Ballaarat

Ballaarat This community page is for promoting places and events in and around Ballarat, Victoria. Drop us a note if you would like something posted.

"Ballarat, or, more properly, Ballaarat, is a native name, signifying a camping or resting place, balla meaning elbow, or reclining on the elbow"

- William Withers' "The history of Ballarat, from the first pastoral settlement to the present time - 1887"

If you want to promote a local business, art event, market or service, drop us a line via the page "Message" function, or via email to: ballara

[email protected]

We are always happy to promote local business as they keep our community employed and thriving, but we ask that you respect our decision to not advertise chain store/multi national organisations, or businesses 50km beyond Ballarat. ADVERTISING AND SPAM
Unsolicited advertising on this page will be removed and repeat offenders blocked from contributing. Again, please contact us to discuss options, we're here to promote our community and want to help. THIS PAGE IS FOR EVERYBODY
The 'Ballarat page' is open to everybody from the ages of 13 and upwards. We prefer to keep this page family friendly and inclusive for everybody who wishes to participate. We ask that vulgar and offensive language that may offend others be kept to yourself. Repeat offenders will have their ability to post removed. We also reserve the right to remove any comments we or others may find objectionable or inappropriate without notice. POLITICAL BIAS
This page is for promoting the community of Ballarat as a whole, we do not promote politically biased content such as Political events, posts from other pages, or indeed biased commentary. NO PERSONAL ATTACKS
Comment on content, not on other contributors. Personal attacks do not help make a point; they only harm our online community and may deter users from being active or also drive them away. Comments that personally attack other contributors may be removed. Repeated personal attacks may lead to offenders being blocked from posting. POSTCODE WARS
This page shows little tolerance for 'postcode wars', also known as dumping criticism upon others from suburbs you see as being disadvantaged, or otherwise not to your liking. Repeat offenders will be blocked from contributing. We're all Ballarat, we need to ensure that everybody feels welcome by putting an end to baseless attacks upon others. SUBMITTING IMAGES FOR PUBLICATION
We are happy to receive your photographs for publication on this page and prefer them to be sent via email as an attachment. If you choose to watermark your photographs, please ensure your watermark is placed at the bottom left or right corner of the image and does not interrupt the subject of the image in any way. We do aim to credit all photographers where possible for their contributions. Please ensure you are only sending in your own work, or have the permission of the photographer. Please note that it may be some time before your image is posted due to publication backlogs. Send your photographs to: [email protected]


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Old Man Winter is a personification of winter derived from ancient Greek mythology and Old World pagan beliefs. Boreas i...
31/05/2026

Old Man Winter is a personification of winter derived from ancient Greek mythology and Old World pagan beliefs.

Boreas is the Greek god of the cold north wind, storms, and winter. Known as one of the four seasonal wind gods. He was a powerful, fierce, and impulsive deity who was often depicted as a winged, bearded older man with shaggy hair, a billowing cloak, and ice in his beard.

Closer to home, the Wadawurrung People, tracking the passing of time wasn't about looking at a grid of dates on a wall. It was an observant practice of reading the sky, the air, the water, and the behaviors of the plants and animals.

The six seasons of the Wadawurrung People

1. Mid Summer & Late Summer (November – January)
2. Eel Season (February – March)
3. Autumn & Early Winter (April – May)
4. Deep Winter (June – July)
5. Early Spring (July – August)
6. True Spring (September – October)

4. Deep Winter (June – July)
Following the cue of native land animals escaping the rising waters, the people move their camps away from the rivers and up into the higher, heavily timbered hill country for shelter. Thick, intricately etched possum skin cloaks are worn with the fur facing inward to withstand the freezing dampness.

The story of winter for the Wadawurrung is not just about the harsh weather; it is about the literal and spiritual warmth of being wrapped in the stories of your ancestors and your land when the world outside turns cold and dark.

The Sign of Winter's End:
The Wadawurrung know that this harsh cold will not last forever. As July transitions into August, they watch the Silver Banksia (Pallenang). The moment its bright yellow flowers begin to emerge, it serves as a visual promise from Country that the deep winter is ending, the weather is turning, and it is safe to return to the lower wetlands.

The Stoddart Statue Collection represents four studios of Italian artists: Angelo Bertozzi fashioned the seasons, Mercury and Hercules; B. Raggi created H**e, Leda and Pomona; and G Marchetti made Flora. Giovanni (John) Udny (1850-1927), the sculptor of Bacchante and Flora Farnese, was a descendant of a Scottish-born British Vice-Consul of Italy and he learned his genius with marble from an Italian uncle who was a marble merchant (Stoddart was born in Scotland).

The "Winter" statue was sculpted by the Italian artist Angelo Bertozzi.

Some interesting clouds over Ballaarat this morning. This pre-winter chill put an extra spring into the step of Gordon a...
31/05/2026

Some interesting clouds over Ballaarat this morning.
This pre-winter chill put an extra spring into the step of Gordon and Douglas Schnauzer. Bye bye autumn ...

There's a lot of beauty out there and this autumn has been exceptional and lived up to its reputation I think.Autumn now...
28/05/2026

There's a lot of beauty out there and this autumn has been exceptional and lived up to its reputation I think.

Autumn now has three days to vacate before winter arrives and autumn seems to have sped up in the past week.

Here's a few local images just to remind us of the change of seasons on Monday 1st June.






The view from the top
28/05/2026

The view from the top

23/05/2026

Lake Wendouree Living Heritage - Our Black Swans.

It's Ballarat Heritage Weekend - we have buildings, history, steam trains, libraries, books and pubs and more - Heritage right before us BUT we do have one of Ballarat's greatest HERITAGE treasures that never gets a mention !

It's of course one of our Natural Heritage stars, the Black Swans at Lake Wendouree and of course all the other native birds and animals.

Mystical Dreamtime birds that have lived and died on this land for thousands of years, side by side with the Aboriginal people .

These birds attract thousands of tourists per annum alone and today, Lake Wendouree was alive with both tourists and swans.

About half way through, watch a short singalong, and at the end, watch a ferocious male drive away one of last seasons brood to make way for the new family arriving in spring.




It was very fresh this morning on the Lake but a lovely sunrise for Heritage  Weekend.Rug up and enjoy the scenery - abi...
23/05/2026

It was very fresh this morning on the Lake but a lovely sunrise for Heritage Weekend.
Rug up and enjoy the scenery - abit late for these pics but Ballarat's loveliness is on display ❤️




Steam Punks and Vintage voyeurs are in for the thrill at the Ballarat Heritage Festival this year! Aside from the hundre...
21/05/2026

Steam Punks and Vintage voyeurs are in for the thrill at the Ballarat Heritage Festival this year!

Aside from the hundreds of other attractions on offer, there is the magnificent Y112. Built at the Phoenix Foundry, Central Square, Ballarat in 1889.

Entering service as Y419 on the 24th of July 1889, the venerable engine spent 72 years in service for the Victorian Railways, retiring in March 1961. After 19 years on static display in Ballarat, the engine was restored to mainline operating condition by Steamrail Victoria & West Coast Railway, entering service in 1996. The Y Class has now spent 25 years in preservation service, with the past 16 years in the care of Steamrail Victoria at their Ballarat East & Newport Workshops.

Aside from Y112, there will be two other steam engines in service over the weekend.

All arrival/departure times and booking information at:
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1568561

But here's a copy:
Saturday 23rd May 2026 Ballarat Steam Train Rides
Ballarat Departure, 9:05am, 10:25am, 11:45am, 1:45pm, 3:05pm, 4:25pm
Ballarat Arrival, 10:07am, 11:27am, 12:47pm, 2:47pm, 4:07pm, 5:27pm

Sunday 24th May 2026 Ballarat Steam Train Rides
Ballarat Departure, 9:05am, 10:25am, 11:45am, 1:45pm, 3:05pm,
Ballarat Arrival, 10:07am, 11:27am, 12:47pm, 2:47pm, 4:07pm,

The Ballaarat Old Cemetery is always worth a contemplative walk. I often take time to read the inscriptions, or to simpl...
18/05/2026

The Ballaarat Old Cemetery is always worth a contemplative walk. I often take time to read the inscriptions, or to simply admire the artistry of the stonemasons. Either way, there is so much history to be discovered.

Today I searched TROVE for information on:
- a tragic boat accident on Lake Burrembeet,
- Melbourne Cup Day accident
- A sudden death at sea

There are many, many more stories waiting for you to explore, so if you are visiting Ballaarat for the Heritage Festival, or a local with an interest in our past, why not take some time out and visit the Ballaarat Old Cemetery.

Newspaper articles from TROVE are in the comments of the researched graves.

I'm sure most people have an old "spare" sleeping bag, or long term cupboard lurking blankets.
17/05/2026

I'm sure most people have an old "spare" sleeping bag, or long term cupboard lurking blankets.

Gather your unused sleeping bags and donate them! ❤️❤️❤️

One Humanity Shower Bus

The Chrysanthemum Collection in the Conservatory is not only stunning visually, the scent out of this world.Open until t...
17/05/2026

The Chrysanthemum Collection in the Conservatory is not only stunning visually, the scent out of this world.

Open until the 1st June, the Conservatory is open from 9.00am - 6.00pm daily & entry is free.

Address

Cnr Lydiard & Sturt St
Ballarat, VIC
3350

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