Heritage permit received for lake lighting

The City of Ballarat on Friday 27 May, 2022 received notification from Heritage Victoria a planning permit has been issued to install 181 lighting poles along the extent of the Steve Moneghetti track around Lake Wendouree. 

The work will include electrical cabling to be installed via directional and hand boring, and four electrical cabinets.   

The location for the permit approved on Friday sits within the Heritage Overlay area known as HO163 (Lake Wendouree) and is in addition to an existing Heritage Victoria Planning Permit for 44 lighting poles in the area of the lake known as HO13 (Ballarat Botanical Gardens).  

Both permits combined complete the lake lighting project for the entirety of Lake Wendouree, with a total of 225 poles. 

Prior to commencing work on the project, the City of Ballarat must submit a Construction Management Plan, construction-ready drawings, and a Tree Management and Protection Plan to Heritage Victoria for approval.  

The City of Ballarat must also provide Heritage Victoria five working days’ notice of the intention to begin approved works.   

The design, plans and technical reports endorsed by Heritage Victoria are those that formed the City of Ballarat’s original planning permit for the lake lighting project. 

The original permit was approved by Councillors in October 2021 and a tender was later awarded prior to an interim protection order (IPO) being applied to Lake Wendouree on 22 March 2022.   

This triggered the requirement for Council to apply for a Heritage Victoria permit for the portion of the lake known as HO163. 

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Daniel Moloney said the IPO initiated a process which led to the Heritage Council of Victoria now considering whether HO163 (Lake Wendouree) should be listed on The Victorian Heritage Register as a place of state significance. 

“If the lake does become listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, this means Heritage Victoria would become the permanent planning authority for Lake Wendouree,” he said.  

“Until a decision is reached, Heritage Victoria is the interim planning authority for Lake Wendouree.  

“Given this, Heritage Victoria has the authority to approve planning permits for works in the area and has granted the City of Ballarat a permit to install 181 lighting poles along the extent of the Steve Moneghetti track around Lake Wendouree.  

“Combined with an existing Heritage Victoria Planning Permit for 44 lighting poles in the area of the lake known as HO13 (Ballarat Botanical Gardens), this completes the permit approval process for the lake lighting project around the entirety of Lake Wendouree.”