Mayor’s Message Friday 25 February

I’m really excited by Victoria’s bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games – and what that could potentially mean for Ballarat. 

Over the past few years, the City of Ballarat, along with both the state and federal governments, has invested heavily in local sporting facilities. 

That investment will place us in a really strong position should Victoria be successful in its bid, with Ballarat’s Mars Stadium being touted as a possible venue for the athletics events. 

Hosting the National Road Cycling Championships, AFL, A-League soccer and international and national level basketball have already demonstrated our ability to run elite sporting events and I, along with my other regional council counterparts, will be doing my best to ensure Ballarat benefits from this strong bid. 

It’s also exciting news that Lake Wendouree will now host the 2022 Australian Masters Rowing Championships after they were originally scheduled to be staged in Perth.  

The Masters Championships will be held on the same weekend as the Ballarat Heritage Festival opening, making the weekend of May 19 to 22 one to mark on the calendar. 

Lake Wendouree is well versed at hosting major national and international events. After hosting the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games Rowing Regatta, the lake has welcomed competitors from Australia and across Victoria for multiple state regattas.  

In 2012, Ballarat hosted the Australian Masters Rowing Championships followed by the World Rowing Masters in 2014.  

Hosting the masters is a great reward for all the efforts made to establish Lake Wendouree as an international standard rowing venue.  

Regattas such these not only promote Lake Wendouree as an ideal sporting venue, but they also inject economic activity into our city. 

I would like to congratulate everyone at Rowing Australia, Rowing Victoria, and the City of Ballarat for turning around this event with such short notice.