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Visit libraries.ballarat.vic.gov.au to:

• Search our catalogue
• Explore our services
• Find out what's on
• Visit the tech hub
• Read the latest news
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Learn more about the new Ballarat Library facility and services. 

View or download the Redeveloped Ballarat Library factsheet  or visit the Central Library Redevelopment page to learn more about this project.
 

Ballarat Library

• Address: 178 Doveton St Nth, Ballarat Central 3350
• Phone: (03) 5338 6850

Sebastopol Library

• Address: 181 Albert St, Sebastopol 3356
• Phone: (03) 5335 7985

Wendouree Library

• Address: Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre 3355
• Phone: (03) 5339 3505

A written business plan is the essential first step to start your business.

Create your business plan and outline:

• What is the product and services you plan to offer?
• An explanation of the intended customer, and how you will attract them?
• What is required to set up your business?

Visit the Business Victoria website for more information about how to write a business plan.

Planning considers the way land is used and developed, and how this impacts the character and amenity of an area.

Planning requirements may inform the following:

• Can your business operate on the proposed location?
• Onsite signage possibilities
• The impact of your business to the existing neighbourhood and services

To understand your planning requirements we will be able to better support you if you can provide:

• You will need your business plan or vision
• If you already have a property in mind, please provide us with the address
• A basic plan showing how your business will operate. 

If you are still looking for a property, please let us know your requirements and our team are happy support you.

Visit Preparing for where you will do business for further information about Planning requirements or contact the Economic Development team.

The City of Ballarat’s Economic Development Team is dedicated to supporting businesses, small, large, or just starting. By providing us with the information about your business at the start, we can direct you to the right people in the City of Ballarat to progress your vision.  

The team is available to assist you to:

• Conduct initial research to identify commercial or industrial sites
• Guide you through council's regulatory processes
• Connect you with regional markets, key influencers, and business associations
• Connect you with other council services  

Phone: 5320 5500
Email: economicdevelopment@ballarat.vic.gov.au 
Online application form: Small Business Application

The team will then be in contact with you to discuss your business over the phone or to arrange an in person meeting.

Subscribe to our Economic Development e-newsletter to receive information about:

• City of Ballarat business development and networking events

• Other opportunities for businesses supported by City of Ballarat

City of Ballarat has joined CitySwitch – a free national program that helps office-based businesses reduce emissions and their environmental impact. CitySwitch assists businesses to map a pathway to net zero emissions and connects them with other businesses on the journey.

There are more than 500 businesses Australia-wide participating in the CitySwitch program, spanning the finance, legal, engineering, advertising, architecture and health sectors. In 2021, businesses participating in the program saved $62.6 million by making their properties more energy efficient.

CitySwitch upskills, mentors and educates businesses and their teams, and helps them to become climate resilient. Businesses receive tools and support for each point along the way.

Find out more or to join the CitySwitch program, visit cityswitch.net.au or email info@cityswitch.net.au 

City of Ballarat is joining together with more than 50 councils across Victoria to assist businesses to purchase renewable energy and cut their emissions.

The Business Renewables Buying Group is designed to bring together a group of like-minded businesses seeking to switch to 100% renewable electricity. With the support of an external facilitator, the group will work collectively to scale up their buying power whilst cutting complexity, time, and cost associated with going 100% renewable

Visit Business Renewables Buying Group on the City of Yarra website - If your business is interested in a transition to renewable energy, learn more about the Business Renewables Buying Group, who it is suitable for and if it will likely work for your business.

Membership of an association can have many benefits for new and established businesses. There are a number of industry associations with a presence in Ballarat, including: 

• Commerce Ballarat
• Bridge Mall Business Association
• Buninyong Community Association
• Ballarat Business Centre

The City of Ballarat’s Economic Development Team is dedicated to supporting businesses, small, large, or just starting. By providing us with the information about your business at the start, we can direct you to the right people in the City of Ballarat to progress your vision.  

The team is available to assist you to:

• Conduct initial research to identify commercial or industrial sites
• Guide you through council's regulatory processes
• Connect you with regional markets, key influencers, and business associations
• Connect you with other council services  

Phone:  5320 5500
Email: economicdevelopment@ballarat.vic.gov.au 
Online application form: Small Business Application

The team will then be in contact with you to discuss your business over the phone or to arrange an in person meeting.

Subscribe to our Economic Development e-newsletter to receive information about:

• City of Ballarat business development and networking events

• Other opportunities for businesses supported by City of Ballarat

As an Early Childhood Teacher and Educational Leader, she says the relationships she builds with her students are the highlights of her role.

“No matter how hard the day is, there's always a moment where one of those little people puts a smile on your face with something quirky or lovely they’ve said,” she says.

“There’s always something rewarding, something you can pull from the day that has made it worth it.”

Having worked in various roles in the sector for a decade, Jasmine recalls several times when a former student, or the parent of a former student, has recognised her and told her of the impact she made in their life, or the life of their child.

“It’s so fulfilling to know you have been remembered for a such a long time by someone whose life you were only a small part of,” she says.

“It is such a beautiful, rewarding career.”

It’s a career that City of Ballarat Executive Manager Family, Youth and Children's Services Sharelle Knight would like more people to consider.

Announced in 2022, the State Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms guarantee children in the coming years can access 30 hours of four-year-old kindergarten and 15 hours of three- year old kindergarten. The State Government also guaranteed that kinder would be free for three and four-year-olds in participating services across the state.

While this is great news for Ballarat families, it is a significant change requiring the City of Ballarat to expand its early years education workforce and make plans to ensure there is adequate infrastructure to deliver the reforms.

“It has essentially meant, in really simple terms, that we are down by a third on kindergarten provision, meaning our workforce is not large enough to deliver on these reforms,” Sharelle says.

With funded kindergarten at four locations, the City of Ballarat is a relatively small provider of kindergarten services in the region. However, the City of Ballarat also plays a role in terms of infrastructure planning by providing facilities to other kindergarten operators to lease.

In collaboration with other municipalities in the region, Sharelle says the City of Ballarat is working on a workforce strategy, which will explore how to attract, train and retain early years educators and teachers.

“Essentially, we’re looking at how we can make sure that, over the long term, we can build our own workforce and keep the workforce here in the Central Highlands region” she says.

“We are a growing municipality and we're really wanting to support the health, development and educational needs of our youngest residents here in Ballarat.

“We want people to consider kindergarten education as a viable career option here in Ballarat.”

It’s a career option that Jasmine recommends people consider.

“There’s a lot of stigma around kindergarten teaching being just play, but it’s so much more than that — kindergarten teaching is about getting to know the children and families, and working as a team to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for each individual child for school and life beyond school.

“To know that you played a part in their education, when parents come up and say ‘He really enjoyed that science experiment and cannot stop talking about volcanoes’, is important.” 

Visit the Victorian Government website to learn about the Best Start, Best Life reforms.

How have you been feeling lately? Have you been getting frustrated more easily, or snapping at friends and loved ones? Maybe you’ve been exercising every day to release built up tension, or you’ve been flicking through Netflix for the past three days and have only just come up for air.

Have you been working your way through project after project to find a sense of fulfilment - and to stop yourself from having the time to think about what’s troubling you? Or maybe you’ve been watching social media for constant updates and planning for each contingency?  

Stress and anxiety are affecting many of us, including our friends, family and colleagues. We’ve all put coping mechanisms in place to keep us going each day.

One you might not have considered yet, but we’d recommend, is taking some time each day to pick up a book. Whether it’s in the morning when you’re feeling fresh, or during the day if you’ve hit a rough patch, or at night to help you relax before bed – pick up a book.  

What does the research say?  

• Reading can “affect personal and social development, happiness, behaviour, relationships, education, employment, financial well-being, health and community and cultural participation” (Evans, 2017, page 1).  

• Reading for pleasure is important. It can make you feel good, give you opportunities to learn new things, give insight into other cultures and people’s lives, reduce your stress levels and provide you with an escape from real life (Evans, 2017) 
• The University of Sussex has also found that it can reduce stress because when you’re concentrating on what’s happening in your book, you’re distracted from reality, which then eases the tensions in your muscles and heart (Evans, 2017).  
• Cognitive neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis, has found that reading can reduce your stress levels by 68%, compared with listening to music (61%), a cup of tea or coffee (54%) and a walk (42%) (Evans, 2017).  

Raid your bookshelf for gems from your past. Now is a good time to revisit them. Alternatively, you could try these options to grab some new books to read. 

• Shop locally. Collins Booksellers offers a Click and Collect service or delivery 

• Sign up to the Ballarat Libraries to access eBooks, eAudiobooks and magazines from your smartphone, tablet or computer 
• Download books out of copyright for free from Project Gutenberg 
• Create an account for Amazon Kindle to purchase eBooks and eAudiobooks to read on your device. They even have some free ones. 

Need some recommendations? 

• Join the Melbourne Library Service’s What are you reading? Facebook group 

• Visit the Readings website for reviews 
• Find new releases and the bestsellers list at Collins Booksellers 

We’ll keep adding more content to this page so check in for more suggestions and reading opportunities.  

Source: Evans, N. (2017). Reading is good for you: A literature review, Australian publishers Association, https://www.publishers.asn.au/news/reading-is-good-for-you