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🗳️ Tourism votes, hidden cafes, events and more

Your town needs you (voting closes Friday!)

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Ballarat Life
June 12, 2025

Good morning, Ballarat! Hope you're staying warm and dry after all that rain we've had lately but hey, at least it makes the perfect excuse to explore some cozy indoor spots around town. Speaking of which, we've got some seriously good local news to share. From paint legends hitting major milestones to evening coffee finally becoming a thing, our city's buzzing with updates you'll actually want to read about.

In this week’s edition of Ballarat Life:

🏆 Our town's going for the tourism hat trick
🏢 Local expansions and new openings
🍽️ Fresh spots to check out around town
🎁 Hidden café guide for our loyal readers

Let’s dive in!

FEATURE STORY

🌟 Our Town's Going for Gold Again!

Photo: Tourism Midwest Victoria

Alright Ballarat, time to rally the troops! We're back in the running for Victoria's Top Tourism Town 2025. We already took home the gold in 2021 and 2023 so why not make it a hat trick?

The Victorian Tourism Industry Council has us lined up against some pretty solid competition: Bendigo, Echuca, Lakes Entrance, Mildura, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Warrnambool, and Werribee. But hey, we’ve got not only Sovereign Hill, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, and that gorgeous Lake Wendouree but also our signature “interesting” weather.

Every single vote matters. Plus, you're in the running to win a two-night stay at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins with dining vouchers for some of Melbourne's best restaurants.

Voting closes at 5pm on Friday 27 June, so get your vote in quick!

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Ballarat's Kindergarten Kingdom Expands

Photo: Ballarat Council

Lucas Community Hub just got a sweet upgrade that parents are loving. The $1.6M expansion added a brand new 33-seat kindergarten room, bringing total capacity to 99 kids across three rooms. Enrollment skyrocketed from just 32 kids in 2020 to 221 today—talk about a community that's seriously growing.

The State Government chipped in $1.5M while the city added another $134K, which honestly shows they're backing families big time. Free kindergarten means parents save up to $2,600 per kid! That's real money back in your pocket for quality early education that actually matters.

. . .

Our Local Paint Legends Hit 90!

Haymes Paint just celebrated something pretty incredible: 90 years since Henry Haymes started mixing paint in Ballarat back in 1935. We should all be pretty proud because they've become Australia's last and largest family-owned paint manufacturer, keeping over 440 jobs right here in town.

The anniversary got even better when they officially opened their shiny new $40 million David Haymes Centre of Excellence at Mitchell Park. This thing doubles their manufacturing capacity to 22 million litres per week.

While giant overseas companies buy up everything else, the Haymes family is keeping it local with 2,000 square metres of solar panels and rainwater tanks providing 80% of their water needs. Read more

. . .

Public Transport Alert

Ballarat bus services are taking a break! CDC Victoria buses (including school services) won't run Monday 16 or Tuesday 17 June due to industrial action. Services resume Wednesday 18 June. Plan alternative transport for school runs and regular commutes.

BUSINESS OPENINGS

307 Mair St, Ballarat Central VIC 3350

Just opened on Mair Street, and honestly, it's about time someone cracked the evening coffee code. The team behind Tony's Coffee Shop is serving up quality brews and top-shelf spirits Thursday to Saturday, 5pm-11pm. Perfect for post-show nightcaps near Civic Hall.

. . .

324 Glenelg Highway Winter Valley, 3358

Grace Polak's got your ears covered with this new local audiology service. We're talking the full package including: hearing tests for kids and adults, hearing aids, that satisfying microsuction wax removal, custom ear plugs, and pre-employment testing. Professional hearing health care right here in Ballarat.

. . .

35 Mair St, Ballarat Central VIC 3350

Nick Quinlan and his wife Holly recently opened a holistic wellness center that's all about helping our community recover, restore, and recharge. Think traditional sauna meets cold plunge therapy, plus breathwork classes, meditation, massage, infrared sauna, and red light therapy. It's a thoughtfully designed space where you can actually unwind and reset, whether you're popping in solo or joining group classes.

FREE GIFT ALERT

Hidden Cafes of Ballarat: 7 Local Spots You’ll Love

Here's something we're pretty excited about: our new "Hidden Cafes of Ballarat" guide is finally ready!.

This handpicked list of 7 lovely cafés was curated by the wonderful @phamilyfeast. Dennis has been reviewing cafés around Ballarat for years and he really knows his stuff when it comes to local spots worth visiting. These are places most people haven't heard of but absolutely should.

The catch? This guide is exclusively for subscribers who help us grow our little newsletter. Refer just 2 friends to Ballarat Life and the "Hidden Cafes" guide is yours instantly.

Ready to share the love? Forward this newsletter to someone who'd appreciate good local content, and once they subscribe, you're one step closer to unlocking those café secrets. 🙏 

WHAT’S ON

🎭 Happenings Around Town

Thursday, 12 June

Friday, 13 June

Saturday, 14 June

  • Casual Canvas Sessions | The Art Club Hub | 10am-4pm  No pressure painting session for all ages

  • Skating with Pride | Doug Dean Stadium | 12pm-2pm | $15 | Inclusive roller-skating for ages 6+, gear provided, rainbow costumes encouraged

  • Ballarat Farmers Market | North Gardens Reserve | Free | Monthly farmers market with 80+ stalls

  • Author Talk - Robyn Howarth | Ballarat North Community Centre | 2pm-4pm | Author of "Faraday A Community Rediscovered" presented by Ballarat Evening View Club

  • Ballarat Preloved Fashion Event | Barkly Square | 12pm-4pm | Free | Quarterly market with 50+ stalls supporting sustainability

  • Celebration of SAORI Exhibition | Esmond Gallery, The Warehouse Clunes | 10am-4pm | Free | Japanese freestyle weaving exhibition - ongoing until June 22nd

  • World Wide Knit in Public Day | The Boatshed, Lake Wendouree | 10:45am - 1:45pm | bring your knitting, something handmade to show, and an optional lucky dip item.

Sunday, 15 June

Monday, 16 June

Tuesday, 17 June

  • The Pride Pages | Ballarat Library | 4:30pm-5:30pm | Free | Creative writing workshop for LGBTQIA+ young people ages 12-25

  • A Pressing Engagement | Ballarat Library | 4pm-5:30pm | Teen cooking program using Hot off the Press Cookbook - ages 13+

  • Ballarat Starts at 60 Meetup | Mercure Ballarat Hotel & Convention Centre | 10am-12pm | Free | Monthly social meetup for active over-60s community

Wednesday, 18 June

🎵 Live Music

Please note: Always double-check with venues for any last-minute changes or ticketing requirements.)

Thursday, 12 June

  • Piano Bar Ballarat | Drag Bingo | 6pm - 9:30pm | $10

  • The Sporting Globe Ballarat | Kaze Karaoke | Times vary | Free

Friday, 13 June

  • Volta | Gathering of the Ghouls | 8pm | $13.30

  • JD's Bar & Lounge | Kaze Karaoke | 8pm - 11:59pm | Free

  • The George Hotel | Motor City Sounds | 7pm - 10:30pm | $20

  • Odessa (Creswick) | Ella Hooper with special guest Archer | 6pm - 10pm | $35

Saturday, 14 June

  • Civic Hall Ballarat | Lee Kernaghan - Boys From The Bush | 8pm-10:15pm | $69.90-$89.90

  • The Deck | DJ Gary Morris | 8pm - 2am | TBC

  • Hop Temple | Live Music | 6pm-10pm | TBC

  • The Cattleyards Inn | Kaze Karaoke | 8pm-11:59pm | Free

  • WCPA | Forever 80s - Back To The 80s One Night Only | 8pm - 10pm | $49.20-$53.20

  • Ballarat Trades Hall | Matt Radford plus Earl Leonard | 7pm - 10pm | $12

Sunday, 15 June

  • WCPA | Ballarat Symphony Orchestra - An Afternoon of Beethoven & Bizet | 2:30pm - 4pm | $30-$35

  • Kank Wolverang Records | Cassells 'Sirens Don't Sound the Same' Single Launch Tour | 2pm | Free

  • Ballarat Jazz Club | Ballarat High Performing Arts students | 1pm - 4pm | $20

Tuesday, 17 June

  • The Robin Hood Hotel | Kaze Karaoke | Times vary | Free

🌤️ Weather

Thursday 12 June
3°🌡️12° | 🌤️ | ☔30% | 💨 Light winds

Friday 13 June
2°🌡️12° | ☀️ | ☔20% | 💨 Light winds

Saturday 14 June
1°🌡️10° | 🌤️ | ☔40% | 💨 N 15–25 kph

Sunday 15 June
2°🌡️11° | 🌥️ | ☔40% | 💨 N 20–30 kph

Monday 16 June
5°🌡️12° | 🌤️ | ☔30% | 💨 N 15–25 kph

Tuesday 17 June
4°🌡️12° | ☀️ | ☔10% | 💨 N 15–25 kph

Wednesday 18 June
5°🌡️12° | 🌧️ | ☔100% | 💨 N 15–25 kph

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