been great to see the participants really embrace the information and put it into practice over the last three days promoting safety in open water environments and helping guarantee a safer summer season for everyone.” BALC runs traditional Learn To Swim classes throughout the year. For more information visit the BALC website or call 5334 2499 Picture by Greg GliddonBALLARAT has once again proved it is one of the sides to beat for this year's BFNL premiership after outclassing Lake Wendouree in a waterlogged Anzac Day clash at CE Brown Reserve Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt was a second quarter run of three goals in six minutes to the visitors that ultimately led the Swans to a comfortable win in trying conditions The Lakers started the game well with two of the opening three goals of the game but when Andrew Hooper soccered through an opportunistic goal late in the first quarter It was the second quarter where the game broke open in favour of the visitors the Lakers held firm against a torrent of territory from the Swans the floodgates opened as Ballarat slammed home three goals in the space of six minutes to put the first gap in the game A goal late in the term extended the lead to 28 points with the Swans having had 10 scoring shots to nil for the term to open up the lead The rain slightly let-up in the third quarter but the Swans continued to dominate territory The few times Lake Wendouree did get the ball forward The net result was two goals each as Ballarat turned for home still in front by the half time margin of 28 points Players and officials were part of the Anzac observance prior to the game Picture by Greg GliddonThe difficult going took its toll in the last quarter as the game resembled more a rolling maul than a football match under dark skies The Swans eventually powered away in the final moment to prevail in comfortably and remain unbeaten after three rounds Ballarat coach Ash Baker said it was always going to be a tough start to the game but was thrilled with how his team had taken control in the centre of the ground the first couple of rounds we've enjoyed flicking the ball around and being able to spread but we couldn't do that as much today," he said "Just having the guys in position in what was a stoppage-heavy game was important for us "It was about trying to keep it in our forward half as long as we could You are always aware of the slingshot over the back in the conditions like that a fair chunk of the boys were down at the 8am service at the Arch of Victory this morning we certainly appreciate the opportunity to play on this great day." Lake Wendouree coach Rohan Brown was frustrated after the game saying it was time his side started to grow up it's so frustrating to give up 30 points in a quarter and lose by 30-odd points," he said "We had a chat with the group to try and work out what was happening we've just got to grow up and realise when something like that is happening out on the ground our quieter players have got to step up and not just our leaders who are doing all the heavy lifting." 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! Picture filePolice are on the hunt for the driver of an SUV that allegedly rammed a police car in an early-morning weekend incident in Wendouree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt happened about 2.30am on Saturday when police saw a maroon Toyota RAV4 in Wattle Avenue "After approaching the vehicle, police identified the Toyota as having outstanding stolen registration plates fitted," a post on the Eyewatch - Ballarat Police Service Area Facebook page said "The driver of the police vehicle activated their lights and sirens in an attempt to intercept the vehicle and came nose to nose with the RAV4 who was described as being a male of Caucasian appearance responded by accelerating at the police vehicle allegedly impacting the front left-hand quarter panel of the police car Police said the driver then allegedly fled the scene in the car and was last seen travelling north on Wattle Avenue "at a fast rate of speed" Detectives from Ballarat's Crime Investigation Unit are investigating the incident. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the driver is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au but it's other battles that will be in the forefront of their minds Picture by Kate HealyVeteran Swans star Andrew Hooper has plenty of reasons to put in a big performance at the Anzac Day clash against Lake Wendouree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueHooper whose brother was in the Australian Navy and served in Iraq knows how important the day is to Australia people have sacrificed their lives to help those of us who are standing here today who was in the navy and served for the greater good of the world in going over to Iraq so the day has a special place in the heart of my family but overall it's just a great day to be able to play "It's important to honour those who helped us out to be here where we are today." The Ballarat Swans travel to Lake Wendouree for the second time in what will be the annual Anzac Day clash between the sides Lake Wendouree's Will Clark said it was special to be included on the day "For us to play on such a special day for the country the club is keen to make amends for arguably the club's worst on-field performance of last season in the corresponding game where they were blunted out of the contest It took until the last quarter last season for Lake Wendouree to kick a goal that day But it's a different and more steely Lakers that will take the field this time "We came out of the Bacchus Marsh game quite disappointed it was just a case of finishing our work that let us down," Clark said where they chopped us up and went end to end Andrew Hooper and Will Clark ahead of their Anzac Day match but they have a lot of class across all three lines We expect them to be very professional and know we have to be at our best." Hooper said the match itself was important for his club to keep the momentum of what has been an unbeaten start to the season so you never know what you are going to get from week to week," he said "Our side has changed a little bit (from last year) but I think the brand we are playing is exciting we played against some quality sides and we showed we can match it with the good sides "I said to the boys before the Sebastopol game how tough it was going to be it was all about the way we wanted to play and it showed the way we played that four quarters it's important we put our best foot forward to get the result on the day." Lakers coach Rohan Brown revealed he had a strong understanding of what Anzac Day meant after a trip to Gallipoli for the 100th anniversary in 2015 "I was lucky enough to be chosen in the ballot to visit Gallipoli for the 100th anniversary to be over there was very special and I got more of an understanding of what happened," he said "I think everyone has some personal connection "With everything going on now in the world we're very lucky to be able to play football So to those women and men who have served us we're very lucky to be able to play on such a historic day." Ballarat coach Ash Baker said it was a special day for Australia "You see what it means to Australia and obviously at the highest level in the AFL "It was something we used to do many moons ago when I was playing obviously now we're creating something special with the Lakers it's a completely different match this time around." Picture by Nieve Walton and supplied Project NowA new look and expansion could be on the way for a busy medical clinic on a prominent Wendouree street A new one-storey building is proposed for where the current car park is The facility will be 438 square meters and plans include nine patient rooms It is anticipated that at most six doctors will work in the facility at one time between 8am and 8pm Monday through Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays The existing double-storey building will be demolished and replaced with a 17 space car park This means the site can make use of the wider entryway from Gillies Street North Planning application documents state this is the only medical centre in Wendouree West and "the current facility is struggling with demand" This new design will expand and update the facility so it is "fit for purpose" "The new building will substantially improve the visual presence and amenity of this area," the documents said Renders of the new Wendouree Medical Centre on Gillies Street North Picture supplied Project NowAs a medical centre with six health staff working at a time they are required to provide 20 spaces A large number of clients use public transport walk or take a taxi to get to the medical centre Patients are typically there from between 15 to 30 minuets the state government has approved plans for a private hospital in Ballarat's west The 24-bed hospital will be located on Eleanor Drive in Lucas. 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 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 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice were first called to a home in Gillies Street December 5 after reports a gun had been shot at a parked vehicle outside As detectives were investigating the scene and made further inquiries with shots fired into the home causing damage to a front window "Preliminary enquiries indicate that both incidents are connected," a post on the Eyewatch - Moorabool Police Service Area Facebook page said Anyone with information about the incidents are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au 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. Picture by Lachlan BencePart of Gillies Street at Wendouree is blocked as firefighters respond to reports of a gas leak at a service station at the corner of Grevillia Street Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSouthbound lanes of Gillies Street are closed to traffic near the United Service Station after a staff member smelled gas and called 000 just before 4.10pm Grevillia Road has also been closed after a 1700 litre underground LPG tank beneath the forecourt of the service station was found to be leaking Firefighters inspect a leaking LPG tank at the United Service Station in Wendouree Picture by Lachlan BenceThe tank is believed to be about three-quarters full CFA and hazardous materials experts have secured the scene and a technician from the fuel company has been called The road closures are expected to continue for some time Picture fileA man has been charged after he allegedly made threats to staff and allegedly told them he had a gun at a business in Wendouree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice were called to the Learmonth Road business on Tuesday Despite officers trying to handcuff the man he allegedly became aggressive and attempted to resist police Officers deployed OC spray on the alleged offender to apprehend him Police then allegedly found an imitation handgun in the man's bag The man will face the Ballarat Magistrates' Court at a later date Detectives have allegedly uncovered a stolen gun sawn-off shotgun and an imitation handgun at two homes across Ballarat Detectives from the Western Region Crime Squad and the Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit conducted the search warrants on Thursday They allegedly found the stolen gun at the home in Wendouree and the sawn-off shotgun and imitation handgun at the property in Mount Pleasant Police said other items allegedly found included musical instruments - which are believed to be stolen goods Anyone with information about illicit or unregistered firearms is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au Picture by Kate HealyA suite of activities is planned to mark Australia Day in Ballarat Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe day will start with the sixth annual Survival Day Dawn Ceremony at Lake Wendouree The moving ceremony will go for an hour from 5.30am at View Point there will be an opportunity for tea and a yarning circle until 10.30am 89 residents from 25 countries will become citizens at the Australia Day citizenship ceremony Thousands are expected at the Australia Day picnic in the park from 11am to 3pm at the Inclusive Play Space on Oak Avenue in Victoria Park Golden City Paddle Steamer Museum Society will bring together roughly 80 community groups around Lake Wendouree Patron for the Golden City Paddle Steamer Museum Society Councillor Samantha McIntosh Picture by Kate HealyTwo self-guided QR tours will be introduced this year: an interactive guide to the solar system around Lake Wendouree and a QR tour of Ballarat Botanic Garden's Avenue of Prime Ministers attendees will be able to follow and scan QR codes providing details and fun facts about the planets and pollies These events are free and funded through the Commonwealth government's National Australia Day committee Free buses will run around the lake every 20 minutes from 10am to 4pm on Australia Day Gold City Paddle Steamer Museum Society secretary Ian Bennett said there was something on for everyone at the event "What people can expect is fun and a heap of activities around the lake for free," Mr Bennett said "Not many organisations run activities for free - even the sausage sizzle." The final leg of the City of Ballarat's Summer Sunday's live music event program will also fall on the 26th The line-up includes smooth rock and soul tribute band The Yachtski Brothers and "flower doom" psych band The Sinsemillian Picture by Kate HealyUsing trains to get around Ballarat may seem like a far-off future attached to the city's growth but one resident is already taking advantage of the cost-effective trip Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIf Fiona Ludbrook wants to do something in the city's central business district she will catch the train from Wendouree to Ballarat resided in Melbourne for 40 years and grew accustomed to getting around using public transport formed at her former home next to Pascoe Vale station She said utilising the Ballarat train line as a metropolitan service, which costs $3, was cheaper than using a taxi, and more reliable than buses "It's a travesty you can't go out for a meal and then rely on public transport to get home unless you're getting a taxi it's so bad for our local businesses," Ms Ludbrook said "I am one of the few Ballarat residents that has a metro train service "It's one of the huge advantages of living in Wendouree or Lake Gardens." Transport leaders have been discussing the option of a third Ballarat station for years, but the city's growth has been focused on Lucas and Winter Valley Planning is underway for 9000 more homes in Ballarat's north, past the Western Freeway, which will need to be built in the next 25 years to meet state government growth targets. A train station to the north on the Maryborough line would service the new northern residents whereas a train station past Wendouree near Cardigan would be on the busier Ararat line. Previously, Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton had called for an additional platform to the north as a way to reduce the reliance on cars in Ballarat's central business district Picture by Kate HealyA near perfect batting display from Bacchus Marsh's top order has propelled the Bulls a club in just their second season in the Ballarat Cricket Association to a memorable grand final victory over Wendouree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Bulls led by back-to-back half centuries from Alex Porter across the four days and chanceless knocks from opener Jayden White-Powell and number four Will Lalor stormed to an eight wicket win at Eastern Oval on Sunday The perfect day started in the very first over when Shanin Silva spun out Wendouree's Tom Godson or to bat the remaining 76 overs of the day But it was clear early on when wicket-keeper-batter White-Powell took up the attack against Ash McCafferty and Tom Batters that Bacchus Marsh were not going to wait until the end of the day The Bulls raced along at more than four runs an over +100Pictures Kate Healy and Lachlan BenceVice captain Porter continued his love affair with Ballarat pitches and even though White-Powell fell to Tom Godson shortly after making 50 Will Lalor and ensured there would be no nervous finish as they calmly set about the task at hand Bacchus Marsh took just 37.5 overs to score the 149 needed when Lalor hit the winning runs sending the big Bacchus Marsh crowd in attendance into raptures Crea said to bring home the premiership in the club's milestone 50th year and in just the second season in the BCA was a dream come true so many people who believed in us and today was a true indication of what the Bacchus Marsh community do and what cricket means to this community," he said Bacchus Marsh's skipper Sam Crea picked up six wickets but the grand final hangs on a knife's edge Picture by Lachlan Bence"I'm so happy for our guys we played every game away this year and we went through the ups and downs but to play our best cricket in a grand final "Coming to the ground we thought 150 in a grand final chasing that's the equivalent of a 200 in any normal conditions but we knew we had the depth and list and we put it together in a grand final." When Bacchus Marsh started the climb in round one in a win over Golden Point Crea said all he asked for from his players would be effort Wendouree's Heath Pyke's 51 late on day three could be invaluable in the BCA grand final Picture by Lachlan Bence"I've been pretty honest with the boys as long as we give 100 per cent and a gritty to the end be more proactive and the boys just understood what we wanted and it's come through Wendouree was quick to chase down to 61-run deficit on the first and when the Red Caps reached 3-130 at tea it looked as though they could push on make Sunday an incredibly tight finish But Crea was instrumental in a stunning collapse straight after the tea break as he snared three crucial wickets to leave the Red Caps floundering at 7-136 While Heath Pyke and the tail led by McCafferty hung on as long as they could the final lead of 149 was not quite enough to send a shiver through the Bacchus Marsh batting order but on reflection for the Red Caps to have made a grand final after missing the finals last season "They batted well and didn't give us many chances at all today," he said "We bowled reasonably well without a lot of luck "I don't think necessarily it was the 60 runs deficit it was probably that little spell after tea yesterday where we lost 4 quick wickets In both our innings we lost wickets in clumps which was probably what came back to bite us a little bit." McCafferty and other veterans were keen to continue on next season "We're not planning on going anywhere," he said "We were just sitting in the rooms then saying how we've got a great group together we know we have to get better after this performance." Pyke said it was an enjoyable season despite the final result "It's hard to look at it right now when you're beaten in a grand final but if you had have said we'd be in this position at the end of last season I feel we were far more competitive and had a greater spread We had some injuries early which didn't help Murphy Skinner batting at three has had a really good year Tom Godson led the attack for a fair part of the year "There's plenty of positives to be taken from it 302 Wendouree Parade is listed for sale at a price range of $3.6 million to $3.75 million Picture suppliedA Lake Wendouree property has doubled in price over the last nine years with the heritage home back on the market for more than $3.6 million Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueLocated at 302 Wendouree Parade the property sits on a 1040 square-metre land and features four bedrooms The interior of the house at 302 Wendouree Parade Picture suppliedProperty history shows the site was sold to its current owner for $1,112,500 on March 18 It then underwent renovations at a cost of about $1.2m blending its original exterior with a modern interior The owner, who chose to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, said the property had planning restrictions. The City of Ballarat approved a heritage overlay on the interwar property in 2006 The owner of 302 Wendouree Parade spent about $1.2 million on renovation eight years ago Picture supplied"We couldn't alter externally and we had to maintain the four chimneys on the property we could do anything we wanted," the owner said all the internal works - extended the back of the property as well - we've got all the good fittings through it like there's no expense spared in doing it at the time "About eight years ago, we spent about $1.2m on the renovation." The 58-year-old owner - who has three adult children - said it was a difficult decision to sell the property but it was the right time "All the kids were living at home when we built the property We are used to seeing the kids coming in and out with their friends "It's a little bit too big for two of us at home. We're just taking the opportunity to downsize." Photo suppliedSurrounded by heritage properties at Burnbank Street a newly built Lake Wendouree home has hit the market for more than $2.9 million Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe house was built on a 1062-square-metre site that once housed two-period properties a white cottage with a heritage overlay and a brick home from the 1970s The current owners, originally from New Zealand, bought 25 and 27 Burnbank Street in 2020 for $505,000 each demolishing the two former properties and establishing the modern house +1Interior of 2527 Burnbank Street in Lake Wendouree Picture suppliedThe family home features five bedrooms The home is now listed for sale with a price guide of $2.975 million to $3.25 million Ballarat Real Estate agent David Morrison said the house was rare in the suburb because people often got a renovated period home at the front and a new extension at the back "The price tag is truly what they paid for this land and build The owner said the white cottage built in the 1930s was in heritage overlay but "pretty ugly" [Council] allowed us to pull that one down completely," she said "We weren't worried if we had to go into the original white one - we had a design "The old 1970s brick house was outside heritage restrictions." The owner said they spent about a year planning the house and the construction stage took about 15 months The owner said they had young children and wanted to build a family property They thought we'd put seven townhouses on it," she said "If you wanted to make money off the property "I definitely wanted something that we could enjoy for a really long time The owner said she and her partner were both New Zealanders and moved to Ballarat for work in the agriculture industry 10 years ago "My husband got a called up on Friday day and said 'We have got this role for you [in Ballarat] and we are hoping you can start on Monday'," she recalled "We got to the stage where we just realised that we wanted to be closer to family and give our children the childhood that we were both used to which was more wide spaces and a lot more friends." Picture by Kate HealyThe spirit of Anzac Day will be felt right across CE Brown Reserve on Friday and the occasion will not be lost on A-grade netballers Brooke O'Brien and Remi Hooper Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe duo will have their own battles to overcome on the court but they know the battles fought by others will be first and foremost on their minds "It's a really nice day to be playing and being able to remember everyone who fought for us," Hooper said "It will be really good to be playing against Ballarat and make a real day of it." it's two tough wins to start the season against the competition's big improvers in Bacchus Marsh which have since won their other two games who led the Lakers in the last quarter before being overrun in the final moments "They have been two really tough games," Hooper said "The Melton game was such a great game and we were thrilled to be able to get through against such a tough opposition it was great to be able to push ourselves against an obviously top opposition." O'Brien said the day would act as a spur for her club "Even just to play football and netball and everything else we wouldn't be here without what those who fought for this country did for us." The Swans remain a young developing side this season but are keen to be able to put their best foot forward each week but we know this will be a development year for us this year," she said "We're going alright and have been super competitive up until half time in most of our matches so far We'll have our little wins throughout the season and I know the girls will certainly be staying positive "Speed will definitely be one of our strengths this season but a few of us have been playing a lot together through the junior ranks It'll be good to be able to keep the team together as we go through the years." Hooper said the young Ballarat side posed a different sort of challenge so I expect they are going to have a lot of speed that we'll need to combat," she said we can keep up with them and be able to get across the line." 474 Wendouree Parade is listed for sale with a price tag from $5.6 million to $5.7 million Picture suppliedA modern two-storey property in Lake Wendouree has hit the market with a price tag exceeding $5.6 million a fivefold increase from the site's previous sale and making it the most expensive current listing on Wendouree Parade Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue Located at 474 Wendouree Parade the property is on a 1209-square-metre plot and has five bedrooms Picture supplied The site's price tag is between $5.6 million and $5.7 million According to real estate statistics agency CoreLogic Lake Wendouree's median house price is $820,054 McGrath Ballarat director Daniel Nestor said 474 Wendouree Parade was the most expensive residential home on the current market Property history shows the current asking price is five times higher than its previous sale of $1.05 million in 2016 Mr Nestor said the property was sold as "a post-war brick home" with three bedrooms and one bathroom 474 Wendouree Parade was a post-war brick house Picture suppliedThe current owner demolished the brick dwelling and built the modern home on the land despite the fact it is now in the vicinity of six to seven years old," he said Mr Nestor said the owner was looking to relocate to another property Data from Ray White Property Economics showed the median house price at Wendouree Parade was $2.3 million "Wendouree Parade is the most exclusive address - to have a plot of 1200 square meters in that location is quite special," Mr Nestor said He said several people from inside and outside Ballarat had shown interest in the property "It's a wonderful lifestyle offering for the next lucky family," he said On Track Foundation secretary Trish Livingston Ballarat Soup Bus founder Craig Schepis and chief purchase officer Paul 'PT' Taylor celebrate the first anniversary of the Soup Bus sit in service at Wendouree Picture by Kate HealyA renewed Soup Bus is expected to operate in Sebastopol next year bringing hot meals to people in need across three sites in Ballarat Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe original Soup Bus is undergoing refurbishment and the goal is to have it back on the road in 2025 to cover more areas of need The news comes as the Soup Bus sit-in service at Wendouree marks its first anniversary, and demand for hot meals and non-perishable goods soars across the city Not only does the Soup Bus serve meals to around 70 people at the former Wendouree Neighbourhood House at 14 Violet Grove on Tuesday and Thursday nights and to similar numbers in Ballarat's CBD five nights a week but 157 families also pick up regular hampers from the Soup Bus storage container in Ballarat East "(Families picking up hampers) has cut down our numbers at the bus our numbers have increased," said On Track Foundation chief and Soup Bus founder Craig Schepis Volunteers also drop off food for people who cannot get to one of the Soup Bus locations and non-perishable goods from Soup Bus continued to grow as cost-of-living pressures squeezed household finances The first night of service at Wendouree served a meal to three people; now so we go and take their orders and then bring the meals to them They can order sweets or another main dish," Mr Schepis said they can grab a shopping bag and get some non-perishables to take with them and we often have fresh fruit and vegetables they can take too." Students from Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School donated two trolleys full of non-perishable items to Soup Bus in August Picture by Lachlan BenceBut the Wendouree service has done more than fill stomachs "What I didn't realise was how close the community is and how they have bonded - we have managed to be that facility that bonds the community together "A lot of people are really doing it tough but it's more about the company and not so much the food "A couple of nights a week they can come in sit and enjoy one another and enjoy us looking after them." Integrating into the community and creating a sense of belonging has had positive benefits for clients and volunteers "Some of our clients have now become volunteers and they are great at bridging the community for anyone not quite sure about things You don't have to be here too long to be accepted," he said Diners at the Wendouree facility include toddlers "This is a safe space where everyone can come to feel safe The Ballarat community has risen to help meet the needs of those less fortunate with regular donations and strong numbers of volunteers willing to lend a hand "When we've been doing callouts on Facebook (for donations) we have been lucky enough that people have started to understand that we have expanded our service and are under the pump every day stocking the shelves because they are being emptied here (at Wendouree) and at Soup Bus," Mr Schepis said it's created a number of other volunteer opportunities for people looking to do different things who don't necessarily want to go out in the evening but who might be happy to pick up food in the afternoon and drop it to us or help when we do cook-ups in Wendouree to get some meals done." It has been off the road for several years with the foundation working in the background to get funds to overhaul it to help feed more people at Sebastopol in the city's southwest Wendouree and Sebastopol all happening at the same time," Mr Schepis said Soup Bus needs donations of 1kg packets of white rice Donations can be dropped off any Wednesday from 9.30am to 11am at the corner of Fussell and Eureka streets (behind Ballarat East Men's shed) or the first and third Saturday of the month File pictureA Ballarat service providing mental health support for expectant and new parents is moving less than 12 months after its launch to a new location to cater for growing demand 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 areaContinueGidget Foundation opened its Gidget House at Parent Place in Sturt Street just under a year ago and will move to Stockland Wendouree next week where it will have the ability to grow to a five-day-a-week support service Clinicians conducted around 150 appointments over the past year but only had access to their shared room at Parent Place one day each week Gidget Foundation programs director Bethany Hackshall said Gidget House Wendouree would allow for more appointments and service expansion with new data revealing about 20 per cent of parents in Victoria experience perinatal mental health symptoms but have not sought support," Ms Hackshall said That would equate to around 400 parents and parents-to-be in Ballarat every year "There is still a stigma associated with the new parent period which is supposed to be joyful and there's a lack of access to services and costs." specialist treatment programs for expecting and new parents suffering from perinatal depression and anxiety (PANDA) Ms Hackshall said the service covered parents from conception through to when their baby turned one One in five new mothers and one in 10 new fathers experience perinatal depression according to Gidget Foundation Australia File picture"Parents come for a range of reasons and 25 per cent of our clients are pregnant women with depression and anxiety," she said pregnancy loss and support for fathers and non-birthing partners is offered "We know everyone's journey is very different .. and our advice is not to compare yourself to others but know there's support available." The new Gidget House Wendouree will grow in hours and days provided in response to referrals from maternal and child health nurses From next week, it will be located in the heart of Stockland Up to 10 counselling sessions are free with a GP referral and mental health plan "It has been a wonderful collaboration with Parent Place and a natural referral pathway between services but we require more," Ms Hackshall said The Gidget Foundation was created after a vibrant young woman nicknamed Gidget took her own life after being diagnosed with post-natal depression I have previously worked as a Secondary School Science and Maths Teacher in Ballarat, but I now work at Triple Zero Victoria as a Team Leader in the Ambulance area. I have been interested in community service since my high school days. My passion for my local community and its liveability for people at every stage of life has sparked my desire to nominate. Associated with a political party or movement?: I have no affiliations with any political party. I have nominated as an independent candidate. I believe community sentiment is wanting more independence on council. I will not be preferencing either of the other candidates who have nominated for my ward as they are both affiliated with major political parties. Campaign budget? Receiving financial support?: I have received no funds from anybody to finance my campaign. It has been entirely self funded. Three most important issues in your ward?: Community spaces… I am committed to doing all I can to ensure Ballarat is a wonderful place to live. If elected, I would be a strong advocate for Commonwealth and State funding for local services and facilities, particularly in our new growth areas, to support people and their families in these areas, and ultimately build a strong and socially cohesive Ballarat. This is just one example of the significant role local government, and councillors have. I believe a strong council is diverse in age, gender and skills, to ensure it can effectively represent the diverse needs of our community. File photoA man chased by a police helicopter through Wendouree has faced court Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice allege they saw the man in a silver Audi sedan on Norman Street about 10pm on November 14 and attempted to intercept before the driver allegedly accelerated to 140kmh The police helicopter tracked the vehicle after it turned its headlights off in the dark with the car allegedly driven erratically through the city Eventually police saw the vehicle driven to an address on Wattle Avenue in Wendouree where a 30-year-old Wendouree man was arrested "He has since been charged with a string of offences including dangerous driving while being pursued by police and conduct endangering life," a police spokesperson said in a statement and was remanded in custody to reappear on December 5 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe incident happened on May 19 and stemmed from a dispute about clothes and property being stored at the woman's Wendouree address visited the home at about 1pm on the day and began banging on her door asking the woman to open up and ran into her back yard to get away from them Marra charged at the woman and pushed her with his body weight into her fence The woman's neighbour saw the fence rocking back and forth as Marra pushed her against it Yates took a Nike duffle bag from the property the woman's neighbour ran around to her home and called the police Yates and Marra were later arrested at their home with police finding $3130 on Marra in cash believed to be the proceeds of crime Police also found several stolen registration plates in a cut-out in the wall of their home Yates and Marra appeared at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday to plead guilty to the offending The court heard from a victim impact statement written by the women where she described living in fear after the attack The woman said she was too scared to return to Ballarat and has moved cities "I often wake up from nightmares yelling and screaming in my sleep "Ballarat is where I consider my home town but I am too fearful to return so I have moved out and had to continue my life again." Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz convicted and fined Yates $2000 "It has clearly had a significant impact on the complainant in the matter.. she has remained so fearful that she hasn't been able to return home," the magistrate said "This is why trespass on a domestic premises is so significant because of the impact on the owner of the house." Marra's case was adjourned for a community corrections order assessment File pictureHeritage Victoria has approved a plan to build a 180cm tall "blue tree" sculpture on the banks of Lake Wendouree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA heritage permit was granted in late 2024 on the western shore of the lake and south of the adventure playground The 'Mulberry tree' sculpture would be made out of metal each with the names and birth dates of Ballarat community members who have taken their own lives It will sit on the route of the annual "Out of the Shadows" walk around the lake updated annually by the Ballarat Cemeteries Trust Each leaf will contain two names of those in the community lost to suicide An example of a similar "blue tree" sculpture Picture suppliedThe heritage approval comes after a report on behalf of the council was submitted to Heritage Victoria looking at the sculpture's impact on the area's aesthetic significance "It is relatively small in stature and located in a quiet visually unobtrusive location," the report stated "It is able to be installed without impact on historic fabric including significant trees (all trees in the area are of recent origin) "Heritage vistas across the lake have not been recently reviewed but the tree is outside known views of importance." On August 26, 2022, the Heritage Council of Victoria added Lake Wendouree to the Victorian Heritage Register after placing an interim protection order during early stages of construction of the lake lighting a mental health charity formed in the wake of the death of Western Australian 29-year-old Jayden Whyte If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support New Year's Eve in Ballarat is set to be a blast with the annual fireworks display to take place at 9.30pm on 31 December who will be designing and delivering the fireworks says the display he has planned for Lake Wendouree will be “one of the biggest you’ll see anywhere” so I wouldn’t downplay how impressive this display will be,” he says “There’s not many fireworks displays out there like this.” While Matt now owns and operates his own business he learned his trade working for companies that deliver some of the biggest fireworks displays in Australia including the Brisbane river and the Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks displays The New Year's Eve fireworks is subject to weather conditions The City of Ballarat acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung People and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People The release includes seven reds plus a fortified muscat from 2019.  cabernet sauvignon and cabernet malbec from the 2012 vintage Click through the below to read Mike’s reviews in full It may be as close to these wines as you’ll get you'll have access to the largest database of wines in Australia Subscribe now to get the latest wines news and tasting notes plus unlock handy features on the Halliday website Building 1, 658 Church Street, Richmond VIC 3121 Australia Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 it is an offence Hardie Grant acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the country on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation and the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and recognises their continuing connection to the land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Picture by Adam TraffordA young father who participated in the shooting of a gun at a Wendouree unit has been told by a magistrate that he avoided jail time by the "skin of [his] teeth" 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 areaContinueBrodie Schuld, 25, fronted the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on April 8 where he sought a sentence indication in relation to a charge of reckless conduct endangering serious injury who had already been sentenced to 16 months behind bars in relation to the incident the co-accused got out of the car and shot a firearm in the direction of the unit causing the rear window of a car parked in the driveway to shatter police were on the phone with one of the victims and heard the shot echo in the background the victims received messages from the co-accused demanding money and threatening further violence Schuld denied his participation in the shooting and claimed he was at home in bed from 10.30pm that night police later obtained CCTV footage of Schuld leaving his home alongside the co-accused on the night of July 9 the court heard that Schuld remained in the passenger side of the car for the entire length of the incident Magistrate Mike Wardell said this amounted to him providing "moral support" to the shooter and that even though he hadn't fired the gun This was conceded by defence lawyer David Tamanika who said the incident was "as bad as it looks" Mr Tamainka said Schuld should be spared prison time as he had a young child and fiancée and that the court should focus on his rehabilitation Mr Wardell highlighted the prevalence of firearm offences in the community and said Schuld must have known there was a gun in the car when travelling to the Wendouree unit "Every second day you read in the newspaper there's been firearms offences "Anyone being party to this needs to know courts can't tolerate it." When sentencing Schuld to an 18-month community corrections order with 250 hours of unpaid community work Mr Wardell said he had been spared prison time because of his lack of participation in the shooting and for the mitigating factors submitted on his behalf "You have avoided jail by the skin of your teeth and it's somewhat miraculous that you have," he said to Schuld Picture by Greg GliddonWendouree Cricket Club is honouring the more than 360 players who have walked onto field to play First XI cricket with the development of a series of caps which to be made available to any player who wishes to honour their history with the club Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe club has produced three caps which can be embroided to mark the number for every player who has represented the club since 1942 President Ivan Pyke said overall there had been about 1500 players who have at some stage represented the club with Red Caps keen to honour those who reached the pinnacle of the game "It's come about due to next year we are producing a booklet next year which is 80 years of the club we did one at 40 years and 50 years and decided to update it "Out of that research it was decided we should follow what other clubs have done in Australian cricket "The early ones were pretty much the batting order from the first game but from there after it was as they played their first game Current Wendouree players wear the thin band cap"It's surprising how few there really are but it is one of those things where people are around for a number of years I think we've only got one player this year that hasn't played previously so it is quite rare when you think about it." The research has been conducted by Jeff Hussey who has painstakingly gone through the record books to find all players who have represented the club The club is holding a reunion for past players and their families this weekend at CE Brown Reserve as its First XI team chases an important win against second-placed Bacchus Marsh The three designs of the caps Wendouree Cricket Club has commissioned Picture suppliedCommemorative caps will be available for purchase in the evening at $75.00 with the ability to embroider your player number and debut season if desired The first hat is the Central hat which was the originally hat the one I'm wearing is the more Melbourne Cricket Club style hat and the other cap is one we wear today so we've offered those styles for players for whichever they wore or would like to purchase "They all have the choice to buy whichever one they choose I'll be able to get it emblazoned on the side," Pyke said or had a family member player in that particular design of cap Picture by Adam TraffordHomeCo Daily Needs REIT sold its Wendouree shopping centre at 333 Gillies Street for $54 million in what's believed to be a regional record Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueKnown as HomeCo Ballarat the 5.2 hectare shopping centre on Gillies Street has a 20,099-square-metre building and 551 parking spaces Colliers director Tim McIntosh said the buyer is "a local Ballarat investor" "We do typically deal with a lot of interstate Melbourne private syndicated and fund investors," Mr McIntosh said Mr McIntosh said the centre was originally owned by Aventis and then was acquired by HomeCo as a part of a portfolio transaction HomeCo Ballarat at 333 Gillies Street is sold for $54 million Picture by Adam TraffordNew record in regional VictoriaMr McIntosh said the $54 million sale is the largest regional Victorian transaction for a large format retail centre "It has been sold as a leased investment where the investor will hold the property to get a return," Mr McIntosh said "The size and the scale of the centre is probably why it was able to break the record." He said the centre is fully leased and "anchored by Spotlight as well as a number of other quality tenants" Mr McIntosh said these kinds of tenants typically would have leases between 10 and 15 years "It has got really good income security," he said Mr McIntosh said "Ballarat is one of the largest regional economies within Victoria" HomeCo Ballarat is "one of the cool retail precincts" "Retail is performing very strongly because it's typically a daily need - that's probably why investors are attracted to the location," Mr McIntosh said Earlier this year, plans were revealed for another shopping strip on Learmonth Road, while the former Masters building in Wendouree has continued to find new tenants since Services Australia moved there in 2021 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA pharmacy in Wendouree has re-opened after a car crashed through the front entrance on Wednesday The incident happened about 4.10pm at the Ballarat Family Car Pharmacy on Howitt Street Two people were taken to the Ballarat Base Hospital following the crash and customers can access the pharmacy via the Ballarat Group Practice side door A car has crashed through the front entrance of a pharmacy in Wendouree Emergency crews rushed to the scene at the Ballarat Family Care Pharmacy on Howitt Street about 4.10pm It appears all occupants have been removed from the car Two witnesses from inside the building said they didn't see what happened but they heard the crash A vehicle crashed through the entrance of a Wendouree pharmacy Picture by Kate HealyOne person was put on a stretcher outside of the building and put in an ambulance Picture by Kate HealyTraffic is down to one lane on Howitt Street between Dowling Street and the pharmacy The pharmacy will be closed until further notice but staff said the medical clinic at the rear of the building will stay open An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said in a statement two people were taken to the Ballarat Base Hospital The crash follows an earlier two-car collision on Pleasant Street in Redan Picture by Lachlan BenceNAPS-SEBAS 111 def by WENDOUREE 8-112 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueNAPOLEONS-Sebastopol has come within a whisker of opening its new home in perfect style thanks to a explosive game from import Harry Peirson The Englishman was firstly brutal with the bat smashing an unbeaten 39 from just 25 balls led by Ash McCafferty had ripped the heart out of the Griffins batting including that of opener Nathan Doonan for five Wendouree had made a positive start in the chase before opener Cole Roscholler was unlucky to be given out for 27 caught off a full toss from Lachy Clark which looked to the eye Harry Peirson very nearly got his side across the line against Wendouree destroying the stumps of Heath Pyke before ripping through Daniel Cassidy and all failing to last more than three balls Mick Nolan was watching down the other end Nolan just needed someone to hang around with him and he found that in lower order batter Murphy Skinner who blunted everything The Griffins threw at home Naps-Sebas skipper Dylan Price and Wendouree captain Heath Pyke check out the surface prior to the game Picture by Lachlan BenceSkinner took 38 balls to score He made a well deserved 50 before Peirson was again thrown the ball deep into the innings then two balls later McCafferty was gone with the Red Caps still one run short of tying the home side but number 10 Tom Batters would find two runs to get his side home Back-to-back tons for Bacchus Marsh's Alex Porter Picture by Kate HealyA second consecutive century to Bacchus Marsh opener Alex Porter has led his side to a high-quality win over Buninyong Porter backed up his 106 in the opening round with 110 off 135 balls as he and opening partner Jayden White-Powell notched up a century opening stand to seemingly take the game away from the home side so brutal against Naps-Sebas in the opening round didn't quite have the penetration this time around as the Bulls batters enjoyed the sunny conditions that would have resulted in a big win to Bacchus Marsh given the fragility of the Buninyong batting but this year's team is built on sterner stuff the Bunnies would not go away without a fight Harrison Bond played another solid innings as opener making 48 in a big partnership with Buddhi Samarawickrama who was immovable with his unbeaten 84 But three quick wickets in the middle ultimately slowed the run rate Max Riding stands and delivers on his way to 42 for Ballarat-Redan against East Ballarat Picture by Lachlan BenceBALLARAT-REDAN 244 def EAST BALLARAT 235 An early contender for match-of-the-year saw Ballarat-Redan holds off a charging East Ballarat to score a nine-run win The master blaster smashed 91 from just 80 balls and while he got things moving with all the top-order getting some valuable time in the middle and despite not batting out the full 50 overs the Two Swords score of 244 looked a good total But this East Ballarat side is never beaten you knew they would find a way back into it It was import Rory Low and Chris Jerram that led the fightback Low batted beautifully for 88 while Jerram's 71 only came to an end as he chased quick runs at the end but Darcy Aitken and Josh Brown would give them a huge chance They found their way to needing 16 off the final two overs But Matt Aikman picked up the crucial wickets of Jerram and a hobbling Josh Brown who looked to be struggling to run with a left hamstring issue and crucially conceded just six runs from the penultimate over Nathan Patrikeos then found his way through Aitken's defenses at the start of the last over to see the Two Swords home in a thriller GOLDEN POINT 7-217 def by MOUNT CLEAR 5-218 and Golden Point is still looking for some consistency in a thrilling match at White Flat Oval The Mounties got the job done by five wickets with 18 balls to spare chasing down what looked to be a solid 7-217 any score over 200 looked strong and Golden Point would have been happy with the total Josh White's unbeaten 79 anchored the innings while skipper Josh Pegg's 44 got his side off to a solid start Ash George's 4-37 was the pick of the bowlers for Mount Clear It looked like being a close game after Tom Le Lievre and Matt Ward put on 74 for the first wicket but the wheels fell off in the middle as the Mounties slumped to 5-118 Jacob Smith and Lachlan Payne were the steadying forces however the pair getting together with the team in trouble but ran hard between the wickets for an unbroken 100-run stand off as many balls Smith finished unbeaten on 72 from as many balls he hit just one four to go with his three sixes as he and Payne (40no off 46) saw the Mounties home The crazy day continued at Darley Park with Brown Hill scoring a huge upset in knocking off the high-flying Lions by four wickets It was a near perfect performance from Brown Hill who rattled through the Darley batting line-up for just 150 It could have been even better for the visitors as Darley at one staged found itself at 8-96 before Hasatha Wickramasighe and Madushanka Ekanayaka got together late each making valuable 30s to give themselves something to bowl at But Brown Hill never really looked threatened in the chase with Ryan Knowles (42) and Akila Lakshan (71) kept the Lions bowlers at bay losing six wickets in chasing the runs in under 38 overs It was all Wendouree early as their bowlers found the conditions at Marty Busch Reserve to their liking Picture by Lachlan BenceFIRST XI SCOREBOARDSNAPS-SEBAS 111 (H Peirson 39no T Godson 3-34) def by WENDOUREE 8-112 (M Nolan 50 K Ettridge 3-19) def EAST BALLARAT 235 (R Low 88 A George 4-37) def by MOUNT CLEAR 5-218 (J Smith 72 DARLEY 150 (V Pushpakumara 3-18) def by BROWN HILL 6-151 (R Knowles 42) S Silva 43) def BUNINYONG 7-209 (B Samarawickrama 84no 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 areaContinueDHA Enterprises PTY LTD, the company which owns Stockland Wendouree's Groundworks Café, pleaded guilty in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on September 10 to multiple charges relating to unsafe food practices the café was visited numerous times by City of Ballarat officials who identified issues including food being kept in an unrefrigerated display cabinet for hours on end "thick sludge" in the kitchen next to fryers grime in freezer units and furry mold growth in fridges These issues were flagged with the business' owner but officials found many were not amended when they returned to the premises the cafes' dishwasher was found to be using "filthy" water and meat was being stored in an unplugged fridge which had no temperature control raw chicken was found dripping blood and juices onto cooked food such as improving the monitoring of food in its display cabinet subsequent inspections still found rodent droppings "thick greasy sludge" and "urine infested" shelves in the kitchen defence lawyer Stephen Russell said the company's director had been "overwhelmed" by issues with the business He said Lay had taken over the café in 2021 and had been greatly affected by subsequent COVID-19 lockdowns Part of this difficulty was in sourcing qualified staff and relied on his workers to maintain food standards Mr Russell also said his client had worked in hospitality for 15 years which included owning a Ballarat sushi restaurant without incurring any problems with the council "[There's] still ongoing problems and issues he's going to have to look at himself fairly regularly about what he's doing about running the business," he said [There's] still ongoing problems and issues he's going to have to look at himself fairly regularly about what he's doing about running the business and this is the first time this has happened." prosecution lawyer Matthew Taylor said the business' failure to clean rodent faeces and urine some of which was found inside a food container He said even though a pest controller had been employed this had occurred months after council workers had identified the issue and that the café had shown a "disregard for public safety" given the lack of cleanliness "The council expended considerable resources [in investigating Groundworks Café] which didn't necessarily lead to improvements," he said Mr Taylor called on magistrate Mark Stratmann to hand the business a significant fine for offences which he said were "towards the higher end of seriousness" 2024: Pictures by Lachlan Bence and Adam Trafford Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA prominent Wendouree Parade home has been demolished The large four-bedroom home on the corner of Wendouree Parade and Macarthur Street will become two townhouses Demolition works on the building started on Friday The property made records in 2012 when it sold for more than $1.5 million At the time this was the most expensive single property in Ballarat and real estate agents said this showed the strength of the top end of the housing market Ten years later the property was on the market again. This time, Buxton Real Estate Agents anticipated the "luxurious home" would sell for between $3.2 million to $3.4 million The property was on the market for about a year but did not sell gone: Prominent Wendouree Parade home demolishedIn both 2012 and 2022 uninterrupted views of the lake were touted as a key asset of the home a planning application was lodged with the City of Ballarat to subdivide the lot into two dwellings According to the plans submitted to council in October Artist impression of two townhouses from the 202 Wendouree Parade planning application Picture suppliedOne will have access to the property from Wendouree Parade while the other will have access to a garage on the Macarthur Street side of the property The council decided on the permit in February 2024 Smaller homes and infill developments are needed to help with Ballarat's growth by avoiding sprawl Projects on a smaller scale have been proposed around Wendouree including 1304A Gregory Street and townhouses on Park Street. Picture by Adam TraffordHeritage Victoria has granted a permit for a floating pontoon in Lake Wendouree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe T-shaped pontoon which has been moored on the northern side of the lake for months will be moved to different locations around the lake for fly fishing and fishing competitions an application must be made to Heritage Victoria prior to any relocation of the floating pontoon Fisheries Victoria funded the pontoon following a request from anglers for a pontoon to fly fish on the northern side of the lake "The reason for the north side of the lake is that it offers excellent fly fishing opportunities and is a very utilised location," the Heritage Impact Statement submitted as part of the permit process to Heritage Victoria stated "This side of the lake has the path close to waterline and causes a major hazard to people using the path with the flicking of the line over the walking path Installing a floating pontoon eliminates this risk as it allows fly fishers to fish away from the path and perpendicular to the shore line." Two metal walkways pegged to the shore will allow access to the pontoon Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWelcome to one of Ballarat's finest Federation mansions Originally designed in the 1900s by Percy Richards (the acclaimed architect also designed The Provincial Hotel) the house seamlessly marries historical charm with contemporary convenience "What a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase a part of Ballarat's history in the best locale Ballarat has to offer," said selling agent The grand foyer is adorned with a magnificent 1880s gasolier chandelier The house continues its historic allure with features such as hydronic heating throughout and stunning original marble fireplaces in most rooms Lake WendoureeThe home has four generously sized bedrooms and a versatile study that can easily function as a fifth bedroom There are also two well-appointed bathrooms ensuring comfort and functionality for every resident The living spaces are thoughtfully designed to cater to casual or more sophisticated gatherings A grand formal dining and lounge area with bay windows is ideal for entertaining and there's an informal dining space that's perfect for everyday meals equipped with a wall oven and dual cooking hotplates remote control gates leading to a double carport and a two-car garage complete with a mezzanine storage space and workshop The property also has established private gardens with an automated watering system the property blends classic charm and modern amenities in a superb location Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a historical gem in Lake Wendouree Contact the agency today to arrange a private viewing and experience the exceptional combination of heritage and contemporary living Sign-up for The Courier's property email, sent at midday every Friday. Select Property in My Newsletters & Alerts in your account preference centre Picture by Lachlan BenceOut in a back corner of a Wendouree industrial estate Leigh Taylor tends to a unique hobby of his through which he hopes to make positive change Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMr Taylor hosts an impressive collection of saltwater fish out of an aquarium he built over many years of hard work His collection contains a wide array of fish species from rays and eels to a seven-foot long Tawny Nurse Shark began with a three-foot wide fish tank Mr Taylor was given as a child eventually becoming an interest in salt water varieties By the time his family purchased a removals business in Wendouree he had implemented a six-foot tank "I decided with the passion I had I wanted to do something good with it Not just keep fish but work on breeding more endangered species in captivity," Mr Taylor said Keeping saltwater fish requires a bit more manpower than their freshwater cousins Mr Taylor regularly takes his truck down to Avalon to pump fresh sea water which is then stored in a 23,000 litre tank on site He came into possession of his seven-foot Tawny Nurse Shark two-and-half years ago The shark is mainly fed whiting fillets and prawns and kept in a 22,000 litre pond where it roams with Port Jackson Sharks and Shovelnose Rays Leigh Taylor handles a Port Jackson Shark in his aquarium Picture by Lachlan BenceHe plans to expand the aquarium further with a 55,000 litre tank - and the potential addition of two bull sharks "Everything we keep is capped at 10 foot maximum growth We are trying to be humane and practical about it at the same time," Mr Taylor said "We wanted to work with something people fear and show them that there is not much to fear there If you respect the animal there is no need to worry about it "Bull sharks are probably one of the worst Realistically they are big puppy dogs for the most part." Mr Taylor's passion for marine ecology and conservation was partly inspired by witnessing the carelessness of his fellow recreation fishermen out on the ocean "I find that a lot of recreational fishermen don't care about the animals whatsoever," Mr Taylor said "I went down to collect water a couple of years ago and there were probably a dozen dead skates just scattered because fishermen were trying to retrieve their hooks from the guts of them "Just killed them for the sake of killing them even though there is a protection ban from Fisheries to stop them from doing that." Mr Taylor hopes to study a Certificate III in Marine Biology and eventually apply for a wildlife licence to broaden his aquarium to include endangered species He also hopes to eventually open the aquarium to the public to show and inform the public about sea life "At the moment we are trying to work with animals that aren't so endangered to do our base research with animals like bull sharks that are heavily migratory," Mr Taylor said "We want to work with animals like that so that we can get a feel and then see how we can implement what we are trying here with something that is more endangered We would rather not take these animals prematurely." Rosebank retirement village resident Dallas Morales said she had never attempted a world record before - but she did win the Australian junior diving championships in 1944 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMs Morales' athletic nature has continued throughout her life where she participated in an attempt to set the world record for the largest exercise class of people aged 60 years and over She was the oldest of the 95 people who joined the class on Tuesday was one of the participants at the world's biggest senior exercise group attempt Picture by Lachlan Bence"You need to move it or you lose it," she said "Otherwise you sit around and you just moulder." The idea was sparked by Ballarat Life Activity Club secretary Geraldine Lynch after she was brainstorming ideas to bring the community together how many opportunities do we get to be part of a world record of any sort?" she said Eighty-eight-year-old Ian Ward travelled with his wife from Horsham to join the record attempt Mr Ward said he doesn't usually participate in exercise classes but he said it was important to stay active and involved in the community "You've got to get away from that telly and go out and do things," he said It was unclear as to how many people needed to attend the class in order for the group to feature in the Guinness Book of World Records But Ms Lynch said the club would be sending all the relevant documentation to Guinness after the class was complete "I was really nervous that nobody would turn up," she said Get in touch at rachel.jackson@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0427 157 515. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueDrummond Street and Ballarat's health precinct is the latest area to become a background for the television show filmed in the city The road opposite the hospital is closed on Saturday for filming Crew trucks and tents are also along Mair Streets Over the past two weeks the film crew have been in Soldiers Hill and Lake Wendouree Further details of a new TV show being filmed around Ballarat have been revealed as shooting continues An image of a notification of filming has surfaced on social media advising that "Love Divided By Eleven" is filming in Soldiers Hill this week "We are excited to inform you that Ballarat will be the picturesque backdrop for the upcoming television show created by the talented minds of 'Upper Middle Bogan' will be filmed in various locations throughout the town "'Love Divided By Eleven' follows a young woman struggling to get over the death of her fiancé finding comfort in knowing the recipients of his organs triggering a tangled chain of connection." The production was seen shooting scenes at the Ballarat City Rowing Club on October 10 It is not clear how long the production will be working in Ballarat for Ballarat has been the backdrop for a number of films Perhaps the most memorable was when the popular ABC-TV series The Dr Blake Mysteries was filmed in Ballarat between 2013 and 2018 It saw iconic Ballarat locations including the lake and Lydiard Street turn back in time for the crime-drama series The city also turned back to 1940s-Boston in 2020 for a movie about a South Korean athlete who won the Boston Marathon in 1947 In 2021, Sovereign Hill became the set for the SBS series New Gold Mountain a murder-mystery based in the 1850s on Ballarat's goldfields Who could forget when Lydiard Street was again shut down for two days for a Victoria Bitter TV commercial that saw about 2000 locals march along the street with some of Australia's biggest cricket and rugby stars. Other notable films and tv shows shot around Ballarat include 2003's Ned Kelly and Ride Like a Girl in 2019 Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Melbourne straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Melbourne without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Melbourne be sure to set aside some time to visit this massive lake located next to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Lake Wendouree offers an abundance of on- and off-water attractions areas for fishing and rowing and several nearby restaurants There are also ten paddle boats available for hire between 10am and 7pm every day.  Lake Wendouree was originally a swamp before it was dammed during the gold rush These days you can’t swim in the shallow lake but it makes a popular destination for those looking for a spot of boating kayaking or fishing. Wildlife lovers will spot plenty of ducks Be sure to check the City of Ballarat website to see if any events are going on as Lake Wendouree often plays host to events like the Vida Ballarat Latin Festival local concerts and sporting events like yacht and rowing competitions.  Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us File picture by Adam TraffordA teenager has been charged with several offences after an alleged stabbing involving another youth in Ballarat East Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe incident allegedly occurred on Corbett Street near the Ballarat Leagues Club about 8pm on Wednesday Police were told a youth was allegedly stabbed after an altercation with another person The 17-year-old alleged victim from Wendouree was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries while a 17-year-old from Ballarat East was arrested at a property in Ballarat East about 10pm last night It is believed the alleged offender and victim are known to each other The Wendouree teen has been charged with intentionally causing injury He was bailed to appear in a Childrens Court at a later date Picture by Gwen LiuA key intersection in Wendouree is blocked after a crash near the level crossing on Gillies Street Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWitnesses said a driver swerved to miss a pedestrian walking on the train tracks about 9.10am on Friday crashing head-on into a crossing light pole and becoming stuck on the tracks Gillies Street from Gregory Street to Howitt Street will be briefly blocked while fire crews and police are on scene The V/Line train was held at Wendouree station but it's unclear if there will be any lengthy delays Fire crews check out the scene on Gillies Street in Wendouree Picture by Melanie WhelanPolice said they were still putting the details together on what happened - it's understood only one vehicle was involved Ambulance Victoria confirmed no emergency treatment or transport was required I have previously served as a councillor and Mayor of Ballarat and have also represented Western Victoria in the Upper House of Victoria’s State Parliament. I haven’t had any conversations with any other candidates in the Wendouree Ward about preferences. I am self-funding my campaign with the assistance of family and friends. My main priorities focus on council’s three fundamental responsibilities: the 3 Rs—Roads, Rates, and Rubbish. Firstly, Roads: Our roads are riddled with potholes and need urgent repair. I will fight for more funding to fix the potholes and maintain safe, high-quality roads. Secondly, Rates: Everyone is feeling the impact of cost-of-living pressures. I will fight to prevent any rate increases, ensuring fair and affordable rates. Thirdly, Rubbish: Council’s plan to reduce rubbish collections from weekly to fortnightly must be stopped. I will fight to keep weekly rubbish collections and ensure this vital community service is not decreased to fortnightly collections. Picture by Kate Healy.Bacchus Marsh has one hand on the Ballarat Cricket Association firsts premiership Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Bulls have the frontrunning in the grand final encounter with Wendouree having a 61-run first-innings lead at the halfway mark of the four-day fixture at the Eastern Oval Bacchus Marsh made 239 on Sunday in reply to Wendouree's 178 The Red Caps now must chase an outright win if they are to be premier Bacchus Marsh took a first-innings lead late on Sunday with five wickets It lost 3-3 in a late-order collapse in which Wendouree picked up 4-5 before number 11 Josh Calvitto stepped up with some big hitting to open up the handy lead in a 10th-wicket stand of 49 to change the complexion of the game Daniel Hopkinson took 4-62 for the Red Caps set up the successful run chase with a second-wicket stand of 115 runs getting the Bulls within 58 runs of their target Wendouree struck back when it dismissed the duo within the space of three balls but was unable to keep the momentum going sufficiently The Red Caps struggled to get its innings after winning the toss and batting on Saturday A 78-run stand between Murphy Skinner and Mick Nolan and a late flurry from Ash McCafferty rescued Wendouree from what could easily have been a disastrous day Wendouree was 2-21 when Nolan and Skinner joined forces while Skinner was more conservative with 43 (5 fours) off 109 balls They were just starting to look dangerous when Nolan was out Cole Roscholler c: Alex Porter b: Angus Jones 10 Leigh Lorenzen c: Will Lalor b: Angus Jones 5 Mick Nolan c: Ian Spiteri b: Joshua Calvitto 49 Brock Reid c: Alex Porter b: Joshua Calvitto 1 Liam Brady c: Joshua McGrath b: Serafino Crea 12 Daniel Hopkinson c: Spencer Jenks b: Serafino Crea 10 Ash McCafferty c: Spencer Jenks b: Joshua Calvitto 34 Tom Batters c: Jayden White-Powell b: Will Lalor 1 Ian Spiteric: Murphy Skinner b: Cole Roscholler 52 Will Lalor c: Cole Roscholler b: Tom Godson 32 Sam Crea c: Murphy Skinner b: Daniel Hopkinson 6 Wendouree's Mick Nolan was on the front foot as he took the attack up to the Bacchus Marsh bowlers getting 49 at the Eastern Oval on Saturday Picture by Kate Healy.BCA 1st XI grand final day 1: Wendouree struggles with batBacchus Marsh has started its run chase nervously after dismissing Wendouree for 178 on the opening day of the Ballarat Cricket Association's firsts grand final at the Eastern Oval The Bulls reached 1-30 at stumps on Saturday Sam Crea and Josh Calvitto each claimed three wickets as Wendouree struggled with the bat after winning the toss and a later flurry from Ash McCafferty rescued the Red Caps from what could easily have been a disastrous day +69Pictures by Kate HealyWendouree was 2-21 when Nolan and Skinner joined forces survived some vigorous appeals to be at the crease for Bacchus Marsh The second of four days will be played on Sunday Murphy Skinner on his way to a valuable 43 for Wendouree before being trapped in front of his stumps Picture by Kate Healy.WENDOUREE V BACCHUS MARSH WENDOUREE Josh McGrath throws himself into his work in the field for Bacchus Marsh in the BCA firsts grand final on Saturday and Sam Crea (Bacchus Marsh) are ready to lead their teams into battle in the BCXA firsts grand final Pictures by Kate Healy.See what the captains have to say | BCA grand final previewWendouree and Bacchus Marsh take settled line-ups into the Ballarat Cricket Association firsts grand final There is no surprise each has stuck with semi-final winning combinations for the four-day encounter which begins at the Eastern Oval on Saturday Wendouree is pursuing its first premiership since 2016-17 Wendouree has been the most prolific First XI premiership-winning club in the 2000s with grand final victories in 2004 and a remarkable five in a row from 2009 before 2017 and is eager to add to the tally after missing last season Bacchus Marsh has been the story of the season Under new captain-coach Sam Crea and with a new-look team the Bulls have reached their first BCA grand final in their second season in the competition boxing themselves into a corner with losses in rounds 12 and 13 to put their finals hopes in jeopardy and then defending a meagre total in the last home and away round against cross-town rival Darley to secure a semi-final berth Round 12 - Red Caps 8-150dec d Bulls 101 and 5-90 First-season captain-coach Sam Crea says off-field contributions have played as big a part as any factor in Bacchus Marsh reaching the Ballarat Cricket Association's first grand final at the Eastern Oval from Saturday He said a holistic approach across the club had been a key to the Bulls' success over many years Crea said Bacchus Marsh had been highly successful in the Gisborne District Cricket Association before making the move to the BCA last season He said while the playing personnel had changed since those days many who were part of that were still around the club and it's great to have past experiences being shared with the playing group we now have," Crea said Crea said moving to the BCA had been a big decision but it had been done for the benefit of the whole Bacchus Marsh community He said playing finals and now a grand final had been a big achievement progressed to the grand final with a shock win over minor premier and premiership favourite Mt Clear Crea believes a key to winning finals is playing your natural game He said while he believed Mt Clear went away from doing that Bacchus Marsh stuck to what it knew best and it had paid off "Mt Clear left the door open and let us off the hook," he said Crea said he would again encourage his team to play with freedom We're working on that right across the club The Bulldogs struggled to 125 against Darley in the last home and away rounds and passed Mt Clear's 97 with five wickets down The captain-coach is well aware that they might not be so fortunate if they repeat those efforts and that 200 runs will be a minimum requirement Crea said Bacchus Marsh had a lot of respect for Wendouree as a club "They have a great set-up and do things right." Crea says it is time to put the head down and get on with it Captain Heath Pyke says spreading the workload will be essential if Wendouree is to come out on top against Bacchus Marsh in the Ballarat Cricket Association firsts grand final at the Eastern Oval from Saturday Pyke says while the Red Caps have done this across the season it has not happened within matched as much as he would like to see He said it had been pleasing to have different players stand up as required and play their part "There's been times though when we've relied on too few "We need to spread the workload with bat and ball." Wendouree's semi-final win over Ballarat-Redan was an example of this Liam Brady and Ash McCafferty having to dig it out of trouble after its top order failed Pyke said the Red Caps are well-placed to tackle another grand final with plenty of experience Wendouree has added plenty of experience over the past three seasons to join longstanding Red Caps in Cole Roscholler Ash McCafferty and Leigh Lorenzen from North Ballarat The 2002-03 EJ Cleary Medallist and former North Ballarat and Mt Clear all-rounder has come out of the cricket wilderness to become an integral part of the Wendouree make-up Pyke said it was really by chance Hopkinson had finished up in the mix after linking up with the club several years ago through having a son playing juniors He said Hopkinson had gradually worked his back and made a commitment to a full-on comeback this season Pyke said osteitis pubis had held him back in the first half of the season but since then it had been onward and upward "He's brought that and the knowledge to go with it." Hopkinson made a valuable 39 in the last home and away round and then took a match-winning 5-30 in the semi-final ensuring he will be one Bacchus Marsh will have to watch carefully with bat and ball Pyke said an ability to experiment a little more than usual this season would ensure the Red Caps had plenty of options over the four days of the grand final "We're well aware we're going to fight hard and we're ready to do that." BALLARAT FIRE BRIGADE v DARLEY at Wendouree West BALLARAT-REDAN v LUCAS at Russells Square No.3 David Brehaut is a contributor. He is a former sports editor with The Courier and has been covering country football for almost five decades. Picture by Kate Healy.Lake Wendouree is welcoming back a club favourite and with it adding VFL experience Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueJake Lohman is returning from Queensland to live in Ballarat and line up with the Lakers Coach Rohan Brown said it was exciting to have him back in the Ballarat Football Netball League He said Lohman's experience at a higher level would be invaluable Brown expects to slot Lohman into the midfield but there would also be scope to have him spend time forward He said hopefully signing Lohman would help entice others to join the Lakers in what was a tough recruiting environment Jake Lohman in Sandringham colours in the VFL Picture by Getty Images.Originally from Maryborough the older brother of Brisbane Lions premiership player Kai joined Lake Wendouree as an under-16.5 player in 2016 He made his senior debut in the next season and still holds the distinction of being the youngest to do so for the Lakers The now 24-year-old played with the Greater Western Victoria Rebels in 2017 and 2018 He made a VFL debut with North Melbourne in 2019 and resumed his VFL career with Sandringham in 2022 where he spent two seasons before going to Queensland this year Lohman made six appearances with Brisbane Lions in the VFL and is fresh from playing in a premiership with Morningside in the QAFL He last played with Lake Wendouree in 2021 having Maryborough as his home club in two seasons with Sandringham the City of Ballarat is calling for bipartisan support for several strategic projects that will ensure our city is ready for growth Among them is a new library in Wendouree that would be the community heart for existing residents and for people moving to Ballarat’s rapidly growing northern suburbs Tucked away in a shopfront in the Stockland Shopping Centre the current Wendouree Library is a beloved community facility.  the library does not have room to grow or expand its services to cater to existing community needs in Wendouree nor the rapidly growing community in Ballarat’s northern suburbs and very few computers available for community use,” Jenny Fink City of Ballarat Libraries and Lifelong Learning Executive Manager "The existing community and growing northern suburbs desperately need a free space for community members to meet and socialise access the internet and learn life skills.” That is why the City of Ballarat is planning to deliver a brand new The Wendouree Library and Learning Centre will not only meet the needs of the community in Wendouree and surrounding suburbs today it will also cater for the more than 18,000 people expected to make their homes in the northern growth area in Mount Rowan and Miners Rest in the next 10 to 15 years With the federal election just around the corner a federal investment could be the first step in a three-way partnership with the State Government and City of Ballarat to deliver this important community project The Wendouree Library and Learning Centre is one of eight projects listed in Ballarat Now and Into the Future: Enabling Growth — a strategic document the City of Ballarat developed in partnership with several local organisations to advocate for state and federal funding Investment in the key projects listed in this document will contribute to a prosperous future and thriving economy for residents and businesses in Ballarat and the wider region. They will help preserve and enhance Ballarat’s liveability and create new jobs. Details on the eight projects are available on our Ballarat. Now and Into the Future: Enabling Growth 2025 page. Partner organisations involved in Ballarat Now and Into the Future: Enabling Growth include Australian Catholic University Ballarat the City of Ballarat welcomed a Federal Government funding announcement for the Eastwood Community Hub one of the projects listed in the Ballarat Now and Into the Future: Enabling Growth document we’re hoping all sides of politics will back the Wendouree Library and Learning Centre,” City of Ballarat CEO Evan King says “There really is nothing like it in the northern suburbs and residents living in this area deserve to have access to a nearby accessible community facility like other suburbs in our city.” Jenny and her team are dedicated to ensuring a new library for Ballarat’s northern suburbs meets the needs of the community That’s why library staff will begin community engagement in the coming weeks on site at Weeramar Park The engagement will give library staff an opportunity to hear directly from community members about what they want and need from a new facility “We want this new library to reflect the community that will use it,” Jenny says Locals and library users are invited to step into the draft floorplan on site at the park to see what the new facility could include and provide feedback to designers “The idea is to help people imagine how they would use the library space before it is actually built,” Jenny says.  “We encourage as many people as possible living in the surrounding areas to participate in the engagement and partner with us to build a beautiful new community heart for this area.” prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.