Mayor's Message - Friday 30 September

As a sporting city, Ballarat should be incredibly proud of its achievements. Over the past year we have seen National Road Cycling Championships, the 3x3 Hustle Basketball Championships, AFL and AFLW as well as A League, NRL and WNBL games, Trans-Tasman Bowls, Netball League, State Rowing Regattas, swimming, polocrosse, badminton championships and more, hosted right here in Ballarat.   

The exciting news is more of the same sporting action, particularly across women’s sport is heading right our way. Just in the last week we learnt that we are one step closer to hosting an international team as part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Ballarat is one of 35 shortlisted options in Australia and to put it in perspective, the Women’s World Cup is set to become the biggest female sport event in history. An incredible opportunity if Ballarat is successful in its bid to be a part of that.  

It has also been fantastic this month to welcome the Western United Football Club to Ballarat for two A-League Women’s matches for the upcoming season. This will be the first time Western United has fielded a female side in Australia’s elite Liberty A-League Women’s season. Fixtures against Perth Glory and Sydney FC will be played on Saturday 4 February 2023 and Sunday 5 March 2023 respectively.  

Between 29 September and 1 October, we also welcome the women’s and girls’ soccer carnival to be held at BRSF and this Saturday we see the first of two October AFLW matches at Mars Stadium, starting with our very own Western Bulldogs V Melbourne. The second game will be on the 16 October against St. Kilda. 

In closing a big congratulations to this year’s recent graduates of the 2022 Western Bulldogs Foundation, Daughters of the West women’s health program. A superb initiative that saw over 80 women involved in the 10-week program of health and wellbeing workshops.  

Mayor 

Daniel Moloney