Mayor’s message for Summer 2024/25

As your new Mayor, I am pleased to present the summer 2024/25 edition of ourballarat, which features a jam-packed collection of upcoming events, feature stories, behind-the-scenes videos and consultation results.

The Her Majesty's Theatre story allows readers to take a peek behind the curtains of the remarkable redeveloped building. Generations of Ballarat residents have cherished this historic social and cultural hub. I have no doubt the redevelopment works will ensure Her Majesty’s Theatre continues to be a welcoming space for the whole community to share in collective experiences and live performances.

You will find stories about summer events, including the popular Carols by Candlelight, the New Years Eve fireworks and more. I am pleased to see the continued focus on events, following community consultation that revealed readers wanted to see more ‘events and things to do’ in the magazine going forward.

We also learned through the consultation that the community would like to see an increased focus on engagement in the magazine, which you can read more about in the Community Engagement Report.

This edition also features some great stories about the new Animal Shelter, the restoration of the much-loved Hercules statue in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, and some information on how the Soft Plastics Pilot Program is tracking.

Lastly, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, a happy New Year and a safe holiday period. 

Mayor
Cr Tracey Hargreaves