Mayor's Message - Friday 13 January

Well, it has been quite a start to 2023 with last week’s Road Nationals cycling event and the first of the Summer Sundays music series in the Botanical Gardens. If you were away last weekend, make sure you are about this Sunday 15 January, for the second Summer Sundays concert as well as the spectacular free fireworks display at Lake Wendouree at 9.30pm, weather permitting.  

2023 is gearing up to be a busy and exciting year for the City of Ballarat. We are growing and with that comes opportunity. 

According to our most recent census data we now have over 9,000 businesses operating within our municipal boundaries, we have a manufacturing output of nearly $4 billion dollars with the highest number of jobs (over 11,000) in the health care and social assistance sectors. Since the 2016 Census, construction has been the fastest developing industry with a 31 per cent growth. In 2021 we had 53,983 jobs in Ballarat, an increase of 15 per cent on 2016, with a population increase of 11.9 per cent and housing by 11.3 per cent.  

In 2023 we will work towards developing further opportunities arising from our continued population growth, our strategic location, a skilled workforce and excellent training opportunities as well as continuing our collective advocacy for continued investment in transformational projects. 

It is an exciting time as we see projects either underway or soon to commence across Bakery Hill and Bridge Mall, the Airport runway extension, the Ballarat Library redevelopment, Her Majesty’s Theatre and the lake lighting installation. We will also see further developments in the exciting BWEZ precinct, and the City of Ballarat will continue its advocacy for further business investment and for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games.  

The economic interest in Ballarat is continuing to grow and the City of Ballarat working with its partners such as Federation University, Commerce Ballarat, the Committee for Ballarat and the State Government will look at every opportunity to facilitate it.  

It is truly an exciting year ahead.

  

Mayor

Des Hudson