Lake Wendouree

Located in central Ballarat next to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens and near Victoria Park, Lake Wendouree offers a wide range of attractions and recreational activities both on and off the water.

The lake offers opportunities for fishing, sailing and rowing. The world-class 2000 metre rowing course hosted rowing events at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and remains a venue for school, club and high-level rowing and sailing competitions.

• Public toilets
• BBQs
• Playgrounds
• Restaurants
• Water pursuits including fishing
• Rowing course (Home of rowing in the 1956 Olympics)
• 6km Steve Moneghetti walking track

The below image shows the lake facing east towards the CBD from the west end. This image is updated every 10 minutes.

City of Ballarat as the declared waterway manager for Lake Wendouree hereby gives notice under section 208(2) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Victoria) that all persons and vessels not registered to take part in the Rowing Victoria Lake Wendouree Regattas 2024-2025 are prohibited from entering and remaining in the following waters.

Waters of Lake Wendouree – Entire Lake.

City of Ballarat as the declared waterway manager for Lake Wendouree, makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Victoria). For the purposes of boating activity conducted by Rowing Victoria, persons and vessels involved in the Rowing Victoria Lake Wendouree Regattas 2024-2025 are exempt from the following requirements:

State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988

• Clause 2(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of a person in the water
• Clause 2(c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel
• Clause 3(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of the water’s edge
• Clause 3(b) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of a fixed or floating structure

Waterway Rules made under the Marine Safety Act 2010 / Marine Act 1988

• Clause 42.1 of Schedule 42 – 5 knot speed restriction for all the waters of Lake Wendouree for vessels equipped with engines used for propulsion

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

• Masters of rescue vessels are only exempt from items 1 to 5 when undertaking a rescue operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety on shore, and must adhere to speed and distance rules at all other times.
• Masters of competing vessels are only exempt from items 2 to 4 for the duration of the events. 
• Masters of marshalling/umpire vessels are only exempt from items 2 to 5 when following competing vessels in a race or at the conclusion of a race when returning to the start line for the next race and must not exceed the speed of a competing rowing vessel.
• Occupants of powered vessels used in conjunction with the event must wear a lifejacket at all times, and vessels must have all prescribed safety equipment. 
• The event is operating under the auspices of Rowing Victoria, including the Rowing Victoria Safety Management Plan, which meets the criteria of Clause 3 of Exemption Notice 1 made under the Marine Regulations 1999 in respect of the exemption for rowing vessels to not carry or wear a lifejacket.
• The exemptions apply for the dates, times and events specified in Table 1 below to persons and vessels involved in the Rowing Victoria Lake Wendouree Regattas 2024-2025 within the exclusion zone waters of the entire Lake Wendouree.
• The exemptions apply provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the application form and associated documentation are adhered to.