Voices of Ballarat – A Heritage Collection

Each year, the Ballarat Heritage Festival invites the community to celebrate the city’s rich and diverse history. For many local groups, however, preserving and sharing these stories is a year-round commitment. 

The Community Hub brings together a curated collection of Ballarat’s historical and cultural organisations, offering a welcoming space to explore the people, places and hidden stories that shape the region. Meet passionate volunteers, discover unique collections, learn more about local community groups, and enjoy a series of short presentations throughout the festival.

Please note: No bookings required, just show up on the day for each presentation.

Discover a diverse range of organisations, each sharing their own perspective on Ballarat’s past and present: 

 Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid

The Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid is a collaborative initiative to recognise and celebrate the global significance of Australia’s nineteenth-century gold rush. 

Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee 

This committee preserves and promotes Ballarat’s Arch of Victory and Avenue of Honour, commemorating thousands of World War I service personnel. 

 Royal South Street Society 

The Royal South Street Society delivers Australia’s longest-running eisteddfod, fostering excellence in performing arts and cultural participation. 

 Sebastopol Historical Society 

The Sebastopol Historical Society collects, preserves and shares the rich and fascinating history of Sebastopol and surrounds, from pre-gold rush, through to the present day. 

 Ballarat Historical Society 

The Ballarat Historical Society exists to promote and preserve an understanding of Ballarat's rich heritage and history. Join the society president, Marion Littlejohn, as she looks at some of the incredible changes the discovery of gold created culturally, economically and politically in an illustrated talk titled "Gold Changed Everything."

St John's Anglican Church Group 

For more than 160 years, St John’s Anglican Church has stood as a place of worship in Soilders Hill, representing a community that has played a key role in the city’s social, cultural and architectural heritage. 

 Ballarat Air Force Association 

The Ballarat Air Force Association has fostered the spirit of friendship formed on service; supporting service men and women through advice, liaison and representation and continued to honour the heritage and proud traditions of the Air Force. 

 Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens 

The Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens support the preservation, research and promotion of the gardens’ environmental, cultural and historical significance. 

Ballarat Heritage Watch

Ballarat Heritage Watch focusses on the preservation of heritage buildings, streetscapes and parklands in the City of Ballarat.

PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

SATURDAY
Time	Group
10:30 – 11:15	Ballarat Historical Society
11:45 – 12:30	St John's Anglican Church Group
1:00 – 1:45	Ballarat Air Force Association
2:15 – 3:00	Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens
SUNDAY
Time	Group
10:00 – 10:45	Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee
11:15 – 12:00	Royal South Street Society
12:30 - 1:15	Ballarat Heritage Watch
1:45 - 2:30	Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid