Conserving Ballarat’s public art

The City of Ballarat’s Creative City team is seeking suitably qualified contractors to conserve a number of key public art pieces in Ballarat.  

The City of Ballarat hosts one of the most significant regional public art collections in Australia. Valued at more than $20 million, the oldest piece in this collection was erected in 1867, about 156 years ago.  

There are more than 120 pieces of public art placed throughout Ballarat.  

The City of Ballarat treats the Public Art Collection as an outdoor gallery with a collection on permanent display. After a careful assessment and valuation of the collection, a proactive maintenance plan has been devised and is currently being implemented.

It’s important that the public art is maintained for all to enjoy, and requests for quote are currently open for suitable contractors to undertake conservation works on the following pieces:  

The Peterson Fountain  

The fountain is in the Sturt Street gardens in the hospital precinct and was erected in 1922. The fountain is made from bronze, marble and granite and includes frogs and a crane.  

Queen Victoria Memorial Statue  

The well-known Queen Victoria Statue, in the Sturt Street Gardens outside Town Hall has been in place since 1902. The statue is made from marble, sandstone, bronze and granite and is 4 metres tall.  

The Burke and Wills Memorial Fountain  

The iconic fountain near the Lydiard Street and Sturt Street intersection has been in place since 1867. It consists of four gas lights with copper decorative elements.  

George Tonner Memorial

Located at Lake Wendouree, between the Steve Moneghetti track and Wendouree Parade is the wooden memorial, which has been in place since 1925. It is made from stone pillars and a high wooden structure.  

Home  

The public art in a wetland at Doug Dean Reserve resembles bird homes partially submerged in water. Artist Chris Mether installed his art piece in 2014, and the birdhouses are set on wooden posts in the wetlands.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said public art is about more than just the works themselves.  

“From the central Sturt Street Gardens to pieces in Bridge Mall, the Botanic Gardens and around Lake Wendouree. We have a city-wide collection of art that we treat just like an open-air gallery, through curation, maintenance, repair and cleaning,” he said.  

"Public art in Ballarat is very important. It is free to enjoy, it can connect a community, create a community and create an identity for a space.”

For more information regarding the expression of interest for the conservation works visit the Creative Ballarat’s website here.