Bridge Mall – open for business

Ballarat locals Heath and Pina Worsley are passionate about the Ballarat community.

It’s part of the reason they recently decided to locate their new business — the Darrell Lea Ballarat Chocolate Experience store, which also incorporates The Sweet Owl hampers — in the Bridge Mall. It is the only Darrell Lea store left from the original stores in Victoria.

With such a diversity of businesses already in the area, Heath and Pina wanted to be a part of the next phase of growth of the area.

“We felt it was really important that Ballarat has a strong CBD to support tourism in our city,” Heath says.

“For us, locating ourselves in the Bridge Mall is about helping the other businesses down here and attracting new businesses.”

Heath and Pina say that while plazas offer great shopping opportunities for locals, tourists are less likely to visit a shopping plaza, instead opting for the CBD.

“When people visit Ballarat, they’ll normally go up and down Sturt Street. But we want that connectivity to extend through the Bridge Mall,” Pina says.

Heath and Pina are far from alone in their decision to invest in the Bakery Hill precinct.

Executive Manager City Design James Guy says the Bridge Mall is already thriving, but is transforming with new businesses coming into the area. 

“There are already incredible businesses in this area, and we are seeking to attract more customers, encourage people who are here to enjoy themselves and spend more time in the area,” he says.

“We want to give confidence to new businesses to establish, and we want to see existing business and property owners invest in their buildings, stores and offerings.”  

That investment is already happening — the City of Ballarat is aware of at least nine new businesses that either have located, or are planning to locate, themselves in the precinct.

“New business owners have confidence in the area and can see that it is transforming,” James says.

Upgrades to highly visible corner sites at the bottom of Sturt Street — specifically with the introduction of Timezone and the renewal of Norwich Plaza — play an important role in developing the area.

“More retailers, more creative businesses, new hospitality offerings, and new entertainment are forming part of the high-quality mixed offerings in the area,” James says.

“Entertainment venues, which open late, will bring vital evening activity to the area.”
To further encourage evening activity, specialised lighting is being installed for safe and creative illumination.

The lighting will also highlight Ballarat’s architectural history and heritage, complemented by illumination of the distinct laneways that display unique artworks.

James says the dedication of traders like Heath and Pina will ensure Ballarat’s CBD — and the Bridge Mall — continue to be a beautiful space for locals and tourists alike to enjoy. 

“We’re excited to see the CBD thriving for the decades to come,” he says.

• A portal giving a view down to the Yarrowee River, connecting people with the water beneath their feet
• A creative treatment down Coliseum Walk which mimics the path of the Yarrowee River, reminding people of what's below
• Meeting spaces powered with electricity, and space for stalls to improve the market experience
• Smart lighting on building facades
• Plenty of new seating, gathering spaces and plantings
• The street can be easily closed off to traffic for events, markets and performances.